hatically say that, if _the law_ cannot protect me and my
rights in your region, I shall never sanction the appeal to force to
sustain myself, however conscious of being in the right. I infinitely
prefer to suffer still more from the gross injustice of unprincipled men
than to gain my rights by a single illegal step.... I hope you will do
all in your power to prevent collision. If the parties meet in putting up
posts or wires, let our opponents have their way unmolested. I have no
patent for putting up posts or wires. They as well as we have a right to
put them up. It is the use made of them afterwards which may require
legal adjustment. The men employed by each party are not to blame. Let no
ill-feeling be fomented between the two, no rivalry but that of doing
their work the best; let friendly feeling as between them be cherished,
and teach them to refer all disputes to the principals. I wish no one to
fight for me physically. He may 'speak daggers but use none.' However
much I might appreciate his friendship and his motive, it would give me
the deepest sorrow if I should learn that a single individual, friend or
foe, has been injured in life or limb by any professing friendship for
me."

He was reassured by the following from Colonel Shaffner:--

_"January 27._ Your favor of the 21st was received yesterday. I was sorry
that you allowed your feelings to be so much aroused in the case of
contemplated difficulties between our hands and those of O'Reilly. They
held out the threats that we should not pass them, and we were determined
to do it. I had them notified that we were prepared to meet them under
any circumstances. We were prepared to have a real 'hug,' but, when our
hands overtook them, they only 'yelled' a little and mine followed, and
for fifteen miles they were side by side, and when a man finished his
hole, he ran with all his might to get ahead. But finally, on the 24th,
we passed them about eighty miles from here, and now we are about
twenty-five miles ahead of them without the loss of a drop of blood, and
we shall be able to beat them to Nashville, if we can get the wire in
time, which is doubtful."

There were many such stirring incidents in the early history of the
telegraph, and the half of them has not been told, thus leaving much
material for the future historian.

But, while so much that was exciting was taking place in the outside
world, the cause of it all was turning his thoughts towards matters