The weekly Butte record., 1858-10-09
Poem ON the Atlantic Telegraph Cable.
BY JOHN r. RIDGE.

lie. earth be glad! for that great work is done,
Which makes, at last, the Old and New World one
Let all mankind rejoice; for time nor space
Shall check the progress of the human race!
Though nature heaved the continents apart,
She cast in one great mould the human heart;
She framed on one great plan the human mind,
And gave man speech to link him TO his kind;
So that though plains and mountains intervene,
Or oceans, broad and stormy. roll between.
II there but be courier for the thought.
Swift winged or slow the land and seas are naught
And man is nearer to his brother brought.
First ere the dawn of letters was, OF burst
The light of science on tne world, men. hurst
In distant soltudes apart, did send,
Midst lurking foes and dangers without end.
Their skinclad herslds FORTH to thread the woods.
Scale mountain peaks. or SWIM the sudden Hoods,
And bear their messages of peace or war.
Next. beasts we're tanned to drag the rolling car,
Or speed the mounted iider on his track,
and. then came, too, the vessels, oar-propelied,
Which fled the ocean the clouds grew black,
And safe near shore their prudent courses held.
Next came the winged ships which, brave and free
Did skim the bosom OF the bounding sea,
And d4i ed the storms and darkness in their flight
Yet, drised far before the winds and night,
Or lay within the Dead Gains grasp Of might,
Then, sei-divded nations nearer came,
Stood lace to face, spoke each the others name,
IL friendship grew, a d learned the truth sublime
Thai nan is niaa, in every age and cline
They nearer were, by months aad years-but space
Must still be ahsfieaei in improvements race,
And STEAM came next u wake TIE worli from sleeI
Aud launched her black plumed warriors ofthe deep
The which, in calm storm, rode onward still,
And trssed the raging elements at will.
Then di.t1nce which, from. calris and sto nls delays
Grew into months, was shortened Into days
And Sciences self declared her widest dean
gseaehed not beyond this miracle of steam
9ut.srgAr ha.h not the lightning wondrous power
Though titan like midst science 50 Is il tower,
And wrestle with the ocean in his wrath,
Aud sweep the wild wave foamng from its path.
mightier monarch i, rnat subtler thing,
Which gives to o'humanfhousht its thc't-swift wing
Which speaks in thunder, like God,
Or huInbly st0ops to kiss tie lifted rod;
Ascends to Nights dim, solitary throne,
And drspes it with spleudor not it, own
Il gasssy grandeur and ghosty sheen
Thro which the pale stars trenble they re seen;
pescends to lire The far h Irizon's rim,
And plants mount -Etnls in the coudland grim;
Or. proud to.swp fair science rightful sway,
dsox bends along the electric wire to play,
And. helping out the ever wondrous plan,
Becomes, In south, an errand bsyfQr man.
vtsis Power it was, which not content with aught
As yet achieved by human will or thought,
Disdained the slow account OF months or days,
In navigation of the ocean-ways,
And days woulc shorten into hours aud these
To minutes. in the face Of angered seas
II thought might not be borne upon the foam
OF furrowing keel, with speed that thot should
j. then should walk like light, the oceans bed.
And laugh to so7rn the winls and waves er-headl
Beneath the reach of storm wreck. down where
The skeletons of men and navies are,
It's silent steps should be; while DER its path
gae monsters of the deep. in sport or wrath,
The waters lashed, till like pot should boil
The ;ses, and fierce AEIov psw the up-cast spoil
America to thee belongs the praise
or this great, crowning deed of modern iays,
Twas FRANKLIN called the wonder from on high;
Twas MORSE who bade it mans errands fly
Twas he foretold its pathway meath the sea;
A daring FIELD fulfilled the prophecy
Twas fitting that great free land like this,
Should give the Iightning.s voice 10 I4ibeny,
Should wing the herslds of Earth's happiness,
And sing, beneath rhe evef-sounding sea.
The fair, the bright milennial days to be.
Now may ere long the sword he skeathel, to rust
Tho helmet laid in nhdstinguished dust;
The fhund rous chariot panse in mid career,
Its crimsoned wheels no through blood to steer
The red hoofed steed from felds,of death be led,
Or turned to pasture where the armies bled
For Nation unto Nation shall be
Together brought in knitted unity.
And man be bound to man. by that strong chain,
Which linking land to land and main to main,
Shall .vihrate to the voice OF Peace, and he
throbbing heirt -ssssng ef HUMANITY