Will it be possible, before Congress rises, to appropriate a small sum, say $3500, under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, to put my Telegraph in operation for the inspection of Congress the next session?  If Congress will grant this sum, I will engage to have a complete Telegraph on my Electro-Magnetic plan between the President’s house, or one of the Departments, and the Capitol and the Navy Yard, so that instantaneous communication can be held between these three points at pleasure, at any time of day or night, at any season, in clear or rainy weather, and ready for their examination during the next session of Congress, so that the whole subject may be fairly understood.

I believe that, did the great majority of Congress but consider seriously the results of this invention of the Electric Telegraph on all the interests of society; did they suffer themselves to dwell but for a moment on the vast consequences of the instantaneous communication of intelligence from one part to the other of the land in a commercial point of view, and as facilitating the defenses of the country, which my invention renders certain; they would not hesitate to pass all the acts necessary to secure its control to the Government.  I ask not this until they have thoroughly examined its merits, but will they not assist me in placing the matter fairly before them?  Surely so small a sum to the Government for so great an object cannot reasonably be denied.

I hardly know in what form this request of mine should be made.  Should it be by petition to Congress, or will this letter handed in to the committee be sufficient?  If a petition is required, for form’s sake, to be referred to the committee to report, shall I ask the favor of you to make such petition in proper form?

You know, my dear sir, just what I wish, and I know, from the kind and friendly feeling you have shown toward my invention, I may count on your aid.  If, on your return, you stop a day or two in New York, I shall be glad to show you the operation of the Telegraph as it is.

This modest request of the inventor was doomed, like so many of his hopes, to be shattered, as we learn from the courteous reply of Mr. Boardman, dated August 12:—­

DEAR SIR,—­Yours of the 10th is received.  I had already seen the notice of your Telegraph in the “Tribune,” and was prepared for such a report.  This is not the time to commence any new project before Congress.  We are, I trust, within ten days of adjournment.  There is no prospect of a tariff at this session, and, as that matter appears settled, the sooner Congress adjourns the better.  The subject of your Telegraph was some months ago, as you know, referred to the Committee on Commerce, and by that committee it was referred to Mr. Ferris, one of the members of that committee, from the city of New York, and who, by-the-way, is now at home in the city and will be glad to see you on the subject.  I cannot give you his address, but you can easily find him.