Instead of finding any funds by a vote of Congress, or by a company, and my associates ready to back me, I find not a cent for the purpose, and my associates scattered to the four winds.
"You can easily conceive that I gave up all as it regarded Russia, and considered the whole enterprise as seriously injured if not completely destroyed.

In this state of things I was hourly dreading to hear from the Russian Minister, and devising how I should save myself and the enterprise without implicating my associates in a charge of neglect; and as it has most fortunately happened for us all, the 10th of May has passed without the receipt of the promised advices, and I took advantage of this, and by the Liverpool steamer of the 18th wrote to the Baron Meyendorff, and to M.Amyot, that it was impossible to fulfill the engagement this season, since I had not received the promised advices in time to prepare." This was, of course, before he had heard of the Czar's refusal to sign the contract, and he goes on to make plans for carrying out the Russian enterprise the next year, and concludes by saying:-- "Do think of this matter and see if means cannot be raised to keep ahead with the American Telegraph.

I sometimes am astonished when I reflect how I have been able to take the stand with my Telegraph in competition with my European rivals, backed as they are with the purses of the kings and wealthy of their countries, while our own Government leaves me to fight their battles for the honor of this invention fettered hand and foot.
Thanks will be due to you, not to them, if I am able to maintain the ground occupied by the American Telegraph." Shortly after his return from abroad, on April 24, Morse wrote the following letter to Professor Henry at Princeton:-- My Dear Sir,--On my return a few days since from Europe, I found directed to me, through your politeness, a copy of your valuable "Contributions," for which I beg you to accept my warmest thanks.

The various cares consequent upon so long an absence from home, and which have demanded my more immediate attention, have prevented me from more than a cursory perusal of its interesting contents, yet I perceive many things of great interest to me in my telegraphic enterprise.
I was glad to learn, by a letter received in Paris from Dr.Gale, that a spool of five miles of my wire was loaned to you, and I perceive that you have already made some interesting experiments with it.
In the absence of Dr.Gale, who has gone South, I feel a great desire to consult some scientific gentleman on points of importance bearing upon my Telegraph, which I am about to establish in Russia, being under an engagement with the Russian Government agent in Paris to return to Europe for that purpose in a few weeks.

I should be exceedingly happy to see you and am tempted to break away from my absorbing engagements here to find you at Princeton.