,
in every contingency, and under all circumstances. At all hazards
our Government must be maintained, and the shortest pathway to
peace is through the most stupendous preparation for war."

Who that heard the last public utterance that fell from his lips
can forget his solemn invocation to all who had followed his
political fortunes, until the banner had fallen from his hand,--
to know only their country in its hour of peril?

The ordinary limit of human life unreached; his intellectual strength
unabated; his loftiest aspirations unrealized; at the critical
moment of his country's sorest need--he passed to the grave. What
reflections and regrets may have been his in that hour of awful
mystery, we may not know. In the words of another: "What blight and
anguish met his agonized eyes, whose lips may tell? what brilliant
broken plans, what bitter rending of sweet household ties, what sundering
of strong manhood's friendships?"

In the light of what has been discussed, may we not believe that
with his days prolonged, he would during the perilous years have
been the safe counsellor--the rock--of the great President, in
preserving the nation's life, and later in "binding up the nation's
wounds."

Worthy of honored and enduring place in history, Stephen A. Douglas
--statesman and patriot--lies buried within the great city whose
stupendous development is so largely the result of his own wise
forecast and endeavor,--by the majestic lake whose waves break near
the base of his stately monument and chant his eternal requiem.

VIII
THE FIRST POLITICAL TELEGRAM

SENATOR SILAS WRIGHT NOMINATED FOR VICE-PRESIDENT--WORD OF HIS
NOMINATION SENT HIM BY THE MORSE TELEGRAPH--MORSE'S FIRST CONCEPTION
OF AN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH--OBSTACLES TO THE CARRYING OUT OF
HIS INVENTION--A BILL APPROPRIATING $30,000 TO TEST THE VALUE OF
HIS TELEGRAPH--EARLIER FORMS OF TELEGRAPHIC INTERCOURSE--A EULOGY ON
THE INVENTOR BY MR. GARFIELD--ANOTHER, BY MR. COX--THE FIRST MESSAGE
THAT EVER PASSED OVER THE WIRE--DR. PRIME'S PRAISE OF MORSE AFTER HIS
DEATH.

By all odds, the most venerable in appearance of the Representatives
in the forty-sixth Congress, was Hendrick B. Wright of Pennsylvania.
After a retirement of a third of a century, he had been returned
to the seat he had honored while many of his present associates
were in the cradle. Of massive build, stately bearing, lofty
courtesy; neatly appareled in blue broadcloth, with brass bu