Pueblo chieftain., 1922-01-26
THE RECORDS OF CONGRESS
BY Frederic ]. Haskin.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. 2s.-The
records of the proceedings Of the
great legislative bodies of the world
have been properly kept and preserved
for relatively short period. For many
centuries the British parliament rigid
iy excluded anyone corresponding in
the remotest way to the modern news
paperman, and even such chroniclers
as would correspond TO the present day
official reporters of debates. Samuel II.
Gray, one of the official stenographic
reporters OF the house of representa-
tives, has spent several years going
INTO tho whole history of legislative
reporting, with the result that a re-
markably interesting ana accurate his
torical account has been produced.
Samuel johnson, who came to Lon
don to do any kind of hack writing
that would insure him n living, was
the first real reporter of tho proceed
ings of the British parliament, and he
had TO do it in a roundabout way to
avoid the legal consequences of pub
fishing anything that occurred in par
lament
In those days Edward Cave was the
proprietor of THE Gentleman's Maga
zine and because of an official posi-
ton he enjoyed. was privileged to hear
the proceedings of parliament From
the notes he made and from memory
ne would sketch to johnson what had
occurred. and Johnson would not mere
ly outline 1t, but write out lengthy de-
bates, tho language of which was his
own. but the action portrayed being
painstakinsly correct.
In order to dodge the legal conse-
duences, these debates appeared often
est when parliament was not in ses-
sion. Also, as a further safeguard. the
accounts of the debates were headed
Parliament OF the Empire of Lilfi-
put The names of the speakers were
skeletonized or slightly changed. but
an intelligent reader could place ac-
curately each speaker. johnson did not
particularly relish this job. and Bos-
well few weeks before his death that
1t was the only thing In his writings
of which he was ashamed.
REPORTING FROM MEMORY
Two remarkable men named Wood
fall and Radcliffe were the successors
to Johnson. BY this time enforcement
OF the rules of the house of commons
had been so relaxed that people were
admitted to tho gallery, but no nota
tions could be made. Woodfall. with
out tagging single note. would write
at the conclusion OF each session a.
much as Is newspaper columns of the
debates, and sell this to tho afternoon
newspapers published tho next day. |
Radcliffe performed even more re-
markably. When the days session
ended, he would post himself between
two compositors. and from memory
kept up a cunning fire OF dictatlon to 1
two different portions OF the proceed |
1nEs to tho two men as fast as theyi
could set tho type.
Two Englishmen named Gray and
Ferry then purchased the Morning I
cronicle," and In order TO get the pro-
ceedings OF tho parliament for their |
paper. invented the relay system OF |
reporters. This system is followed in /
highly perfected manner. to this
very day In every legislative body of J
n pfp Il
as a reporter was none other than
Charles Dickens. before he set all !
England laughing with Mr.. Plciwick
and Sam Weller.
Dickens had worked in n similar ca
pacity on sheet called THE Mirror
of Parliament" before tho purchase OF
tho Morning Chronicle" by Perry and
Gray.
Even now the house OF common. 4,
not entirely reconciled to It's official
reporters. They arc stationed in a
small sort OF a gallery, not having the
privilege Of the floor. ms In our senate
and house OF representatives. AS a re-
suit much OF the actual wording of
speeches is lost. and much Of tho rec
ord Of the British parliament Is writ
ten in the third person on that ac-
count. Tho newspapers have "A corps
OF stenographic reporters present also
Tho official corps and tho ncwspa per
corps check their records one with the
other.
There exists among the parliament
ary rules governing tho British parIia-
ment provision that any member can
call tho attention of the speaker to tho
fact that there are strangers in Tho
gallery. and the speaker then mus,
order the strangers removed This
would clear the gallery Of all newspa-
per men. OF course, tho rule has been
allowed TO become n dead letter and is
preserved moro as curiosity than
anything else. Should any member
ever bring this question up parlia-