The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-30

with his father and brother furnished the means 70
give the child decent dress preparatory to its vist
TO the seat OF government.
These few facts suice here to indicate the time and
planned on board the ship In 1855 its FIRST opera
ton was shown IN the New York City University. Ia
v Whether the telegraph had or had not in
It's composition anything in common Win tne ~
called telegraps In Europe tbut which were smpp
magnetic telegraphsh 1t Is evident nom the dates
that the American telegraph c0ud scarcely nave w
derived anything from them since .nese di ~ the
practically exist till some years fupsequent " .ns
conception and planning OF the teegrapn on Doa .
the ship; nor did the first English electomagnetc
semaphore exist until after the first practical opera
ton Of the American electromagnetic telegraph III
In Claiming for the United statesthe birthplace Of
the telegraph do clam too much Am UNJUST 70
the distinguished savans OF the Old and some also IN
the New World whose patient lators and brilliant
one more sin&reiy appreciates than myself the
scientific researches Of Oersted, OF Schweigger, OF
Ampere OF Arago, OF sturgeon, OF unn, OF taIra
the mines OF science. from out OF every country
without whose lab0rs, and the materials Tor COM
6hoa which on ,ney ain haye b bee nbo
These abors and researches were equally necessary
In making effective the electromagnetic semaphore,
which followed almost Immediately after the bril-
lAnt magneto-electric discovery OF the renowned
Danish philosopher, OeHted. 10 q distinguished
savant OF our own country u is also claimed belongs
made practicable the electro magnetic semaphore,
and the electromagnetic telegraph as well. How
ever this may be- tlere are few In tile country to
whom science is mare indebted for valuable labors
and researches thin Professor. Henry, the eminent
Secretary OF the Smithsonian Institute Nations,
from time mmenOrial, have claimed honor to them
selves for giving 20 the world, through some of their
Subjects valuable discoveries and Inventions and
spirited. earnest and even angry contentious have
arisen to establish their respective claims TO the
invention or discovery In the person OF some indl-
vdual whom they, put forth as the originator,
and upon whom they concentrate their regard.
In this matchmaking OF inventions and discoveries
there lurksa species OF injustice not easy avoid
1t Is rarely II ever that any invention is independ
ent Of al others that single individual can Justly
appropriate to himself the entire credit OF all its
parts. is only when the nature OF invention is
properly understood that the justice Of the ascrpon
OF homer to the individual inventor Is perceived. In
ventioa is emphatcally combination, an assembling
or putting together OF things known whether dscov-
cries or other inventions to produce new effect to
cuseme gentlemen, did not mean to 90 into the
metaphysics Of invention especially before so many
whom see before me Jour distinguished presiding
Ofrcer among the rest) SO much more able intelli-
gently to discuss them
would briefly touch upon another subject grow.
the telegraph. trust 1t will not be considered IT.
relevant to this occasion II aude to the movement
lust now making IN Congress to attach the telegraph
to the Post Once Department. / neither advocate
oppose any particular measure to that end which
Congress has thought proper to bring forward. /
would simply allude to some historic facts which it
may be useful to remember in endeavorlng to reach
q just Judgment in the matter 1t may have passed
out OF the memory OF most OF the present genera
Post ONCE Department was suggested IN the very
earliest stages Of the invention 1t was first preached
in my correspondence with the Treasury Depart
ment more than thirty years ag0-in 1S37-but
under very different circumstances from the pre-
sent. proposed in my letter Of 27th September
1887 to the Secretary, the attachment OF the tele
graph TO the Post ONCE Department. The Secretary
the late Judge Woodbury., seconded the proposal In
his letter OF December 1887, to the speaker OF the
atnls
OF February 49, 1888, to the Chairman oil the House
Committee OF Commerce. 1t was again proposed by
Hon. q. G. Ferris from the same committee. Decenl-
Der 80, 1912, and remark from his report Is worthy
OF qnotatOn-"SO invitlngn he says, 'are the pros
poets OF profit to individual enterprise that 1t Is
matter OF serious consideration whether the govern
ent should not on this account alone seize the pre-
sent opportunity OF securing 10 Itself the regulation
OF system which, II monopolized hy private COM
pany, might lie used to the serious injury or the Post
Onice Department. land please note his remark
which foows, (which could not be pre-
vented without such an interference with the rights
OF the inventor and OF the stockholders could
be sustained by justice or by public opnion.n The
far-sceing mind OF MIR. Ferris comprehended the
future of the telegraph, and in prophetic vision of
just such state Of things now exists (and this at
period III the history Of tue telegraph before its
practical test had been accompshed), ne urged the
government to possess Itself Of the INVENTION when
none or the difficulties could occur, which he FORE
saw must arise from interference with vested rights.
