“March 4. You have little idea of the trouble and expense to which I am put in this ‘extension’ matter....  I shall have to pay hundreds of dollars more before I get through here, besides being harassed in all sorts of ways from now till the 20th of June next.  If I get my extension then I may expect some respite, or, at least, opposition in another shape.  I hope eventually to derive some benefit from the late decision, but the reckless and desperate character of my opponents may defeat all the good I expect from it.  Such is the reward I have purchased for myself by my invention....

“Mr. Wood is here also.  He is the same firm, consistent and indefatigable friend as ever.  I know not what I should do in the present crisis without him.  I could not possibly put my accounts into proper shape without his aid, and he exerts himself for me as strongly as if I were his brother....  Mr. Kendall has been ill almost all the time that I have been here, which has caused me much delay and consumption of time.”

It was not until the latter part of June that the extension of his patents was granted, and his good friend, alluded to in the preceding letter, Mr. George Wood, tells, in a letter of June 21st, something of the narrow escape it had:—­

“Your Patent Extension is another instance of God’s wonder working Providence towards you as expressed in the history of this great discovery.  Of that history, of all the various shapes and incidents you may never know, not having been on the spot to watch all its moments of peril, and the way in which, like many a good Christian, it was ’scarcely saved.’

“In this you must see God’s hand in giving you a man of remarkable skill, energy, talent, and power as your agent.  I refer to P.H.  Watson, to whom mainly and mostly, I think, this extension is due.  God works by means, and, though he designed to do this for you, he selected the proper person and gave him the skill, perseverance and power to accomplish this result.  I hope now you have got it you will make it do for you all it can accomplish pecuniarily.  But as for the money, I don’t think so much as I do the effect of this upon your reputation.  This is the apex of the pyramid.”

And Mr. Watson, in a letter of June 20, says:  “We had many difficulties to contend with, even to-day, for at one time the Commissioner intended to withhold his decision for reasons which I shall explain at length when we meet.  It seemed to give the Commissioner much pleasure to think that, in extending the patent, he was doing an act of justice to you as a great 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:—­