216 Memoir of the Life of Eli Whitney. 
complete the business we have undertaken ; and if fortune should 
by any future disaster, deny us the boon we ask, we will at least de- 
serve it. It shall never be said that we have lost an object which a 
litle perseverance could have attained. _ I think, indeed, it will be 
very extraordinary, if two young men in the prime of life, with some 
share of ingenuity, with a little knowledge of the world, a great deal 
of industry, and a considerable command of property, should not be 
able to sustain such a stroke of misfortune as this, heavy as it is.” 
After this disaster the company began to feel much straightened 
for want of funds. Mr. Miller expresses a confidence that they 
should be able to raise money in some way or other, though he 
knows not how. He recommends to Mr. Whitney to proceed forth- 
with to erect a new shop, and to recommence his business, and re- 
quests him to tell the people of New Haven, who might be disposed 
to render them any service, that they required nothing but a little 
time to get their machinery in motion before they could make pay- 
ment, and that the loan of money at twelve per cent. per annum would 
be as great a favor as they could ask. But, he adds, “in doing this 
use great care to avoid giving. an idea that we are in a desperate sit- 
uation, to induce us to borrow money. To people who are deficient 
in understanding, this precaution will be extremely necessary * mel 
of sense can easily distinguish between the prospect of large gaits: 
and the approaches to bankruptcy. Such is the disposition of man 
(he observes on another occasion,) that while we keep afloat, there 
will not be wanting those who will appear willing to assist US} but 
let us once be given over, and they will immediately desert 5 
_ While struggling with these multiplied misfortunes, intelligence Was 
received from England, which threatened to give @ final blow t all 
their hopes. It was, that the English manufacturers condemned the 
cotton cleaned by their machines, on the ground that the staple 
greatly injured. 
On the receipt of this intelligence, Mr. Miller writes as. follows 
“This stroke of misfortune is much heavier than that of the a 
unless the impression is immediately removed. For, with that whi¢ 
now governs the public mind on this subject, our patent would 
worth extremely little. Every one is afraid of the cotton. Not @ 
purchaser in Savannah will pay full price for it. Even the merchants 
with whom I have made a contract for purchasing, begin to pat 
their money reluctantly. The trespassers on our right only laug 
our suits, and several of the most active men are DOW putting UP 
