Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-14
The American Magnetic Telegraph

PROF. MoRsE's CLAIMS DENIED.
| In me whole range of 'piouS frauds, roman
TIC lmaglnngs, and spurious pretences of all
| kinds, perhaps there never was a more ludicrous
| and lamentable deluson practised than that
| which, conducted with no mean Skill at times
| II must be confessed, has been practised upon
| the credulous masses, causing them TO believe
that Prot. Morse is the inventor of the practical
| telegraph known by his name. This delusiou is
| the more TO be regretted in that not only the
| masses, but large numbers of scientific and
| usually astute men, have been led TO concur
with the multitude in their error. Only now
| and then, it would seem, has an eminent man.
even, failed to fall into this error The writer
calls TO mind at the moment, however, an hon
orabe exception, who ought to be accredited
here, both as such exception and for the great
skill with which, upon a delicate occasion, in
embarrassing circumstances, he concealed under
the most subtle irony the contempt which he
must have felt for the demigod of the hour, and
preserved his own seli-respect, while thus avoid
Ing also the marring Of the happiness OF a com
vivial occasion by the Sentiment" at is the
providential distinction and splendid honor of
the eminent American who is our guesttonipht.
that, happily prepared by previous acquire
ments and pursuits, he was quicE to seize The
opportHatty, and give to the world the first re-
cording telegraph. Fortunate mani thus to
Hnk has name t0reuer NTH the gredtest lcOnder
and the greatest benefit of the age" This gen
tleman was no other than the Hon. Salmon p.
Cudscy tultl Justice OF inc Onltcu States, at
dinner at Delmonico's, in New York. December
20, 1868, over which he was called to preside.
Judge Chase had, many years before QSj3)
been engaged as attorney in a cause in which
the claims of Prof. Morse were pretty thoroughly
Investigated. Perhaps the language of his
toast, Tor delicate and pungent sarcasm, was
never equalled.
And what were Prof. Morse's "previous ac-
quirements and pursuitsp fortunate man."
indeed
Prof. Morse himself enables MS TO shorten our
investigation for present purposes somewhat
IN that, under the fire of cross examination in
the case Of Of. o. j. Smith VS.. Hugh Downing.
OF tine United States, and Hon. Peleg Sprague,
Of the United States district of Massachusetts,
in May, 1850" he was compelled 10 admit that
he neither discovered electricity, galynnism,
nor electro-magnetism;" nor "the electrO-mag-
net, abstractly;" nor "the abstract fact of com
bining an electromagnetic generally with n cir
cult of conductors" nor "that the breaking or
closing OF an electric or galvanic circuit, having
WITHIN II generator of electricity or galvan-
ISM, would cause an alternate flow and cessa.
NV Vi current OF electricity or galYauism. Cd
iiils was not ali that Prof. Morse was Obliged
o w u,sJ,a,m; nut we have not space TO quote
. y. 9y from the case. He was compelled
W, W ao o,,n WI that he discovered nothing
whatever Oh the clements and lotces of thn t,le-
graph. But he claims Tho, bo 90 ss ~ e.,
VINO combined and used an electro.n,o1ne, a,,d
immature III circuit OF electric or palyonie con
| ductors, in combination with other annliancns
ig III. u speclhc and novel purpose" This Is the
gist OF his present claim; and 70 the initio,od
we subtle character OF Prof Morse's speech o ~,
me 10Th Of June, at the Academy of Muse va, ~
not little amusing. He was in delicate p ~
tlon' ne knew full well that there were those
living who knew all about his pretensions nnd
twas necessary to speak gualdedly; and he did
SO, IN style which, while it conveyed TO the
common mind noliOn OF the speakers modest
! ~ but immeasurabie greatness, claimed no
more lor nm, as the Intelligent aud careful
nearer or reader would see, than would benr In.
speetion IN the light OF the case to which We
| have alluded above.
| But let us see II Prof Morse can sustain even