inventor.

His last public appearance was on January 17, 1872, when he, in company
with Horace Greeley, unveiled the statue of Benjamin Franklin in Printing
House Square, New York. It was a very cold day, but, against the advice
of his physician and his family, he insisted on being present. As he
drove up in his carriage and, escorted by the committee, ascended to the
platform, he was loudly cheered by the multitude which had assembled.
Standing uncovered in the biting air, he delivered the following short
address:--

"MR. DE GROOT AND FELLOW-CITIZENS,--I esteem it one of my highest honors
that I should have been designated to perform the office of unveiling
this day the fine statue of our illustrious and immortal Franklin. When
requested to accept this duty I was confined to my bed, but I could not
refuse, and I said: 'Yes, if I have to be lifted to the spot!'

"Franklin needs no eulogy from me. No one has more reason to venerate his
name than myself. May his illustrious example of devotion to the interest
of universal humanity be the seed of further fruit for the good of the
world."

Morse was to have been an honored guest at the banquet in the evening,
where in the speeches his name was coupled with that of Franklin as one
of the great benefactors of mankind; but, yielding to the wishes of his
family, he remained at home. He had all his life been a sufferer from
severe headaches, and now these neuralgic pains increased in severity, no
doubt aggravated by his exposure at the unveiling. When the paroxysms
were upon him he walked the floor in agony, pressing his hands to his
temples; but these seizures were, mercifully, not continuous, and he
still wrote voluminous letters, and tried to solve the problems which
were thrust upon him, even to the end.

One of the last acts of his life was to go down town with his youngest
son, whose birthday was the 29th of March, to purchase for him his first
gold watch, and that watch the son still carries, a precious memento of
his father.

Gradually the pains in the head grew less severe, but great weakness
followed, and he was compelled to keep to his bed, sinking into a
peaceful, painless unconsciousness relieved by an occasional flash of his
old vigor. To his pastor, Reverend Dr. William Adams, he expressed his
gratitude for the goodness of God to him, but added: "The best is yet to
come." He roused himself on the 29th of March, the birthday of his son,
kissing him and gazin