in
spite of himself, the rest which he so much needed, Morse again devoted
himself to his affairs with his accustomed vigor. The Government still
delaying to take action, he was compelled, much to his regret, to
consider the offers of private parties to extend the lines of the
telegraph to important points in the Union. He had received propositions
from various persons who were eager to push the enterprise, but in all
negotiations he was hampered by the dilatoriness of Smith, who seemed
bent on putting as many obstacles in the way of an amicable settlement as
possible, and some of whose propositions had to be rejected for obvious
reasons. Before Congress had finally put the quietus on his hopes in that
direction, he considered the advisability of parting with his interest to
some individual, and, on July 1, 1844, he wrote to Mr. David Burbank from
Baltimore:--

"In reply to your query for what sum I would sell my share of the patent
right in the Telegraph, which amounts to one half, I frankly say that, if
_one hundred and ten thousand dollars_ shall be secured to me in cash,
current funds in the United States, or stocks at cash value, such as I
may be disposed to accept if presented, so that in six months from this
date I shall realize that sum, I will assign over all my rights and
privileges in the Telegraph in the United States.

"I offer it at this price, not that I estimate the value of the invention
so low, for it is perfectly demonstrable that the sum above mentioned is
not half its value, but that I may have my own mind free to be occupied
in perfecting the system, and in a general superintendence of it,
unembarrassed by the business arrangements necessary to secure its utmost
usefulness and value."

A Mr. Fry of Philadelphia had also made an offer, and, referring to this,
he wrote to Smith from New York, on July 17: "A letter from Mr. Fry, of
Philadelphia, in answer to the proposals which you sent, I have just
received. I wish much to see you, as I cannot move in this matter until I
know your views. I am here for about a fortnight and wish some
arrangements made by which our business can be transacted without the
necessity of so much waiting and so much writing."

All these negotiations seem to have come to nothing, and I have only
mentioned them as showing Morse's willingness to part with his interest
for much less than he knew it was worth, in order that he might not prove
an obstacle in the expansion of t