304 COTTON PLANTER'S MANUAL. 



their hands, and immense wealth, as the result of the extend- 

 ed culture of an article which had been thought of little worth. 

 She invited to her house gentlemen of distinction from different 

 parts of the State, and conducted her assembled guests to the 

 room in which they saw with astonishment a machine which 

 promised such splendid results for all their interests. 



Mr. Whitney was at once urged to receive a patent. His 

 reply was prophetic of what actually occurred, and was in 

 substance, that the introduction of a new invention, the pro- 

 tection of it against encroachments of interested and unprin- 

 cipled men, was an enterprise of doubtful success ; and that 

 rather than incur the hazards incident to it, he preferred to 

 strive for the surer rewards attendant upon his contemplated 

 profession. This remark was sagacious and prophetic, for 

 after being overruled in his decision, and persuaded to embark 

 his time and his energies to the introduction of his machine, 

 under the protection of a patent, and after spending years of 

 vexation and toil of body and spirit, in the effort to secure to 

 himself some profitable return for his service to his country, 

 he was forced to retire from the contest, with the persuasion 

 that the effort had been a fruitless one ; that what he gained 

 by strife and determined perseverance, was no more than 

 an equivalent for what he actually expended in the efforts to 

 secure to hinself his rights ; the actual loss of time in energy, 

 which, if undistracted, might have been profitably directed to 

 other pursuits of health, and even of life, being reckoned only 

 as a small item in the calculation. 



His determination on this subject was changed principally 

 it is believed, by the agency of Mr. Miller, who entered into 

 copartnership with him for the construction and vending of 

 these machines, of which the profits were to be equally di- 

 vided. The machine were to be patented. The necessary 

 funds for the business was to be furnished by Miller. The 



