rite me you would give me, _in confidence_, the
names of those in the Board of the Western Union who are acting in so
dishonorable and tricky a manner. I think I ought to know them in order
to avoid them, and resist them in the public interest. It is a shame that
an enterprise which, honestly conducted, is more than usually profitable,
should be conducted on the principles of sharpers and tricksters.

[Illustration: TELEGRAM SHOWING MORSE'S CHARACTERISTIC DEADHEAD, WHICH HE
ALWAYS USED TO FRANK HIS MESSAGES]

"So far as the Russian Extension is concerned, I should judge from your
representation that, as a stockholder in that enterprise to the amount of
$30,000, the plan would conduce to my immediate pecuniary benefit. But so
would the _robbery of the safe of a bank_. If wealth can be obtained only
by such swindles, I prefer poverty. You have my proxy and I have the
utmost confidence in your management. Do by me as you would do for
yourself, and I shall be satisfied.... In regard to any honorable
propositions made in the Board be conciliatory and compromising, but any
scheme to oppress the smaller stockholders for the benefit of the larger
resist to the death. I prefer to sacrifice all my stock rather than have
such a stigma on my character as such mean, and I will add villainous,
conduct would be sure to bring upon all who engaged in it."

In this connection I shall also quote from another letter to Mr. Sanford,
of February 15, 1867: "If Government thinks seriously of purchasing the
Telegraph, and at this late day adopting my early suggestion that it
ought to belong to the Post-Office Department, be it so if they will now
pay for it. They must now pay millions for that which I offered to them
for one hundred thousand dollars, and gave them a year for consideration
ere they adopted it."

There are but few references to politics in the letters of this period,
but I find the following in a letter of March 20, 1866, to a cousin: "You
ask my opinion of our President. I did not vote for him, but I am
agreeably surprised at his masterly statesmanship, and hope, by his
firmness in resisting the extreme radicals, he will preserve the Union
against now the greatest enemies we have to contend against. I mean those
who call themselves Abolitionists.... President Johnson deserves the
support of all true patriots, and he will have it against all the
'traitors' in the country, by whatever soft names of loyalty they
endeavor to shie