Wheatstone and Steinheil have money for their projects; the former by a company, and the latter by the King of Bavaria.

Is there any national feeling with us on the subject?
I will not say there is not until after the next session of Congress.

But, if there is any cause for national exultation in being not merely _first_ in the invention as to time, but _best_ too, as decided by a foreign tribunal, ought the inventor to be suffered to work with his hands tied?
Is it honorable to the nation to boast of its inventors, to contend for the credit of their inventions as national property, and not lift a finger to assist them to perfect that of which they boast?
"But I will not complain for myself.

I can bear it, because I made up my mind from the very first for this issue, the common fate of all inventors.

But I do not feel so agreeable in seeing those who have interested themselves in it, especially yourself, suffer also.