Memoir of the Life of Eli Whitney. 221 
ney, who was dispatched on a collecting tour through the State of 
Georgia, informed them, that such obstacles were thrown in his way 
from one or the other of the foregoing causes, he was unable to col- 
lect money enough from all these claims to bear his expenses, but 
was compelled to draw for nearly the whole amount-of these upon 
his employers. } 
The agent here referred to was Russel Goodrich, Esq. who had 
engaged in the service of Miller & Whitney, as early as the year 
1798. He was educated at Yale College, in the same class with 
Mr. Miller, and was for many years an able and zealous agent in the 
affairs, first of the company, and after the decease of Mr. Miller, of 
Mr. Whitney. 
Ina letter addressed to Mr. Whitney, dated Georgia, September 
3d, 1801, Mr. Goodrich writes thus: “I have spent a part of this 
summer in South Carolina, upon the business of Miller & Whitney. 
Many of the planters of that region, expressed an opinion that if an 
application were made to their legislature by the citizens, to purchase 
theright of the patentees for that State, there was no doubt. that it 
Would be done to the satisfaction of all parties. Accordingly, they 
had petitions circulated among the people, which appeared to be 
generally approved of, and were very generally signed.” Mr. Good- 
tich further urges the importance of Mr. Whitney’s coming on to 
South Carolina, to attend at the approaching session of the Jlegisla- 
lure, in order to make the proposed contract. 
Accordingly, Mr. Whitney repaired to Columbia, taking the city of 
ashington in his way, where he was furnished with very obliging let- 
ters from President Jefferson, and Mr. Madison, then Secretary of 
State, testimonials which no doubt were of great service to him in his 
Subsequent negociations.. Soon after the opening of the session of 
the legislature in the month of Dec. 1801, the business was regular- 
ly brought before the legislature, and a joint committee of both 
Houses appointed to treat with the patentees. To this committee 
Messrs. Miller & Whitney submitted the following proposals— 
“ To the Joint Committee of both Houses of the 
Legislature of South Carolina. 
‘ GertLempy | 
“The subscribers in estimating the value of their property in the 
Patent Machine for cleaning cotton, commonly called the Saw Gin, 
re induenced by the following considerations, viz. 
