310 COTTON PLANTER'S MANUAL. 



easily have been sunk, before this return, in the expenses of 

 unsuccessful suits, and in the unproductive capital that had 

 been invested in the enterprise of manufacturing and working 

 the gins, which, having no protection of law, would, of course, 

 be of little worth to their owners. A year after the bargain 

 with the State of South Carolina, in December, 1802, the right 

 was sold to North Carolina, the legislature imposing an annual 

 tax of two shillings and sixpence on every saw, for the benefit 

 of the patentee. Some of the gins contained forty saws, and 

 the tax was to be collected for five years. The cultivation of 

 cotton was at that time limited ; but, in consideration of the 

 use that was made of the gin, this was thought to be the 

 most liberal compensation that was offered from any service. 

 Another sale, on similar terms, was made to the State of 

 Tennessee the year following, 1803, the legislature imposing 

 an annual tax of 37 J cents on every saw, for four years.* 



This bright dawning of a better day, though deferred so long, 

 was not unclouded, even when it at last appeared. While Mr. 

 Whitney was negotiating with North Carolina, he learned that 

 South Carolina had repented of its just resolve had suspended 

 the payment of the balance due him, and had instituted a suit 

 for the recovery of what he had already received. At about 

 the same time, the Governor of Georgia, in his annual mes- 

 sage, took very decided ground against any grant to the 



* We have before us the Aurora and General Advertiser, published daily 

 at Frankford, dated Sept. 3, 1802, in which there is a detailed account of a 

 meeting of the citizens of Nashville, Tennessee, July 21, of which General 

 Andrew Jackson was chairman, and the account of which is signed by him as 

 such. After a preamble, the meeting resolved, " That it will tend much to 

 the agricultural and commercial interests of this State, that the legislature, at 

 their next session, purchase the patent-right of the said saw gin, for the use 

 and benefit of its citizens, and lay a tax on the makers and users of said gins, 

 to discharge the said sum which may be contracted, to be given to the 

 patentees for the patent-right aforesaid," &c., &c. 



