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elf； in a letter to his father； written at New Haven； after his return from the South some months later； though the spelling master will probably send Whitney to the foot of the class：
〃New Haven； Sept。 11th； 1793。
〃。 。 。 I went from N。 York with the family of the late Major General Greene to Georgia。 I went immediately with the family to their Plantation about twelve miles from Savannah with an expectation of spending four or five days and then proceed into Carolina to take the school as I have mentioned in former letters。 During this time I heard much said of the extreme difficulty of ginning Cotton； that is； seperating it from its seeds。 There were a number of very respectable Gentlemen at Mrs。 Greene's who all agreed that if a machine could be invented which would clean the cotton with expedition； it would be a great thing both to the Country and to the inventor。 I involuntarily happened to be thinking on the subject and struck out a plan of a Machine in my mind； which I communicated to Miller （who is agent to the Executors of Genl。 Greene and resides in the family； a man of respectibility and property）； he was pleased with the Plan and said if I would pursue it and try an experiment to see if it would answer； he would be at the whole expense； I should loose nothing but my time； and if I succeeded we would share the profits。 Previous to this I found I was like to be disappointed in my school； that is； instead of a hundred； I found I could get only fifty Guineas a year。 I however held the refusal of the school untill I tried some experiments。 In about ten Days I made a little model； for which I was offered； if I would give up all right and title to it； a Hundred Guineas。 I concluded to relinquish my school and turn my attention to perfecting the Machine。 I made one before I came away which required the labor of one man to turn it and with which one man will clean ten times as much cotton as he can in any other way before known and also cleanse it much better than in the usual mode。 This machine may be turned by water or with a horse； with the greatest ease； and one man and a horse will do more than fifty men with the old machines。 It makes the labor fifty times less； without throwing any class of People out of business。
〃I returned to the Northward for the purpose of having a machine made on a large scale and obtaining a Patent for the invintion。 I went to Philadelphia* soon after I arrived； made myself acquainted with the steps necessary to obtain a Patent； took several of the steps and the Secretary of State Mr。 Jefferson agreed to send the Pattent to me as soon it could be made outso that I apprehended no difficulty in obtaining the PatentSince I have been here I have employed several workmen in making machines and as soon as my business is such that I can leave it a few days； I shall come to Westboro'**。 I think it is probable I shall go to Philadelphia again before I come to Westboro'； and when I do come I shall be able to stay but few days。 I am certain I can obtain a patent in England。 As soon as I have got a Patent in America I shall go with the machine which I am now making； to Georgia； where I shall stay a few weeks to see it at work。 From thence I expect to go to England； where I shall probably continue two or three years。 How advantageous this business will eventually prove to me； I cannot say。 It is generally said by those who know anything about it； that I shall make a Fortune by it。 I have no expectation that I shall make an independent fortune by it； but think I had better pursue it than any other business into which I can enter。 Something which cannot be foreseen may frustrate my expectations and defeat my Plan； but I am now so sure of success that ten thousand dollars； if I saw the money counted out to me； would not tempt me to give up my right and relinquish the object。 I wish you； sir； not to show this letter nor communicate anything of its contents to any body except My Brothers and Sister； ENJOINING it on them to keep the whole A PROFOUND SECRET。〃
* Then the national capital。
** Hammond； 〃Correspondence of Eli Whitney；〃 American Historical Review； vol。 III； p。 99。 The other citations in this chapter are from the same source； unless otherwise stated。
The invention； however； could not be kept 〃a profound secret；〃 for knowledge of it was already out in the cotton country。 Whitney's hostess； Mrs。 Greene； had shown the wonderful machine to some friends； who soon spread the glad tidings； and planters； near and far； had come to Mulberry Grove to see it。 The machine was of very simple construction； any blacksmith or wheelwright； knowing the principle of the design； could make one。 Even before Whitney could obtain his patent； cotton gins based on his were being manufactured and used。
Whitney received his patent in March； 1794； and entered on his new work with enthusiasm。 His partner； Phineas Miller； was a cultivated New England gentleman； a graduate of Yale College； who； like Whitney； had sought his fortune as a teacher in the South。 He had been a tutor in the Greene household and on General Greene's death had taken over the management of his estates。 He afterwards married Mrs。 Greene。 The partners decided to manufacture the machines in New Haven； Whitney to give his time to the production； Miller to furnish the capital and attend to the firm's interests in the South。
At the outset the partners blundered seriously in their plan for commercializing the invention。 They planned to buy seed cotton and clean it themselves； also to clean cotton for the planters on the familiar toll system； as in grinding grain； taking a toll of one pound of cotton out of every three。 〃Whitney's plan in Georgia；〃 says a recent writer； 〃as shown by his letters and other evidence； was to own all the gins and gin all the cotton made in the country。 It is but human nature that this sort of monopoly should be odious to any community。〃* Miller appears to have calculated that the planters could afford to pay for the use of the new invention about one…half of all the profits they derived from its use。 An equal division； between the owners of the invention on the one hand and the cotton growers on the other； of all the super…added wealth arising from the invention； seemed to him fair。 Apparently the full meaning of such an arrangement did not enter his mind。 Perhaps Miller and Whitney did not see at first that the new invention would cause a veritable industrial revolution； or that the system they planned； if it could be made effective； would make them absolute masters of the cotton country； with the most stupendous monopoly in the world。 Nor do they appear to have realized that； considering the simple construction of their machine and the loose operation of the patent law at that time； the planters of the South would never submit to so great a tribute as they proposed to exact。 Their attempt in the first instance to set up an unfair monopoly brought them presently into a sea of troubles； which they never passed out of； even when they afterwards changed their tack and offered to sell the machines with a license； or a license alone； at a reasonable price。
* Tompkins； 〃Cotton and Cotton Oil〃； p。 86。
Misfortune pursued the partners from the beginning。 Whitney writes to his father from New Haven in May； 1794； that his machines in Georgia are working well； but that he apprehends great difficulty in manufacturing them as fast as they are needed。 In March of the following year he writes again； saying that his factory in New Haven has been destroyed by fire： 〃When I returned home from N。 York I found my property all in ashes！ My shop； all my tools； material and work equal to twenty finished cotton machines all gone。 The manner in which it took fire is altogether unaccountable。〃 Besides； the partners found themselves in distress for lack of capital。 Then word came from England that the Manchester spinners had found the ginned cotton to contain knots； and this was sufficient to start the rumor throughout the South that Whitney's gin injured the cotton fiber and that cotton cleaned by them was worthless。 It was two years before this ghost was laid。 Meanwhile Whitney's patent was being infringed on every hand。 〃They continue to clean great quantities of cotton with Lyon's Gin and sell it advantageously while the Patent ginned cotton is run down as good for nothing；〃 writes Miller to Whitney in September； 1797。 Miller and Whitney brought suits against the infringers but they could obtain no redress in the courts。
Whitney's attitude of mind during these troubles is shown in his letters。 He says the statement that his machines injure the cotton is false； that the source of the trouble is bad cotton； which he ventures to think is improved fifty per cent by the use of his gin； and that it is absurd to say that the cotton could be injured in any way in the process of cleaning。 〃I think；〃 he says； writing to Miller； 〃you will be able to convince the CANDID that this is quite a mistaken notion and them that WILL NOT BELIEVE may be damn'd。〃 Again； writing later to his friend Josiah Stebbins in New England： 〃I have a set of the most Depraved villains to combat and I might almost as well go to HELL in search of HAPPINESS as apply to a Georgi