Editing Hansard (section)

==Origins==
Though the history of the ''Hansard'' began in the British Parliament, each of Britain's colonies developed a separate and distinctive history. Before 1771, the British Parliament had long been a highly secretive body. The official record of the actions of the House was publicly available but there was no record of the debates. The publication of remarks made in the House became a breach of [[parliamentary privilege]], punishable by the two [[Houses of Parliament (UK)|Houses of Parliament]]. As the populace became interested in parliamentary debates, more independent newspapers began publishing unofficial accounts of them. The many penalties implemented by the government, including fines, dismissal, imprisonment, and investigations, are reflective of "the difficulties faced by independent newspapermen who took an interest in the development of [[Upper Canada]], and who, in varying degrees, attempted to educate the populace to the shortcomings of their rulers".<ref name=Ward />

Several editors used the device of reporting on parliamentary debates under the veil of debates of fictitious societies or bodies. The names under which parliamentary debates were published include ''Proceedings of the Lower Room of the Robin Hood Society'' and ''Debates of the Senate of Magna Lilliputia''.<ref name="C-H">[http://www.commonwealth-hansard.org/chea_story.asp Story of Hansard] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223040314/http://www.commonwealth-hansard.org/chea_story.asp |date=2011-02-23 }} — Commonwealth Hansard Editors Association</ref> The Senate of Magna Lilliputia was printed in [[Edward Cave]]'s ''[[The Gentleman's Magazine]]'', which was first published in 1732. The names of the speakers were carefully "[[Fillet (redaction)|filleted]]"; for example, Sir [[Robert Walpole]] was thinly disguised as "Sr. R―t W―le".<ref name=Trewin>{{cite book|last=Trewin|first=J.C|author-link = J. C. Trewin|title=Printer to the House: The Story of Hansard|year=1952|publisher=The Chapel River Press|location=Andover, Hants, Great Britain|page=5}}</ref>

In 1771, [[Brass Crosby]], who was [[Lord Mayor of the City of London]], had brought before him a printer by the name of John Miller who dared publish reports of parliamentary proceedings. He released the man, but was subsequently ordered to appear before the House to explain his actions. Crosby was committed to the [[Tower of London]], but when he was brought to trial, several judges refused to hear the case and after protests from the public, Crosby was released.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Thornbury|first=Walter|url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol1/pp396-416|title=Old and New London: Volume 1|publisher=Cassell, Petter & Galpin|year=1878|pages=396–416|chapter=The Lord Mayors of London|access-date=26 August 2020|archive-date=6 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806230213/https://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol1/pp396-416|url-status=live}}</ref> Parliament ceased to punish the publishing of its debates as harshly, partly due to the campaigns of [[John Wilkes]] on behalf of free speech. There then began several attempts to publish reports of debates. Among the early successes, the ''Parliamentary Register'' published by [[John Almon]] and [[John Debrett]] began in 1775 and ran until 1813.

[[William Cobbett]] (1763–1835), a noted radical and publisher, began publishing ''Parliamentary Debates'' as a supplement to his ''[[Political Register]]'' in 1802, eventually extending his reach back with the ''Parliamentary History''. Cobbett's avocation for the freedom of the press was severely punished by the British Government. On 5 June 1810 William Cobbett stood trial for [[seditious libel]] for an article he wrote against the British Government which was published by [[Thomas Curson Hansard]]. Cobbett was found "guilty, upon the fullest and most satisfactory evidence".<ref name=Trewin /> The court sentence read: "The court do adjudge that you, William Cobbett pay to our Lord the King a fine of £1000; that you be imprisoned in His Majesty's gaol of Newgate for the space of two years, and that at expiration of that time you enter into a recognizance to keep the peace for seven years—yourself in the sum of £3000, and two good and sufficient sureties in the sum of £1,000; and further, that you be imprisoned till that recognizance be entered into, and that fine paid".<ref name=Trewin /> The sentence was described by [[J. C. Trewin]] as "vindictive".<ref name=Trewin /> The Court argued that Thomas Curson Hansard, who had "seen the copy before it was printed, ought not to have suffered it to have been printed at all"<ref name=Trewin /> and was sentenced to three months imprisonment in the [[King's Bench Prison]].

Cobbett's reports were printed by Thomas Curson Hansard from 1809; in 1812, Cobbett's finances ran asunder and he divested himself of his proprietorship of both the ''Parliamentary Debates'' and ''Parliamentary History'', which then "passed into the hands of Hansard in 1812".<ref name=Ward /> ''Cobbett's Parliamentary Debates'' became ''Hansard Parliamentary Debates'', "abbreviated over time to the now familiar Hansard".<ref name=Ward /> From 1829 the name "Hansard" appeared on the title page of each issue.<ref>[http://www.hansard-westminster.co.uk/story.asp ::: Department of the Official Report (Hansard) – Story of Hansard :::<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817171411/http://www.hansard-westminster.co.uk/story.asp|date=17 August 2009}}</ref> Cobbett and Hansard did not ever employ anyone to take down notes of the debates, which were taken from a multiplicity of sources in the morning newspapers. For this reason, early editions of ''Hansard'' are not to be absolutely relied upon as a guide to everything discussed in Parliament.

Hansard outlasted competitors including Almon and Debrett, and the later ''Mirror of Parliament'' published by J. H. Barrow from 1828 to 1843; Barrow's work was more comprehensive but he checked each speech with the Member and allowed them to correct anything they wished they had not said. The last attempt at a commercial rival was ''[[The Times]]'' which published debates in the 1880s. In 1878, a subsidy was granted to the Hansard press and at that point reporters were employed.<ref name=Ward /> Despite hiring contract reporters there were still widespread complaints about the accuracy of the debate reports. In 1889, Henry Hansard, the son of Thomas Hansard, broke the family connection with the debates.<ref name=Ward />