The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-06-27
PROF. MORSE'S SUCCESS.
Rrcollcciions of a Remarkable rha Historic
SceEc In The Capitol.

"What Is new to-day Will be old to-
morrow, " tehiaf.cd Ex-Governor James
PotsAS, Naval Officer OF this port, dur
ing recent conversation. "No future
discovery will be received with the same
stubborn incrednlity that greeted the
electric telegraph. Speaking Of the tclc-
graph. | have always thought that Pro-
fessor Joseph Henry laid the foundation
for Morsc's wonderful triumph as early
as 1882. Henry had stretched three or
four miles Of wire, through which he ac-
tually sent signals. Howcyct, after
Morse had completed lis experiments,
and had demonstrated the practicability
Of his invention, he applied to the
Twcnty-eighth Congress, OF which was
a member, for an appropriation of $3O,-
OOO to assist in the erection Of n line be.
tween Baltimore and Washington.
"Thc bill was referred to the WAYS
and Means committee, / think, but when
reported back to the House it was ridi-
culcd by many members especially by
some gentlemen from the West. To i'll
dictate the abSrdity with which he re-
gardel the invention, one member
moycd to increase the appropriation to
100000, in order to extend the wires 10
the moon. emphasizing Il bad pun by
saying that no one but n lma-tic would
want to use such a Medium of communi.
cation. Another gentleman suggested
100000, i'll order TO extend the lines to
the North Pole and into Simm's Hole so
that the people ut the center of the earth
could he communicated with. The bill
passed House aud Senate. The money
was appropriated. All of this is well.
known, and is only PREDATORY to what |
now say.
"In May, 1871, it was announced in
Congress that on the opening Of the
Democratic National Convention at Balti.
more the new Telegraph lines would he
ready for business. The Washington
terminus was i'll one of the rooms of the
Capito.. When the day arrived few Of
the members Of Congress assembled in
that room, among the number. After
waiting - considerable time, amid expires.
sions of hope on doubt from the friends
or critics Of the inventor, all talk was
suddenly checked hy the clicking of the
machine. An impressive silence of
seventeen miuutcs followed The ma
chine worked Finally the operator
read with MISUNDERSTANDING the first
message ever received: What hath
God wrought?' All were awc.strickcn
for Il moment. II has always been II
pleasant memory that | was present.
Silence was followed by expressions of
admiration.
"Thcn few gentlemen boldly de-
bounced the message ns n trick. Some
warm words were spoken. But in the
course OF an hour the proceedings from
the National Convention began TO arrive
The unbelicycrs continued to doubt. No
decision could be reached until the morn
ing papers were received. 1t is needless
to say that the Geographic messages
were fully suhsantiatcd. This wonder
full scene continued each day during the
session of the convention at Baltimore,
closing with the nomination of james X.
Polk. The result was so unexpected MS
TO carry conviction. Then there wcro
only forty miles of telegraph; to-day
there are over SOC, 600 miles in operation.
saw the beginning it was only thirty
nine years ago" -IHjladciphia Tmcs