The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-03
The Great OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and the
Telegraph.


Telegraph.
Almost simultaneous with Calhoun's theories
of disintegration came the practical applica
ton of those forces which defeated them
telegraphs and railroads. The two ideas Of
North and South grew side by side. The
North, with keener and more practical in
sight into the future, devoted its entire energy
and talent to the race of material progress,
and day after day, with iron rail, with tele-
graphs, steamboats, and modern machinery
built up the true Notifications which In this
age are nations greatest strength. The the
cries Of Calhoun did not even possess the CEN
tralized strength Of those which shaped the
Roman republic, but rather represented the
oligarchical system which scarcely adapted
itself to the little Grecian peninsula. In its
practical application this Southern system
made its trial of strength in the form OF the
worst military despotism which the age has
seen. England and France threw their i'm
mense power into the scales with them, and
the thunderbolts of war were hurled against
the vast workshop called the Northern States.
In vain they beat against Its iron bands and its
wires Everywhere railways and steamboats,
launched their freight Of troops in opposition,
while almost on the line of battle the tele-
graph made the whole great arc Of circle,
from New Orleans to the Potomac, vast bat
tie field, where right, left and centre the rebel
lion was simultaneously driven to the wall.
Down went the whole fabric, with crash that
rang through Europe, proclaiming that old
theories of government were to be abandoned
and new ones, based entirely on material pro-
gress, were to take their place. But Europe
did not understand the lesson. They had seen
vast armies moved, as if by magic, to the en-
tire ignoring of the old system Of logistics.
They had seen our central govern
ment conversing at the same moment
with generals who were conducting operations
two thousand miles apart. They had seen
military bridges thrown in day across rivers
that would have barred the progress of any
European army. They had seen o country,
larger than the whole Of Western Europe,
working tremendously and as if by magic
under single impulse. They saw treasure
created beyond all their financial calculations.
They saw, in fact, q modern Minerva step into
sight, armed with the elements Of the age, and
wondered what the apparition meant.
1t was bitter pill for the reactionists, the
monarchists and the old time-servers Of
Europe to recognize the fact that young
America had leaped forward at the b cad Of all
the nations. But we could not avoid it. 1t
was by no intended effort Of ours, but rather q
result of the free exchange of ideas through
the press, the mouthpiece through which the
telegraph speaks to the people. It was the
result Of the inventions Of Morse and other
such opponents Of the American mechanical
brain. u. "a''- Ia r--r9--
The telegraph and our steam motors saved
our nationality. 1t is these we must bless,
and not any particular theories Of our govern
ment, except as they have tended to promote
advancement in mechanical directions. But
beyond all these things the benefits they have
conferred in making Us compact nationality
come foremost. They have actually com,
pressed three million Of square miles into Q
homogeneous people and have presented to
the world an indivisible unit. Our govern
mental theories may be wrong-we care not
Monarchists may laugh at the republic-the
republic is not our form Of government! They
may mourn for the days when statesmen sat
In our legislative halls-they are every day
less and less wanted in America! The press,
steam and tha telegraph rule all, shape all,
and hold in their power the destinies Of the
people. They have fastened themselves
upon the country, and hold it in ar
iron net through whose meshes it is
impossible for any State or combination o.
States to breaK. They have given US ter
rible consolidation, and have even taught us
consolidation in our language, which, especially
under the influence Of the telegraph, daily
becomes more laconic and powerful in its OK
preston. The railways are combining and
forming great corporations; q single telegraph
company has consolidated different lines unit
IL possesses to-day ffty-six thousand miles 0
| line, not counting double wires.
| But how does Europe feel the touch Of thes.
great revolutionistsa Since 1856 eleven
thrones have gone down Of their touch. They
have pronounced the words consolidation
and liberty and forced America before theil
eyes as an example of what they are 4
expect. We have seen at recent date oil
and time-honored Municipalities broken up ii
spite Of all effort 70 sustain them, and hsv,
seen them merged into new confederation
We have seen Italy gather up her scattered
fragments and rebind them to suit the taste Of
the age. Austria, retrograde and naughty
has been forced into line and there. as else
where, nothing can stand the revolutionary
force of the two great modern Powers. Ger
man principalities chung to those old theories
which flrst established the cities and then ex-
tended their power to the districts around them,