Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-04
Morse before Congress with his TEL
- e4raph.


We clip the subioined extract from letter
to the Baltimore Patriot from n. Sargent, Esq.
IL possesses much interest:
.Tu A recent speech made by Ex-President
Fillmore, at Niagara Falls, on the occasion of
the interchange of messages between the
Queen of England and the President of the
United States, he alluded to the fact that he
was chairman of the Committee ways and
Means) of the House of Representatives which
reported in favor of making an appropriation
of $40 900. to enable Mr.. Morse, the discov-
erer of the Magnetic Telegraph, to establish
nm experimental line from Washington to
Baltimore; and he also spoke of the opposi-
ton that was raised to this appropriation IN
the House. and the dcrision that was attempt
cd to he cast upon Mr.. Morse's discovery
Coy. Wallace, of Indiana, has also spoken OF
the fact that strenuous opposition was made
to this measure in the Committee, every Dem
ocrat upon it voting against it. and that 1t
was carried in the Commsttee by his vote,
there being only one majority for it.
During that session Mr.. Morse had estab-
tablished temporary line of his telegraph
between two committee rooms, one at the
extreme east end of the Capitol, and the
other at the extreme west end, for the pur-
pose of showing members of Congress and
others its operation, and that by its means
people situated at "a distance from each other
could hold conversations and rapidly inter-
change thoughts. Members, and hundreds OF
others, saw it in operation, and held CONVEX
sations with their friends, they being thus
ne ,arated
But notwithstanding this practical demon
stration of the possibility of conveying
thoughts along the wires to distant point,
such was the incredulty in regard to its be-
ing of any practical use that when tie bill
which contained the appropriation asked for
came up in committee of the whole. there
was a perfect storm of opposition and derision
raised againstit, and every parliamentary effort
and strategy were resorted to, to defeat the APP
preparations; all sorts of ridiculous amend
ments were offered, such as making an appro-
priation to build a railroad to the moon, and
every imaginable jcef, sheer, jest and sarcasm
were hurled at it, Among those most promi-
nent in opposing and ridiculing the proposed
telegraph, were Mr.. Cave Johnson, afterwards
Post Master General, Edmund Burke, Com
missioner of Patents under Mr.. Polk, and Mr..
Houston, of Alabama, who were undcubt-
edlv honest in their opposition, but lacked
faith.
While the appropriation was under consi-
deration in the Committee of the Whole, and
this war of rdicule was being made upon
his discovery, Mr.. Morse was present leaning
upon the bar of the House, intensely excited.
As he stood there | came up to him and re-
marked that he seemed to be very much ex
cited. He turned towards me and placed his
hand upon his forehead. said that he had an
awful headache. | replied that 1t was in con
sequence of his being so excited; that he
must endeavor to be calm; that this ridiculc
which was being cast upon him aud his tele-
graph would not amount to anything, and
that he must endeavor to take il patiently, as
other discoveries had been ridiculcd before
him. and had afterwards been immortaliZed.
lie replied that he had reason to feel anX-
ious, that he had spent seven years in perfect
ing his telegraph and had expended all he
had in the world in doing it; that he had a
large family, and not money enough to pay
his hotel bill. That if the appropriation was
made he should realize all he had been so
long labOring for; but if it were defeated, he
was a ruined man. AS is now known. the ap-
preparation was made mainly through the
efforts of Mr.. Fillmore the Chairman of the
Committee of Ways and Means, and Mr..
Morse has attained, what he is so richly en-
titled to, both fame and fortune.
The line of telegraph between Washington
and Baltimore was in due time erected, and
il was first put in operation during the sit
ting of the Democratic Convention in Balti-
more, in June, q think,) 1874. Mr. Morse
occupied room for operating his telegraph
on that occasion adjoining the Supreme Court,
in the Capitol, and when the Convention met
and began its organization, he received and
Tetu ~ tHt crown every
minutes, reports of its proceedings. Mr..
Wright, of Pa, il was announced, was elected
President, &c. &c, and when the balloting
for the candidate began, there was the most
intense interest among the people assembled
here until it being announced that one and
another. and another State had voted for Mr..
Polk, he had finally received the requisite
two-thirds, and was nominated. A long
breath followed this announcement, but no
cheer, from the Democrats, most of whom
soon departed with sad countenances. Then
came the announcement that Silas Wright
had been nominated as Vice President; where
upon, he being in the Senate Chamber, he
sent word back that he should not accept the
nomination.
A message in reply stated that n committee
was abont to leave in the cars for Washington
to wait upon him, aid asking him not to de-
termine definitely until they had waited on
him which message closed that first days
operations of the electric telegraph, except
some private communications between the
operators.