The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-26
Press PriVfleses-Shan Reporters be
allowed TO Report r-SpfcyD Debate In
the House of Deiegates-The Press
Triumns,,,< @-t." -

AS~ea 10 AepSrG S-Spfcy Webate In
the House of Delegates The Press
triumphant.
FROM time immemorial it has been the
custom IN the House Of Delegates to pro-
flue -isp9rIers for Virginia papers seats
ai3ulu tHe clerks desk, where they are in
n9oouss Is way, and at the same time have
ql m aeslfa1ie. conVeniences for taking notes.
rrequentis tneFe have been four or FIVE
ttnles as many representatives Of the press
lege, but there has strangely been . preot
deal Of difficulty about seating this srsaIf
| number -four or five) gentlemen Of fhs
Lead Pencil. Members have been allowed
to take the chairs and desks get apart for
their use, and one by one the reporters
have been crowded out, until now there
are only taco OH the floor with proper ac-
commodations. 80, :. -
The reporter of the Dispatch, deprived of
bis desk, has been for weeks obliged to rove
around the hall, occupying the places of
absent members, and an appeI TO the
Speaker was not crowned with the ex-
pected success. !;
Major Smith, of the Wing, was denied
| admittance to the hall, and sent to the cal
lery. He might as we'll have been sent out
Of doors to take notes.
Mr. R. F. Walker, Of the Lynchburg Re-
publican, was also refused .assnittanee in Il
written communication from the Speaker
of the House, In which it was stated
that none b,a The representatives of Rich
mond papers could have desks as.
signed them. Mr.. Walker determined
to bring the matter before the House
for decision, and accordingly reso-
luton was introduced yesterday by Mr..
McCaull, instructing the Speaker to admit
him to seat as reporter: The result was
one Of the st0rmiest scenes witnessed du-
ring the present session.
MIR. Turner, the Speaker, rather excitedly
explained his position. Under the rules,
he was allowed to assign reporters such
seats as did not interfere with the transac-
tlOn Of the business of the House. In his
opinion, the hall was now so crowded that
admitting visitors Of any kind would lncon-
Venience members. He believed, though,
| that ull the Richmond papers had their re-
presentatives hare, and his Idea was that to
admit the country press would be opening
| the doors to mob.
Mr.. MCCaull called attention to the fact
| that not more than half dozen gentlemen,
at most, would ask admittance, even if the
country press We're allowed the same privi-
lege as the city press and they are enti.
TIED to the same privileges, the patrons of
country newspapers (as they We're called)-
being IS much interested In the proceed
| ings of the General Assembly as city peo-
pie. He was particularly anxious that Mr..
Walker should be admitted, because the
people of the great Southwest Ia part of the
| state which he represented) were to great
degree dependant upon the Lynchburg pa
pers for their news. But all the Richmond
papers had not been accommodated, Here
he spoke of the Dispatch reporter.] There
| really seems some unWarrantable discrimi-
nation here.
The Speaker (excitedly); deny it.
Mr.. McCaull (Vehemently) Well, sir :;
| and reiterate that there has been most
unwarrantable and apparently unjust dis
elimination in the extension of these priv
| lleges. 1t looks very much rs if there were
improper motives.
Dir. Bell, Of Augusta If the gentleman
| from Roanoke makes such charges against
the Speaker there should be committee of
| investigation.
MIR. McCaull !: 7 can sustain any charges
that make before any committee.
| Here several points of order were made,
and, by the time they were settled, the ex.
ctement had to some extent subsidized.
| Messrs. Bell, Of Augusta, and Thomas
seemed to think it unnecessary to instruct
the Speaker, while they thought tho priyi.
leges of the press ought not to be ABRIDGED
Mr.. Wood, of Halifax, earnestly advoca.
ted the extension OF the privileges of the
floor to the press,and said that if in this
day any attempt was made to close tho
doors of these servants Of an enlightened
public, the House would be untrue to it
self. Accommodate the reporters, even
we have to Inconvenience oursclvesl Bu
it is q false plea that there Is no room
There il plenty of room. Some malign in
fluence that ought to be rebuked seems t
be at work here.
Mr. Hudgin spoke several times in favo
Of leaving the whole matter to the Speaker
Judge Cochraue favored the resolution
and thought it unjust to admit Richmond
papers and no others.
MIR. Poore took the same view. AS t.
keeping order, he said that the gentleman
from Rappahannock Speaker Turner) hat
not set good example. The other day
somebody else being in the chair, he (3lr
Turner) had addressed the acting Speake
sitting in a chair with his feet on the desk
Mr. Kelly moved to refer the resolution
to the Committee on Rules. Rejected.
Messrs. Arnett and Woodson warml,
supported the proposition, and urged tha
lt was both impolitic and unjust to den.
the reporters seats.
| a vote was then taken, and the resolu
tion was adopted by 3 nearly two-third
vote. The Speaker thereupon directed tn
Sergeant-at-Arms to admit the spunk,
representative of the Lynchburg Repubh
can. and steps were taken at once to pro
vide cushioned chairs and handsome desk
for the men Of the Wing and Dispatch.