which
may appear in to-morrow's 'Journal,' quite short, but which I think, will
stop that game here.

"A trial in court is the only event now which will put public opinion
right, so indefatigable have these unprincipled men been in manufacturing
a spurious public opinion.

"Although these events embarrass me, and I do not receive, and may not
receive, my rightful dues, yet I have been so favored by a kind
Providence as to have sufficient collected to free my farm from mortgage
on the 1st of May, and so find a home, a beautiful home, for me and mine,
unencumbered, and sufficient over to make some improvements....

"I do not wish to raise too many expectations, but every day I am more
and more charmed with my purchase. I can truly say I have never before so
completely realized my wishes in regard to situation, never before found
so many pleasant circumstances associated together to make a home
agreeable, and, so far as earth is concerned, I only wish now to have you
and the rest of the family participate in the advantages with which a
kind God has been pleased to indulge me.

"Strange, indeed, would it be if clouds were not in the sky, but the Sun
of Righteousness will dissipate as many and as much of them as shall be
right and good, and this is all that should be required. I look not for
freedom from trials; they must needs be; but the number, the kind, the
form, the degree of them, I can safely leave to Him who has ordered and
will still order all things well."

CHAPTER XXXIII

JANUARY 9, 1848--DECEMBER 19, 1849

Preparation for lawsuits.--Letter from Colonel Shaffner.--Morse's reply
deprecating bloodshed.--Shaffner allays his fears.--Morse attends his
son's wedding at Utica.--His own second marriage.--First of great
lawsuits.--Almost all suits in Morse's favor.--Decision of Supreme Court
of United States.--Extract from an earlier opinion.--Alfred Vail leaves
the telegraph business.--Remarks on this by James D. Reid.--Morse
receives decoration from Sultan of Turkey.--Letter to organizers of
Printers' Festival.--Letter concerning aviation.--Optimistic letter from
Mr. Kendall.--Humorous letter from George Wood.--Thomas R. Walker.--
Letter to Fenimore Cooper.--Dr. Jackson again.--Unfairness of the press.
--Letter from Charles C. Ingham on art matters.--Letter from George
Vail.--F.O.J. Smith continues to embarrass.--Letter from Morse to Smith.

The year 1848 was a momentous one to Morse in more ways than one.