Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-03-11
Il. WHITMORE,
D-r..t.NrW
A story OF the First Telegram.

From Scribner, for March,.
The bill met with neither sneers nor
opposition in the Senate, but the bust.
ness of that House went on with discour.
aging slowness. At twilight on the last
evening of the session, March 3, l843),
there we're one hundred and nineteen
bills before il. As it seemed impossible
for it to be reached in regular course
before the hour of adjournment should
arrive, the Professor, who had anxiously
watched the tardy movements of busi-
ness all day from the gallery of the SEN
ate chamber went with a sad heart to
his hotel and prepared to leave for New
York at early hour next morning. While
at breakfast a servant informed him
that a young lady desired to see him in
the parlor.
There he met Miss Anna Ellsworth,
then young schoolgirl, the daughter OF
his intimate friend, Mr.. l.. Ellsworth, the
first Commissioner of Patents, who said,
as she extended her hand to him,
have come to congratulate you.
Upon whatY asked the Professor.
Upon the passage of your bill, " she
replied.
"Impossiblel Its fate was decided at
dusk last evening. You must be mis-
taken"
mot at all, she responded. Father
sent me to tell you that your bill was
passed. He remained until the session was
closed, and yours was the last bill but one
acted upon, and it was passed just i've
minutes before the adjournment; and l
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 un-
bounded. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth
had fully believed in the project and
the former, in his confidence in it and
in his warm friendship for Professor
Morse, had spent all the closing hours of
f, he session in the Senate chamber, do
in.' what he could to help the bill along,
and giving it all the influence of his
hirh n, ,srsonal and official position.
Graspiug 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 che wires the first message, as
ber reward. The matter was talked over
in the family, aud Mrs. Ellsworth sug-
cested a message, WHICH Professor Morse
referred to the daughter for her approval;
and this was the one which was subse-
quently sent. =,
A little more than a year alter that
time the line between Washington and
Baltimore was completed. Professor
Morse was in th0former city, and Mr..
Vail. his assistant, in the latter; the first
in the Chamber of the Supreme Court,
the last in the Mount Glare depot; when,
the circuit being perfect, Professor Morse
sent 20 Miss Ellsworth for her message,
and il came; "What hath God wrought
n was sent in triphcate in the dot-and-
line language of the instrument to Balti-
more. and was the first message ever
transmitted by recording telegraph;
The story of this first message has
heen often told with many exaggera-
t;ons 1t has roamed about Europe
with various romantic material attached
70 n. originating mainly in the French
i'm maGination, aud has started up anew
from time to time In orr own country
under fresh forms, but the above story
Is simply and literally true. An inventor
in despair seeeiVes the news OF ms 1n-
exneet,>d success from his TREND
daughter. ard he makes hsr Q promise
which he keeps, sud thus links her name
with his own, and WITH al invention
which becomes one of the controlling
instrnments of civilization for all time.