“Having done all I could and much more than I was bound to do for the benefit of those gentlemen, I shall not permit their jealousy to disturb me, but I am anxious to have them understand the exact position I am to occupy in relation to them.  I understood your purpose to be that they should share in the benefits of the extension, whether legally entitled to them or not, yet nothing has been paid over to them for sales since made.  All the receipts, except a portion of my commissions, have been paid out on account of expenses, and to secure an interest for you in the N.O. & O. line.”

It is easy to understand that the Vails should have been somewhat suspicious when little or nothing in the way of cash was coming in to them, but they seem not to have realized that Morse and Kendall were in the same boat, and living more on hope than cash.  Mr. Kendall enlarges somewhat on this point in a letter of June 22, 1855:—­

“Most heartily will I concur in a sale of all my interests in the Telegraph at any reasonable rate to such a company as you describe.  I fully appreciate your reasons for desiring such a consummation, and, in addition to them, have others peculiar to my own position.  Any one who has a valuable patent can profit by it only by a constant fight with some of the most profligate and, at the same time, most shrewd members of society.  I have found myself not only the agent of yourself and the Messrs. Vail to sell your patent rights, but the soldier to fight your battles, as well in the country as in the courts of justice.  Almost single-handed, with the deadly enmity of one of the patentees, and the annoying jealousies of another, I have encountered surrounding hosts, and, I trust, been instrumental in saving something for the Proprietors of this great invention, and done something to maintain the rights and vindicate the fame of its true author.  Nothing but your generous confidence has rendered my position tolerable, and enabled me to meet the countless difficulties with which my path has been beset with any degree of success.  And now, at the end of a ten years’ war, I am prepared to retire from the field and leave the future to other hands, if I can but see your interests, secured beyond contingency, and a moderate competency provided for my family and myself.”

The company referred to in this letter was one proposed by Cyrus W. Field and other capitalists of New York.  The plan was to purchase the patent rights of Morse, Kendall, Vail, and F.O.J.  Smith, and, by means of the large capital which would be at their command, fight the pirates who had infringed on the patent, and gradually unite the different warring companies into one harmonious concern.  A monopoly, if you will, but a monopoly which had for its object better, cheaper, and quicker service to the people.  This object was achieved in time, but, unfortunately for the peace of mind of Morse and Kendall, not just then.