Why were these wise counseis of the committee
disregarded III that dayy brief narrative OF
tain events in the early history OF the invention,
when 1t was suppliant for aid the halls OF Con-
gress, win give the answer to this question. must
trast OF then and now cannot fan at least
to- TO amuse you. The session OF 1881 and
on the subject OF the telegraph than ana a
unanimously favorable report from the House Com
mttee Of Commerce. An interval OF four years
occurred before the attention OF Congress could be
again reused TO consider the matter senator Benton
in the abridged debates gives In brief the KIND of
cepion the Dl for aid TO test the telegraph met with
IN the House from certain members. As the nara
tive Is very short, allow me to quote IT.
HORSE or RrrRrsrsrariyEs, Feb. q, Issa
On motion Of Mr.. Kennedy, Of Maryland, the commi ,ee
took the BIN 70 suihorkea series Of experiments tbc
IN direction rs s ~ Ps 70 Do expended
Mr. Cave johnson wished 10 have word 10 say upon this
BILL As the present Congress had done much
and he snS o. ss oa
ha the appropaiion be gwen to Mr. Fisk "a gentleman at
him 70 carry on experiments ~ wei as Professor Morse
MT Houston thought that Mierism should also be Included
Mr. said M hape no objection to the
% as
ydsa e a na hS a9 nsys no
the operator. lGreat laughterJ
nent, and L was read by the Clerk as follows 81
provided that onehaf of The said be appropri.
me Secretary Of the treasury"
tanned thai The was no aa - ana ,Sa
amendments were calculated 10 nure the character OF
Of order.
The Chairman said not for him Judge Of the
ves o. members in Offering amendments and he could not
therefore undertake 70 pronounce the amendment
6d Objections might 30 raised 10 the ground that II
was not sufficiently in character 10 the bill under
consideration but In the opinion OF the chair would
qure scientific analysis to determine how far the magnet
ism Of mesnersm was analogous TO that 20 be employed In
teegaphs Uanghter 10 therefore ruled the amendment In
order On taking the vote the amendment reecedayes
~ noes not counted TIE bill then laid aside TO be
ported.
The temper OF the House IL easily inferred from
this narrative. To those who thus rdculed the tee-
graph 1t was chimtra, visionary dream like mes
merism. rather TO be matter OF merriment than
seriously entertained. Men Of character, men OF
erudltion, men who in ordinary affairs had fore
sight were wholly unable to forecast the future of
the telegraph. was told at the time by many per-
sonal friends In the House that the bill finally passed,
more out OF defcrence TO my personal standing
than from any Just appreciation OF the Importance
OF the inventlon-a compliment which, however
gratifying 70 personal Pride, fully Offset by per-
ceivhg the low estimate OF the result OF my labors.
other motions disparagng TO the invention were
made such az propositions to appropriate part OF
the sum to Geographic the moon. The majority
OF Congress did not toncur In this attempt to
defeat the measure by ridlcule, and the bill was
passed by the close vote OF SO to SO. A change Of
three votes, however, would have consigned the in
vention 10 Oblivion. That this was not its fate Is
mo AZ IN