“What Hath God Wrought”
The House and the Telegraph

/tiles/non-collection/e/ex_technology_telegraph_office_frank_Leslie_hc.xml
Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives
About this object

/tiles/non-collection/e/ex_technology_telegraph_office_frank_Leslie_hc.xml Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

27th Congresses (1841-1843).

/tiles/non-collection/e/ex_telegraph_samuel_morris_lc.xml

Image courtesy of Library of Congress

Although the telegraph eventually fell out of favor as the primary mode of communication
in the Capitol, a telegraph office still existed in the Capitol complex until 2007.
Morse’s invention was gradually replaced by the widespread use of the

DateEventFeb. 1838Samuel Morse gave the first public demonstration of his telegraph machine in Washington
for interested congressional Members, hoping to obtain appropriations for a long
distance test. House Chairman of the Commerce Committee, Representative Francis O.J. Smith of Maine, was so impressed that he became one of Morse’s
business partners and lobbied on Morse’s behalf.

Mar. 3, 1843

Congress appropriated $30,000 to test the feasibility of creating a telegraph system.

May 1, 1844

The first official telegraph signal—announcing that Henry Clay was nominated by the Whig Party Convention (in Baltimore) as
its candidate for President—was sent along the incomplete Washington-Baltimore
line from Annapolis Junction to the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

May 24, 1844

Surrounded by an audience of Congressmen, Samuel Morse sent the first official telegraph
from the Supreme Court Chamber, then located in the Capitol, to his partner, Alfred
Vail, in Baltimore. He tapped the message, “What hath God wrought!”

May 25, 1844

The first news dispatch telegram was sent from the Capitol to Baltimore’s Patriot
newspaper announcing that the House had just voted against going into the Committee
of the Whole to discuss the Oregon Territory.

June 27, 1853

President Franklin Pierce approved plans for the new House Chamber, including the
first House telegraph office, to be located near the House Post Office.

Dec. 14, 1857

A committee appointed to inspect the new House Chamber suggests that telegraph wires
be added to the chamber’s new press lobby.

Dec. 1861

The first official complaints are heard regarding telegraphic censorship. The House
Judiciary Committee holds hearings to discuss government censorship of telegraphic
news on Civil War battles.

Circa. 1880

Public telegraph stations, owned by the Western Union and Baltimore Ohio Companies
(the two later merged) are placed in the corridors in front of the main entrance
to the House side of the Capitol.

Nov. 29, 1883

Underground telegraph and telephone cables were laid to connect the Capitol with
White House and other government departments.

Feb. 1888

Telegraph stations were moved from their location near the House Floor to an area
outside of the press gallery.

Once Morse’s system was installed in the Capitol, Congress found the telegraph an indispensable tool. At first the telegraph connected only Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD; gradually lines were extended to other large east coast cities. With the westward expansion of the country and the addition of new territories to the union, improved communication became a necessity. The telegraph revolutionized the way Congress corresponded with the nation. During the Civil War reports flashed from the battlefields assisted the federal government as it monitored and tracked troop developments. It was the first time that instant battle reports were provided to officials in Washington, D.C. Telegraph lines later linked the Capitol building to the White House and reporters to their respective newspapers.Although the telegraph eventually fell out of favor as the primary mode of communication in the Capitol, a telegraph office still existed in the Capitol complex until 2007. Morse’s invention was gradually replaced by the widespread use of the telephone