He also operated on the Delaware; but his plan might not then have been sufficiently mature for encouragement. There could

and the laws of Congress made, and several gentlemen, Mr. Lyunder it for the encouragement man, of Middletown, Mr. Terry of the arts and sciences, Fitch and others, saw her performance. took out a patent, as he was entitled to do. This was in 1791. When it expired in 1805, all had a right to use it: but six years before it expired, Mr. Livingston, thought he had discovered a new and more advantageous mode of propelling boats by steam.

have been no doubt that this or some other ingenious man, would take out a patent for his invention or improvements according Now: Why did he not try it, to law; so that the only way to and prove it, and then take out his secure the vast monopoly of Newpatent according to the laws and York, was, to get an act passed, Constitution? Why, instead of divesting Fitch and his heirs of pursuing the course pointed out by his rights, substituting Mr. Livlaw for his fellow-citizens, did he ingston, even before he had deprocure an act to be passed, which monstrated any fact, made any violated the private right of Fitch, improvement, or entitled himself and since the expiration of that to any thing whatever, under the patent, of every citizen of the U. laws of his country, or even from States? the indulgence and partiality of The answer is plain : Mr. Liv- his State. ingston, foresaw the immense va- And the event justified every lue of the monopoly of Steam-word that is here said. Years rolboat navigation in New-York, led away; and the new and adHe understood why Fitch's boat, vantageous mode of navigating by which had demonstrated the prac steam, or fire, never was elicited ticability of it, was laid up: that from his ingenuity. Whatever it was too small, and not in so notions he may have had, they good a place for profit as the never came upon the surface of Hudson. He must have known that the water. Whatever artizans it operated well by the very act he he may have employed, they onprocured to be rescinded. He knew ly deluded him. Nor is that unthat Samuel Morey, the inventor common. Men of liberal views,

of the revolving-engine himself, who aim to promote the public had an experimental boat at New-good themselves, are often deYork; for he was on board of ceived; and sometimes too sanher, (as Mr. Morey has often told guine of success. But this is not the writer of these lines) when she a merit that may supply a plea in went at the rate of six miles an defence of a wrong; even if not hour. Mr. Morey has letters of intended. Mr.Livingston's, on the subject of Steam-navigation, requesting his opinions on the subject.

However disappointed, he did not relinquish the exclusion.-After the lapse of some years, Mr. Morey tried some experi- that enterprising man the late ments also, on Connecticut river, Robert Fulton, Esquire, having

been in Scotland, and according tion, moved by steam or fire, that to the reviewers of his life, in should presume to enter the wathe Quarterly Review, published ters of New-York, should be forin London last December, in feited to them, that they should these words, "About this time have a right to seize upon her by Mr. Fulton, who happened to be an injunction of the Chancellor travelling in Scotland, paid a visit and as a learned member of the to Mr. Symington, examined his house of assembly, has said in boat and saw it work. Mr. Ful- the report on Aaron Ogden's peton also learned from him the ob- tition, " The courts of law are ef jection made to it on account of fectually closed; the defendant the narrowness of the Canal, on must lose his boat and his machiwhich he observed, that this ob-nery, even if he should eventualjection would not apply to the ly gain his cause." Because the wide rivers of America. It was seizure is under this authority. two years after this, that the ex- It is not to be believed, that periments were made by Mr. Chancellor Livingston foresaw Livingston, and himself on the the extremes to which his proSeine, and many years after the ject is carried, by these acts of latter period that he ordered an 1808, and 1811; it is not to be engine to be constructed by Bolton and Watt, which should be applicable to a boat. This when finished was sent to America."

supposed that he would have countenanced so flagrant a violation, in effect of the principles of common jurisprudence; that he would have been willing to have closed the courts of justice to enrich his already rich posterity

cessors have felt no scruples on these points, nor will they, it is probable, cease to grasp at far more extended privileges. It is their interest.

Their first boat ran in 1807, having taken care in 1803, [still in violation of Fitch's right] to get an act passed, extending the to have formed in connection rights, privileges, and advantages with them a company to support granted to R. R. Livingston, and a monopoly, odious in the eye of R. Fulton, therein, for twenty the law, intolerable in a free years from that time, viz. to con- country, and in direct repugnance tinue till 1828. In 1808, when to the constitution. But his sucthe exclusive privilege had fifteen years remaining, and all went well-not content with this unreasonably good prospect, they got an act passed to extend it to 1838; but conscious that it was But Mr. Fulton it is known contrary to every principle of took out a patent. But why did he law and equity, fearful of being not rely upon it? Why, if valid, called in question, and having did it not give him all he was enthis enormous wrong brought to titled to have? Did not the ingenthe test of law, and the investiga-ious inventor of the cotton gin, a tion of the tribunals of their coun-native of Connecticut, rely upon try, they procured it be enacted his patent? Does not Mr. Morey that every boat of every descrip- rely upon his patent? Does not

secured.

