once to contract for a line reaching to St. Louis—­and round the world—­upon that principle of the true construction of constitutions, and such like contracts, first promulgated by that ‘Old Roman’ the ’Hero of two Wars,’ and approved by the ‘whole hog’ Democracy of the ’first republic of the world,’ and which, like the moral law is summarily comprehended in a few words—­’The constitution (or contract) is what I understand it to be.’

“Now without stopping to show you that O’Reilly was a true disciple of O’Hickory, I think you will not question his being a son of Satan, whose brazen instruments (one of whom gave his first born the name of Morse) instigated by the Gent in Black, not content with inflicting us with the Irish Potato Rot, has recently brought over the Scotch Itch, if, perhaps, by plagues Job was never called upon to suffer (for there were no Courts of Equity and Chancery in those early days) the American inventor might be tempted to curse God and die.  But, Ah! you have such a sweet wife, and Job’s was such a vinegar cruet.”

It is, perhaps, hardly necessary to explain that F.O.J.  Smith was nicknamed “Fog” Smith, and that the “Scotch Itch” referred to the telegraph of Alexander Bain, which, for a time, was used by the enemies of Morse in the effort to break down his patent rights.  The other allusions were to the politics of the day.

Another good friend and business associate was Thomas R. Walker, who in 1849 was mayor of Utica, New York.  Mr. Walker’s wife was the half-sister of Mrs. Griswold, Morse’s mother-in-law, so there were ties of relationship as well as of friendship between the two men, and Morse thought so highly of Mr. Walker that he made him one of the executors of his will.

In a letter of July 11, 1849, Mr. Walker says:  “The course pursued by the press is simply mercenary.  Were it otherwise you would receive justice at their hands, and your fame and merits would be vindicated instead of being tarnished by the editorials of selfish and ungenerous men.  But—­ ’magna est veritas et prevalebit.’  There is comfort in that at any rate.”

It would seem that not only was the inventor forced to uphold his rights through a long series of lawsuits, but a great part of the press of the country was hostile to him on the specious plea that they were attempting to overthrow a baleful monopoly.  In this connection the following extract from a letter to J. Fenimore Cooper, written about this time, is peculiarly apt:—­

“It is not because I have not thought of you and your excellent family that I have not long since written to you to know your personal welfare.  I hear of you often, it is true, through the papers.  They praise you, as usual, for it is praise to have the abuse of such as abuse you.  In all your libel suits against these degraded wretches I sympathize entirely with you, and there are thousands who now thank you in their hearts for the moral courage you display in bringing these licentious scamps to a knowledge of their duty.  Be assured the good sense, the intelligence, the right feeling of the community at large are with you.  The licentiousness of the press needed the rebuke which you have given it, and it feels it too despite its awkward attempts to brave it out.