Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-03-12
A True Story of the First Telegram.

The bill met with neither sneerS nor
opposition in the Senate, but the business
of that House went on with discouraging
slowness. At twilight on the last even
ing of the session March 3, 1843,) there
were 1l9 bills before it, AS it seemed
impossible for it to be reached in regular
course before the hour Of adjournment
should arrive, the Professor, VINO had
anxio usly watched the tardy movements
of business all day from the gallery of the
Senate chan ber, went with sad heart to
his hotel and prepared to leave for New
York at an early hour the next morning.
him that young lady desired to see him
in the parlor.
There he met Miss Annie Ellsworth, -
then young school girl-the daughter
OF his intimate friend, Hon. Henry L.
Ellsworth, the first Commissioner of Pa
tents-who said, as she extended her hand
to him: a have come to congratulate
you"
Upon what?" inquired the Profess
sor.
Upon the passage of your BILL" she
replied.
Impossible! Its fate was sealed at
dusk last evening. You must be mista-
ken"
Not at all, she responded. Father
sent me to tell you that your bill was
passed. He remained until the session
closed, and yours was the last bill but
one acted upon, and it was passed just five
minutes before the adjournment; and [
am so glad to be the first one to tell you.
Mother says, too, that you must come home
with me to breakfast"
The invitation was readily accepted, and
the Joy in the household was unbounded.
Both Mr.. and Mrs. Ellsworth had fully
believed in the project, and the former in
his confidence in 1t and in his warm friend
ship for Prof. Morse, had spent all the
closing hours of the session in the Senate
chamber, doing what he could to help the
bill along, and giving it all the influence
of his high personal and official influence.
Grasping the hand of his young friend
the Professor thanked her again and again
for bearing him such pleasant tidings, and
assured her that she should send over the
wires the first message, as her reward
The matter was talked over in the family,
and Mrs. Ellsworth suggested message
which Pro. Morse referred to the daugh-
ter, for her approval, and this was the one
which was subsequently sent.
A little more than a year after that
time, the line between Washington and
Baltimore was completed. Prot. Morse
was in the former city, and Mr.. Alfred
Vail. his assistant, in the latter ; the first
in the chamber Of the Supreme Court
the last in the Mount Clare depot, wheT
the circuit being perfect, Prof. Morse sen
to Miss Ellsworth for her message, and i
came.
What hath God wrought p
1t was sent in triplicate in the dot an(
line language of the instrument to Baltl
more, and was the first message eve
transmitted by recording telegraph. 4
fac-simile of that first message, with Pro
fessor Morse's Endorsement is here given
The story of this message has been Otter
told with many exaggeratlOns. 1t ha
roamed about Europe with various roman
tic material attached to it, originating
mainly in the French imagination, and ha
started up anew from time 10 time in ou
own country under fresh forms, but tn
above story is simply and literally true
An inventor in despair receives the new
of his unexpected success from his friend
daughter, and he makes her promis
which be keeps, and thus links her nam
with his own, and with an invention whic
becomes one of the controlling instrument
of civilization for all time Scr5bner'S 10
Mach.