"Whatever might have been embodied in the first McCormick machine or in
his experiments or machines for the first fifteen years of his efforts,
the _reaper of the present day does not disclose any principles_
contained in these early efforts of C. H. McCormick; but that cannot be
said of Hussey. _All_ reaping machines of the present day embody
substantially _all_ of the vital principles given by Obed Hussey in
1833 and at different periods thereafter. The Patent Office, as well as
other sources of information, make good these statements.

"Passing, however, from the early history up to the present time, when
the present mowing machines and grain binding machines are seen in
operation, and taking into account the thousands of patents that have
been issued to American inventors for various features that they have
brought out, it would be but simple justice that all be recognized as
contributors to the building up of such valuable and important pieces of
machinery; and I cannot but repeat that it would be very unjust, unfair
and un-American to single out one person, and that one Mr. McCormick, as
a representative to be used by the government printing bureau, when it
is so well known what he did and what he did not do in the invention of
the reaper. It would be a false monument; it would only be respected by
persons who are ignorant of the facts.

"If this should succeed, it would not be the first time, as likely it
will not be the last time, in the history of mankind where those who did
the work were soon forgotten and those who were more fortunate in being
held up and prominently kept before the public by their friends or
powerful allies received unjustly the credit."

[Sidenote: Early Ventures in Manufacture]

[Sidenote: An Unfortunate Delay]

It will be seen from the foregoing extracts that Mr. Hussey's machines
went early into the field in such quantities as he and other little
manufacturers throughout the country, some of whom ignored the exclusive
rights granted him, could put them out. They were simple, and a few
castings were all that was necessary, except lumber, which was plenty in
the forests of the East and in the groves of the West, to enable a
country wagon maker and blacksmith to put machines into the field. Many
of the earlier inventors, who began the manufacture of reapers of their
own invention, followed that course and castings were sometimes brought
from great distances. Mr. Hussey applied for a