Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-07-12
The Truo story OF Ihe FIRST TcIe-
gram.

The bin met with neither sneers !
or opposition in the Senate, but the
business of that House went on with
discouraging sloWness. Attw Hight
on the last evening of the session
March 8, 1s43) there were 119 bills
before il. As il seemed impossible
for il to be reached in regular course
before the hour Of adjournment
should arrive, the Professor, who
had anXiOusly watched the tardy
movements Of business all day from
the gallery Of the Senate chamber,
went with n sad heart to his hotel
and prepared TO leave for New York
at an early hour next morning.
| While at breakfasts servant inform
ed him that a young lady desired TO
| see him in the parlOr.
There he met Miss Anne Ellis
worth, then a young school girl-tbe
| daughter OF his intimate friend,
Hon. Henry l.. Ellsworth, the first
! Commissioner of Patents-w said
\ as she extended her hand TO him:
81 have come to congratulate you"
"Upou WHAT" inquired the Pro-
fessor.
'UpOn the passage Of your bill, ,"
she replied.
'Impossible, Its fate was sealed
at dusk last evening. You must be
mistaken"
''NOt at all, ;" she responded. Ia
Their sent me to tell YOU that your
bill was passed. lie remained un-
til the session was closed, and yours
was the last bill but ono acted upon,
and il 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 accept
ed, and the jOy in the household was
unbOundcds Both Mr. and Mrs.
Ellsworth had fully believed in the
/ project, and the former in his conf
dence in it and in his warm friend
ship for Pro. Morse, had spent all
the closing hours of the session In
the Senate chamber, doing what he
could TO help the bill along, and Civ
ing it all the influence or his high
| personal and official position.
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 re-
ward. The matter was talked over
in the family, aud Mrs. Ellsworth
suggested a message which Prof.
Morse referred 10 the daughter, for
approval; and this was the one which
was subsequently sent.
A little more than a year after
that time, the line between Wash
ington and Baltimore was compile
ted. Prof Morse was in the former
city, and Mr.. Alfred Vail, his assist
ant, in the latter; the first in the
chamber of the Supreme Court, the
last in Mount Clare depot, when the
circuit being perfect, Prof. Morse
sent to Miss Ellsworth for her mes
sage, and # came.
, "WUAT HATH COD WROUGHri'
1t was sent in triplicate in the dot
and-line language of the instrument
&c Baltimore, aud was the first mes
sage ever transmitted by a record
ing telegraph.
The story Of this first message has
been often told with many exagger-
ations. II has roamed about Europe
with various romantic material at
tached to ii, originating in the
French Imagination, and has started
up anew from time TO time in our
own country under fresh forms, but
the above story is simply and liter
ally true. An inventor in despair
receives the news of his unexpected
success from his friends daughter,
and he makes her a promise which
he keeps, and thus links her name
with his own, and with en- inven-
ton which becomes one of the con-
trolling instruments Of civilization
for all time.-IScTibHeT'S.