e may do from fear of
the consequences. As to his claims privately on me, I think I have him in
check, but he is a man of consummate art and unprincipled; he will,
therefore, doubtless give me trouble."

"_April 10._ A brighter day is dawning upon me. I send you the
Intelligencer of to-day, in which you will see that the Telegraph is
successfully under way. Through six miles the experiment has been most
gratifying. In a few days I hope to advise you of more respecting it. I
have preferred reserve until I could state something positive. I have my
posts set to Beltsville, twelve miles, and you will see by the
Intelligencer that I am prepared to go directly on to Baltimore and hope
to reach there by the middle of May."

"_May 7._ Let me know when Susan and the two Charles arrive [his son and
his grandson] for, if they come within the next fortnight, I think I can
contrive to run on and pay a visit of two or three days, unless my
marplot Smith should prevent again, as he is likely to do if he comes on
here. As yet there is no settlement of that matter, and he seems
determined (_inter nos_) to be as ugly as he can and defeat all
application for an appropriation if I am to have the management of it. He
chafes like a wild boar, but, when he finds that he can effect nothing by
such a temper, self-interest may soften him into terms.

"You will see by the papers that the Telegraph is in successful operation
for twenty-two miles, to the Junction of the Annapolis road with the
Baltimore and Washington road. The nomination of Mr. Frelinghuysen as
Vice-President was written, sent on, and the receipt acknowledged back in
two minutes and one second, a distance of forty-four miles. The news was
spread all over Washington one hour and four minutes before the cars
containing the news by express arrived. In about a fortnight I hope to be
in Baltimore, and a communication will be established between the two
cities. Good-bye. I am almost asleep from exhaustion, so excuse abrupt
closing."

This was the first great triumph of the telegraph. Morse and Vail and
Cornell had worked day and night to get the line in readiness as far as
the Junction so that the proceedings of the Whig Convention could be
reported from that point. Many difficulties were encountered--crossing of
wires, breaks, injury from thunder storms, and the natural errors
incidental to writing and reading what was virtually a new language. But
all obstacles were overcome in ti