grieved to say that many things have lately come to my knowledge in
regard to ---- that show double-dealing. Be on your guard. I hope it is
but appearance, and that his course may be cleared up by subsequent
events.

"I declare to you that I have seen so much duplicity in those in whom I
had confided as friends, that I feel in danger of entertaining suspicions
of everybody. I have hitherto thought you were too much inclined to be
suspicious of people, but I no longer think so.

"Keep this to yourself. It may be that appearances are deceptive, and I
would not wrong one whom I had esteemed as a real friend without the
clearest evidence of unfaithfulness. Yet when appearances are against, it
is right to be cautious."

The name of the person referred to is left blank in the copy of this
letter which I have, so I do not know who it was, but the sentiments
would apply to several of the early workers in the establishment of the
telegraph.

I have said that Morse, being only human, was sometimes guilty of errors
of judgment, but, in a careful study of the facts, the wonder is great
that he committed so few. It is an ungracious task for a son to call
attention to anything but the virtues of his father, especially when any
lapses were the result of great provocation, and were made under the firm
conviction that he was in the right. Yet in the interest of truth it is
best to state the facts fairly and dispassionately, and let posterity
judge whether the virtues do not far outweigh the faults. Such an error
was committed, in my judgment, by Morse in the bitter controversy which
arose between him and Professor Joseph Henry, and I shall briefly sketch
the origin and progress of this regrettable incident.

In 1845, Alfred Vail compiled and published a "History of the American
Electro-Magnetic Telegraph." In this work hardly any mention was made of
the important discoveries of Professor Henry, and this caused that
gentleman to take great offense, as he believed that Morse was the real
author of the work, or had, at least, given Vail all the materials. As a
matter of fact he had given Vail only his notes on European telegraphs
and had not seen the proofs of the work, which was published while he was
absent in Europe. As soon as Morse was made aware of Henry's feelings, he
wrote to him regretting the omission and explaining his innocence in the
matter, and he also draughted a letter, at Vail's request, which the
latter copied and s