PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 311 



and correspondingly failed to satisfy the cupidity of the actual 

 l)rosecutors : and in this remarkable accusation first published 

 iu 1855, could readily be discerned the mercenary inspiration of 

 interested capitalists and assignees — anxious only to stretch the 

 monopoly to its extremest grasp. To Prof. Morse himself in 

 his early efforts, Henry had generously rendered every encourage- 

 ment and assistance ; and in his later successes had as freely 

 extended his congratulations and his testimonials of the prac- 

 tical merits of his invention.* 



To descend to a personal controversy with Mr. Morse, was 

 utterly repugnant to Henry's feelings : to permit his serious 

 impeachment to stand untraversed, appeared scarcely less objec- 

 tionable. With a calm and self-respecting dignity, Henry simply 

 presented the published arraignment to the Board of Regents, for 

 their consideration and action, with a communication dated 

 March 16, 1857, in the following terms: 



" Gentlemen : In the discharge of the important and responsible 

 duties which devolve upon me as Secretary of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, I have found myself exposed like other men in pulilic 

 positions to unprovoked attack and injurious misrepresentation. 

 Many instances of this it may be remembered, occurred about two 

 years ago. during the discussions relative to the organic policy 

 of the Institution : but though very unjust, they were suffered to 

 pass unnoticed ; and generally made 1 presume no lasting impres- 

 sion on the public mind. During the same controversy however, 

 there was one attack made upon me of such a nature, so elaborately 

 prepared and widely circulated by my opponents, that though I 

 have not yet publicly noticed it, I have from the first thought it 

 my duty not to allow it to go unanswered. I allude to an article 

 from the pen of Prof S. F. B. Morse, the celebrated inventor of the 

 American electro-magnetic telegraph. In this, not my scientific 

 reputation merely, but my moral character was pointedly assailed : 

 indeed nothing less was attempted than to prove that in the tes- 

 timony which I had given in a case where I was at most but a 

 reluctant witness, I had consciously and wilfully deviated from 

 the truth, and this too from unworthy and dishonorable motives. 

 Such a charge, coming from such a quarter, appeared to me then 

 as it appears now, of too grave a character and too serious a 

 consequence, to be withheld from the notice of the Board of 



* " It was my wish in every statement to render Mr. Morse full and 

 scrupulous justice. While I was constrained therefore to state that he 

 had made no disi-oveiies in science, I distinctly declared that he was 

 entitled to the merit of combining and applying the discoveries of others 

 iu the invention of the best practical form of the magnetic telegraph. My 

 testimony tended to establish the fact that though not entitled to the 

 exclusive use of the electro-magnet for telegrnphio purposes, he was en- 

 titled to his particular machine, register, aipiiabet, etc. Tliis however 

 did not meet the full requirements of Air. Morse's compiehensive 

 claim." 



85 



