Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-10
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
OF RATES.

ago, it took twelve and half cents, and
twenty-five cents in specie, 10 transmit a
letter to friend, or on business, even at
ordinary Distances, and it took weeks
to receive reply. Since then the
changes have been vast and wonderful.
Railroads, as so many fiery nerves of
action, have transYerscd the country, and
telegraphic lines have circled the globe
with ribs of lightning. The tallow chan
dler's son, who flew his kite to the clouds,
brought from them sparks of human
thought that now fash figures, and facts,
and fancies, and congratulations, and fare
wells, with the rapidity of idea itself.
Near half a century ago poor, friend
less, sandy haired Irish boy, was seen in
New York city, working in various capaci-
ties to support himself, and studying
every hour he had to spare. He went
from house TO house borrowing
such books as he was not able to buy
touching upon pneumaIics and electricity
That boy was Professor Morse, the father
of the magnetic telegraph, who in the
practical application Of the sciences to the
arts has succeeded in writing his name in
fire across the arching vaults of Heaven
and far above the 'thunder's home" In
developing his theory, he pushed his ox-
pertinent under the greatest difficulties, and
even subjected himself to the iibes and
jeers and ridicule of men of science.
When he asked an appropriation of few
thousand dollars from Congress, for the
purpose of putting up the first wire, he
was laughed at as a lunatic and amadman.
Willard Fillmore, then, as now, great and
good, being q member of Congress,
and, we believe, Chairman Of the
Committee Of Ways and Means, cham
piOned the proposition. The appropria
ton was at length made, and shortly after
telegram passed from Baltimore to
Washington. The world was electrified.
Since then a net work of wires has been
woven over the globe, and even the sea
has been subdued The Atlantic tele-
graph gives US instantaneous communica-
ton with Europe. The Anglo-Indian
line pierces the seraglioS Of the dusky
Musselman at Constantinople, darts through
Rangoon and Calcutta, and off into the
land of the Celestials. The Siberian or
Russian Asiatic telegraph line goes off
through the regions of Polar cold, wind
ing round mountains capped with eternal
SHOWS, and connecting with Chinese
Mongolia The Collins or Americo-Rus-
sian line is designed to connect
the entire North American sys-
TEN of lines and eventually the
South American also, by way of
Behring's Straits, having its terminus at
the mouth of the AMOR. Thus, with
the Atlantic cable, we have communica-
ton with the entire civilized world Be
sides these great hemisphere lines, the
whole country is transyersed with cleo
trio wires. The convenience and expe-
dition of this method of conveying intel
ligence is fully appreciated, while the rev
olutiOn the system of telegraphing
has created in the social and business
world is truly wonderful, We confidently
look forward to a period at no distant day
when cheap telegraphing, cheap postage
and cheap transit will be recorded among
the browning achievements of science.
It requires no far-seeing sagacity to
look forward to the time when telegraph
ing will be reduced to within the reach Of
the hardy son of toll as well as to the bust
ness man and the millionaire. Indeed, re-
auctions have already commenced, and
rival and competing lines viii continue
these reductions still further The trans
mission Of messages Of ten words from
this city to Memphis, Louisville and Gin
cinnaii, for twenty-five cents, the cost Of
which few days ago was one dollar, is
one of the features of the progress of the
times; and for messages to points at
a greater distance very heavy reduction
has been made. So much for competition.
In France messages Of twenty words are
sent anywhere in the Empire for twenty
cents, and within the department for ten
cents. This places the telegraph within
the reach of the laboring and poorer
classes, and will be brought into general
for the transmission of short
for social as well as business
purposes. We look forward to the hap
pening of such contingency in this
Of course, the pioneers in this
work VIII reap the harvest they deserve.