The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1869-01-16

lDf1 ~ pufhDndi flIiubt was luliy uup5b w
perceiYipg the low estimate Of the result Of
my lab0rs Other motions disparaging to
the invention were made, such as proposis
tions 70 Appropriate part Of the sum to a
telegraph to the moon The msjority of
Congress did not concur in this attempt %
defeat the measure by Tidicule, and
bill was passed BIZ the close vote Of 80
SO A change Of three votes, however,
would have consigned the invention 10
oblivion, That this was not its fate Is
mainly due to'the perseverance and fore
sight Of the DISTINGUISHED member from
Maryland, Hon j. p. Kennedy, and Hon.
G. @, Ferris, Of New York, and Hon. Col
onel Ayerigg, of New jersey, and Mason,
Of Ohio. The struggles Of the telegraph
before Congress were not ended with the
passage Of the bill, to test Its capacity be-
tween two distant cities, Another year
witnessed the triumphant success Of the
test Of its practieability, The invention
vindioated its character as a substantial
reality 1t was no longer q chlmera, a
visionary scheme TO extortmoney from the
public Golfers, Its inventor was no more
subjected to the suspicion of lunacy, nor
ridiculed in the halls of Congress. My
earliest desire and intentions were that the
Government should possess the control Of
such a power as could not but foresee
was inherent In the telegraph, Vastas its
pecuniary value doomed up In the minds
Of some, in the contemplation of Its future,
/ was neither dazzled with its vision Of un-
told wealth, nor tempted TO make an ex-
tortionate demand upon the Government
for its possession. Not merely allmy own
property had been expended on the In
venti6n, but large sums had been adj
vsDced by my associates, and these were
items that entered into the calculations In
any offer OF sale I had already inti-
mated, at various times, my readiness to
surrender the invention TO the con-
troll Of the Government l engaged ex.
pressly to enter into no arrangements to
dispose Of my rights as the inventor and
patentee 10 any individual or company Of
individuals previous to offering it to the
Government for such q iustand reasonable
compensation as might bemptually agreed
upon" In conformity with this promise
on my part, offered the whole invention
to the Government for the sum Of $780,
000) one hundred thousand dollars. Strange
as II may now seem, no response was made
to this offer-no notice taken Of It except
to request from the Postmaster General a
report on the general subject of the tele-
graph. The Hon. Cave johnson, who
had distinguished himself in ridiculing and
opposing the telegraph before Congress,
held the Office Of Postmaster General In
1S45, and the experiment line between
Washington and Baltimore, which ~
longed to the Government, was put under
his control. Finding no disposition on
the part of the Government to make any
arrangement for controlling the whole
invention, one-haR the time granted by
the patent having expired, | was forced to
look to other sources for the means Ol
reimbursing myself for the expenditures
iRcurred, | obtained the services Of the
Hon, Amos Kendall, through whose
skill and experience as a former Post
master General, Joint stock companiel
were formed to extend the lines east
westward from New York to Buffalo
| Not willing to shut the door to negotia
ton with the Government for the posses
sion Of the invention, l caused clause Il
be inserted Ia every contract making pro
vision tosurrender the contract In fave
Of the Government on certain liberal con
ditions, provided arrangements for It's puI
chase we're concluded within limitel
time--the 4th of March, 1S47. The tim
expired, and nothing was done. tn
proposition was virtually. killed by tn
/ Postmaster General, who, in his report
although speaking Of the invention as a.
| agent vastly superior to any other eve
devised by the genius Of man, " yet add
aThe operation of the telegraph betwee
this city (Washington) and Baltimore, ha
| not satisfied me that under any rate I
postage that can be adopted, its revenue
can be made to equal its expenditures.
This opinion from SO responsible an
official asouToe could not but operate dil
astTously upon Congress in regard to an
| proposition for the purchase Of the inyel
ton. But the influence of that opinio
was felt beyond the walls Of Congress
The companies which had been forme
for constructing the telegraph from Bait
more TO New York and from New Yor
to Buffalo, in the belief that the revenue
would at least equal the expenditure
were for the moment paralyzed, and bl
for the indomitable energy and faith
some Of those men who early embarke
their pecuniary means In the enterpris
the telegraph might even now be locke
!. upon as too expensive to be practical.
|,