First patent issued.--Proposal of Cooke and Wheatstone to join forces rejected.--Letter to Rev. E.S. Salisbury.--Money advanced by brother artists repaid.--Poverty.--Reminiscences of General Strother, "Porte Crayon."--Other reminiscences.--Inaction in Congress.--Flattering letter of F.O.J. Smith.--Letter to Smith urging action.--Gonon and Wheatstone.-- Temptation to abandon enterprise.--Partners all financially crippled.-- Morse alone doing any work.--Encouraging letter from Professor Henry.-- Renewed enthusiasm.--Letter to Hon. W.W. Boardman urging appropriation of $3500 by Congress.--Not even considered.--Despair of inventor CHAPTER XXIX JULY 16, 1842--MARCH 26, 1843 Continued discouragements.--Working on improvements.--First submarine cable from Battery to Governor's Island.--The Vails refuse to give financial assistance.--Goes to Washington.--Experiments conducted at the Capitol.--First to discover duplex and wireless telegraphy.--Dr. Fisher. --Friends in Congress.--Finds his statuette of Dying Hercules in basement of Capitol.--Alternately hopes and despairs of bill passing Congress.-- Bill favorably reported from committee.--Clouds breaking.--Ridicule in Congress.--Bill passes House by narrow majority.--Long delay in Senate.-- Last day of session.--Despair.--Bill passes.--Victory at last CHAPTER XXX MARCH 15, 1848--JUNE 18, 1844 Work on first telegraph line begun.--Gale, Fisher, and Vail appointed assistants.--F.O.J. Smith to secure contract for trenching.--Morse not satisfied with contract.--Death of Washington Allston.--Reports to Secretary of the Treasury.--Prophesies Atlantic cable.--Failure of underground wires.--Carelessness of Fisher.--F.O.J. Smith shows cloven hoof.--Ezra Cornell solves a difficult problem.--Cornell's plan for insulation endorsed by Professor Henry.--Many discouragements.--Work finally progresses favorably.--Frelinghuysen's nomination as Vice-President reported by telegraph.--Line to Baltimore completed.-- First message.--Triumph.--Reports of Democratic Convention.--First long-distance conversation.--Utility of telegraph established.--Offer to sell to Government CHAPTER XXXI JUNE 23, 1844--OCTOBER 9, 1845 Fame and fortune now assured.--Government declines purchase of telegraph.--Accident to leg gives needed rest.--Reflections on ways of Providence.--Consideration of financial propositions.--F.O.J. Smith's fulsome praise.--Morse's reply.--Extension of telegraph proceeds slowly. --Letter to Russian Minister.--Letter to London "Mechanics' Magazine" claiming priority and first experiments in wireless telegraphy.--Hopes that Government may yet purchase.--Longing for a home.--Dinner at Russian Minister's.--Congress again fails him.--Amos Kendall chosen as business agent.--First telegraph company.--Fourth voyage to Europe.--London, Broek, Hamburg.--Letter of Charles T. Fleischmann.--Paris.--Nothing definite accomplished CHAPTER XXXII DECEMBER 20, 1845--APRIL 19, 1848