public benefactor, and a somewhat unfortunate man of genius. Dr. Gale and
myself had to assure him that the extension would legally inure to your
benefit, and not to that of your agents and associates before he could
reconcile it with his duty to the public to grant the extension."

Morse himself, in a letter to Mr. Kendall, also of June 20, thus
characteristically expresses himself:--

"A memorable day. I never had my anxieties so tried as in this case of
extension, and after weeks of suspense, this suspense was prolonged to
the last moment of endurance. I have just returned with the intelligence
from the telegraph office from Mr. Watson--'Patent extended. All right.'

"Well, what is now to be done? I am for taking time by the forelock and
placing ourselves above the contingencies of the next expiration of the
patent. While keeping our vantage ground with the pirates I wish to meet
them in a spirit of compromise and of magnanimity. I hope we may now be
able to consolidate on advantageous terms."

It appears that at this time he was advised by many of his friends,
including Dr. Gale, to sever his business connection with Mr. Kendall,
both on account of the increasing feebleness of that gentleman, and
because, while admittedly the soul of honor, Mr. Kendall had kept their
joint accounts in a very careless and slipshod manner, thereby causing
considerable financial loss to the inventor. But, true to his friends, as
he always was, he replies to Dr. Gale on June 30:--

"Let me thank you specially personally for your solicitude for my
interests. This I may say without disparagement to Mr. Kendall, that,
were the contract with an agent to be made anew, I might desire to have a