His brothers, Richard and Sidney, were both living in New York and they did what they could for him, giving him a room in a building they had erected at Nassau and Beekman Streets.

Morse's lot at this time was made all the harder by hopes raised and dashed to earth again.

Congress had voted money for mural paintings for the rotunda of the Capitol.

The artists were to be selected by a committee of which John Quincy Adams was chairman.

Morse expected a commission for a part of the work, for his standing at that time was second to that of no American artist, save Allston, and Allston he knew had declined to paint any of the pictures and had spoken in his favor.