Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-09-24
LETTERS TO THE BRANDON CELE-
BRATION.
FROM HON. WILLIAM sLADE.
MidaieJuy, Augud 81, 1858.
G. +. DANA, ESQ,

AhthfhfpuFys <tNyW1t Ot AOoo'
G. f. DANA, ESQ,
DEAR SIR:
/ regret ex
ceedingly that the state of my health will not
permit my attendance on the celebration of
the laying of the Atlantic Cable, upon the in
vitation your Committee of Arrangements
have been kind enough to extend to me-
Nothing could give me greater pleasure than
to mingle IN your assembly and catch its in
spiration ! would like to stand up in the
midst Of it, and thank God that have lived
TO see this day, when there is such an accu-
mutation Of evidence that the forces of nature
are to be progressively developed for the use
of man.
How short time it is since Steam and
Electricity were wholly unknown, as agents
capable of being subjected, by human skill,
to the purposes of human improvement. For
sixty centuries they lay hidden among ma
turo's socrcts--tho one attracting no notice
the other known only as an agent Of terror
and destruction. Now, both are among the
most manageable and benehcent agents in the
work Of human progress.
How interesting it is to mark the begin
ming and the progress of the application Of
Electricity TO the purpose of conveying
thought Franklin brought it from the
clouds and disarmod it of its terrors. But
Franklin, with his iar-reachng sagacity, did
not dream of what we now witness, or have
even the flintest conception Of the great idea
which has been expanded to this result. He
tanned the lightning That has mis-
sion The electric fluid could be controlled
1t could be conducted harmless to the earth.
But TO what other purpose il could be con-
trolled. was yet to be discovered. Long
years elapsed and the great discovery burst
upon the world Morse said that thought.
clothed in ineligible language, could be sent
through this agency to distant points. With
what crcdulity this received. | well re-
member his appearance at Washington, six
teen years ago, with the announcement, ac-
companied by an urgent request for an appro-
priation by Congress to enable him to open
telegraphic communication between Washing
ton and Baltimore. He was regarded
visionary. lie said-"Here, look at my ex-
pertinent and be convinced and forthwith
he extended wire from the ante-room of the
Senate Chamber to a committee room in the
other end of the Capitol, and said-"I will
stand at one end of the wire, and you doubt
ing NJ. Cs at the other end, shall see wheth-
er cannot receive and answer your questions"
Ii was
done. Communications were sent and an
swered. Wise men rolled up their eyes in
wonder. Demonstration succeeded TO doubt.
They were convinced.
What followed everybody knows. Posts
were erected, wire was extended-Washing-
ton and Baltimore were connected; and the
nation was astonished with the intelligence
that thought was flashing with lightning
speed through the forty miles between the
two cities. This accomplished, think.
in 1913. Fifteen years has elapsed, and be-
hold The Western Continent is speaking 10 the
Eastern, distance of t,oo thousand miles, hro'
the Adantic Ocean
To this stupendous result, have enterprise
and perseverance carried the great discovery
within this short period Oceans are no lon
ger barriers in the instantaneous communica-
ton of thought We no longer stand des-
pairing upon the Atlantic coast, saying-here
is barrier that cannot be passed steam can
shorten the distance, but lightning can never
annihilate it. A few brave men, with CYRUS
w. FIELD at their head, in the true Yankee
spirit, sad-"H can be done At anyrate
we'll try." They hare tried and in face of
obstacles that tested to the utmost their faith
and pali ,nce they have carried the trial to
triumphant success. What no prophet dared
predict fifteen years ago, bas come to pass
The question is settled. Thought is to flash
through the widest oceans, and the entire
world is to be bound together by network
of teegraphic wires
Whlo we take our stand on this suddenly
reached elevation, and survey with wonder
the past, we look 20 the future with anxious
expectation What improvements are to be
ingrafted on the principle which has brought
out the great result now celebrated We are
far from the end. The means have been
found of insulating wire two thousand miles
and q H.. ..Tt a.
and thus is settled the practicability of con-
Meeting continents. But how much is human
ingenuity yet to be taxed to make the Mag
netic Telegraph available to the vast and va
ried purposes it is fitted to subserve, in the
intercourse of men. We are at a great ad-
vance upon the experiment Of lS43. What
has inscrutable and all-wise Providence to
bring out, within the next fifteen years This
question is put not with reference to the ex-
tension of Telcgraphic wires, but to the modes
of communicating through them. Tho ques-
tion of covering the earth with this network,
and connecting continents through intervening
Oceans being settled, the next great effort
of ingenuity will be to perfect the apparatus
by which communications are to be made, so
that the greatest pc 'sible amount Of intelli-
genco may be convey ID in the shortest possi-
bic time Methods may and must be devised
by Whlch me present rate por minute snail
be very greatly increased. How else is the
vast intercourse of the world through this
channel, to be carried on; How long will
men be content with communications Of any
thing of urgent interest, by mail conveyances
Who with any considerable experience of rail
road conveyance, is not impatient at the slow
progress Of even ten-mles-au-hour staging?
We scarce begin to conceive the extent to
which the intercommunication of men are to
be carried on through the electro magnetic
nor the extent to which human in
5onuity is to be taxed to meet the almost IL
limitable want of the world in the great flu
ture of its extended civilization.
What woodworking Providence it is
that has brought out this great discovery, and
conducted it to its present astonishing result.
opening such glorious vista into the future
A moments glance confounds, and almost
slences me. The theme is too great for the
brief utterances to which the proprieties of
this communication restrain me. To Com