Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-11-21
THE WONDER OF THE AGE.

America may well boast OF the Magnetic Te-
lesraph, as the most remarkable triumph oil mind
over matter, in this or any other age. To the
United States the whole credit Of this wonderful
discovery has been most Justly assigned Thus
far. i. has not done much more than astoni>h the
world as mighty link in the chain of science
Il will soon be looked 10 for lis practical effects
upon the business and morals OF the comfy
MANY contend, that its universa Introduction will
entirely break up The present Post Office System.
and force the Government 10 use The wires ex-
clusively. Others argue, that the press Will be
stripped Of its great virtue, the circulation OF The
news, /" and must fall victim 10 The Great
Spirit Of magnetism. We shall not argue these
points, though il must be evidentlo every one that
The Telegraph will have an immense influence in
modifying The present Post Office and Newspaper
Systems. II is continually urged, as f.ta! OBJ
lection, that, in private hands. the Telegraph will
be converted 10 purposes Of speculation and fraud.
We copy below an admirable ESsav from The
Union, which argues this point with great clear
ness and force, and upholds, in graceful terms The
advantages of the Telegraph We confess that
this article taken in connection with the fact that
the news b. the steamers, &c, will be immediate
ly transmitted gratis 10 all parts OF the country, has
almost removed the objections we had conceived
against tie system when in private hands, though
we are still satisfied that this mighty en-.
CINE of good and evil should be under the con-
troll of Government-thal is, il it does not contra
venc the provisions OF the Constitution, which,
"wi,h he lights before us" we are inclined TO be-
Iieve il will not do On this point, however, we
are moi vet satisfied.
as 10 the practical workings of tie Telegraph
in transmitting for publication the proceedings Of
Congress and general news, we give few int
resting extracts bearing on this important point.
They occupy more room than we generally as
sign 10 such subjects; but we know oil no queslion,
which is likely 10 exert more poten! Influence
unon he affairs Of the country, and we hope that
The details will not be unacceptable 10 our readers.
Unit the travel through the air in balloons, or
some other rapid conveyance, is established (and
who 50 bold as 10 deny The possibility OF such an
even, after what we have seen?) Inc electric tele-
eranh must continue 10 excite The wonder and Al
,enion OF all classes but particularly oflhe mer-
chants officers Of Government and The editorial
fraternity.
To he Editor Of he Union:
New YoRK, Oc. 9Th, l5i5
Dear Sir: | observe what your New York cor
respondent SAYS about the abuses which NAV be
pracrised through the magnetic telegraph, bur, il
seems 10 me. he has not surveyed The whole
pround. He presents one side OF the picture--let
us look al the other.
admir- all he SAYS about The advantages TO be
gained in The markets hy obtaining The prior use
Of the telegraph, and il is not susceptible oil so e.
.,c,ive an abuse as The mails. The mails pass
tut our, day, the telegraph works all day. Ore
is daily mail, The other an oH-day mail. The
>pecplator who is fortunate cnoushto hc Inc ohiy
man who has the news when The mail goes our,
Gains The advantage Of a whole day, as no other
mail uoes for "a hours. by which his operations
can he checked though his news may become
nnh,ic in five minutes after it has started. Bu;,
as the telegraph works all day, his exclusive news
will scarcely be in the possession OF his operators
half an hour before another lightning messenger
comes along and makes II known 10 others, and
in few hours to the whole public
have heard OF mail-carTiers being hired 10 fail
with the mail, thai spectators might lake adran-
tage of he market; and il may happen that some
of The managers OF the telegraph will be corrupt
ed. hut 10 produce The same results, the mailcar-
rier has 10 act corruptly but oace day, while The
TELEGRAPH manager must act coIruply all dav
We have, during the last Spring and Summer,
hea of visual leesraphs, and hye signals. used
hv sneculators between New York, Philadelphia,
and Baltimore; and, though it is not generally
known il is nevertheless a fact that carrier ri.
orons have heen trained and employed for such
6urnoses in this country for The last five or six
years These means Of speculalion will be ami
bilaled by the telegraph. They are Standing
abuse. NOT milgated by any conneractins use
which honest men can make OF them.
If the telegraph had been in operation when
Tho Great Britain recently reached our shores, Of
Iiule avail would have been the operations Of The
snecnlators who left her among the breakers; al
lhouoh thcy might have started twelve hours be-
fore The news became public, il would have darled
by them on The magic wires to The principal gram
markets, and LEFT Them far behind
have heard MIR. Kendall say, that his advice
to all the telegraph companies will be, that on The
arrival Of every steamer they shall Instantly send
The foreign prices of cotton flour, and other staple
articles. without charge, 10 every station IN The
Union, where the people have any interest in The
subject, and there be stuck mp on bulletin, io'
the information OF those concerned. DO mol
think the farmers of Ohio or New York would be
inclined 10 break wires which would thus guard
them against the wics of spectators
The real enemies of these wires will be, not The
farmers or honest men Of any class, but specua
tors, thieves, murderers. and rogues OF all sorts
What chance will there be for fugitive 10 es.
cape, when description OF him can be sent over
The whole Union 10 half an hour2 Who will
dare to offer a forged draft. when The drawer