Mr. Perkins rely upon his patent? | lawful trade, we shall have no colAre not the laws of Congress suf- lision. Ours is self defence; natuficient to reward the sons of rally and unalienably ours. The America, for their ingenuity? If acts of New-York, are looked not, let Congress make other laws, upon by half their legislature, and but let not New-York take back by three-fourths of the people, the power she has ceded to the Uni- with indignation. And it would Uni-with ted States for this purpose. be approved by them, and deemWhat is it the citizens of Con- ed honourable to Connecticut, if necticut want? They want their she assert the right to the free government to enable them to navigation of the coast, on the open their way to the courts of first occasion that has offered. the United States, that they may The highest court of judicature have their cause tried without the in that state, has pronounced it previous loss of the very property unconstitutional to exclude pain question. Of what use would tented privileges, and of course it it be in war, to carry a fortress follows, privileges that have been by storm, if every man perishes patented. Lawyers are requestwithin it, who achieves the vic-ed to look at the case of Livingtory? The citizens of Connec-ston v. Van Ingen, volume 9, ticut, not only want their right Johnson's Reports. of property, but that property Nor has this aggression remained thus long unresisted by inIf the legislature passes a fee-dividuals. It is remarkable that ble act, the proud monopolist of every petition presented to the asNew-York, the rich and able sembly of New-York, has been relawyers, and the wealthy individu- ported upon in terms the most deals, who compose the company, [cisively favourable, and the bills will laugh their humble and op- to repeal the obnoxious laws lost pressed countrymen to scorn, by the least possible majority. and still set them at defiance; Sometimes in committee of the but pass an act that will bring whole they have passed; when them into the courts of the U. soon after by the accidental ab. States, and they will triumph no sence of a few, or the happy arlonger than till the question is rival of one or two more, the heard. The strongest act the as-scale has been turned. sembly can pass, will but produce Let them come again and tell this effect. If they seize on our the merits of the invention of property, let us seize on theirs steam-boats, and we will point if they seize our boats by and un- them to Fitch, and to Symingder their exclusion, let their boats ton, and to Morey! Let them be excluded; or let some other speak of Mr. Fulton's patents, mode of exerting the power of and we will ask them to shew the state for the protection of its their validity, and rely upon them citizens be resorted to. If they in the courts of the United States. let us alone in the exercise of our Let them plead the right of New

USEFUL INVENTIONS. Next to the navigation of rapid

streams by vessels, and boats, is

York, to grant an exclusive privilege, and we will turn them to the page of their own law-book, in which it is clearly expressed by their judges, that whatever a safe passage across them, in the state might have done before point of importance and conventhe constitution, it ceded that ience. The immense expense atright to Congress, and could

grant no privilege to navigate in tending the erection of bridges, a manner that excluded naviga- and repairing or rebuilding them tion under the paramount laws when partially or totally destroyof Congress, or on the tide waters ed, by freshets, is known and felt under its jurisdiction and gov

ernment. Let them, if they have by all our readers. The inven exclusive rights, remove the ty- tion of Mr. BISHOP, obviates the rannical entrenchment that they objection to "new discoveries," now alone rely on.

The public good is no vain from the expence attending a tripretence here, and there is too al of them, and from the uncermuch light to allow it to be hid- tainty of their utility. We preden from the general view. And sent to our readers the following what said Connecticut a few years account of, and certificate conago to this proud association, account of, and certificate conwhen it petitioned the assembly cerning the[Ed. for a sweeping exclusion in their favour, similar to that of NewYork? Was it not rejected with indignation?

NEW INVENTED ARCH BRIDGE;
NAPHTALI BISHOP,

PATENTEE.

IT is believed that every friend

Unless Connecticut is ready to give up the privilege of steam to useful and valuable improvenavigation, which by its improve- ments in the Mechanic arts, will ments is coming within reach of rejoice at the success of inventive small capitals, let not the present genius; and when the excellence, opportunity be lost, another so in principle, and utility in pracfair may not occur. Let not the tice, of any new discovery is testinventive faculties of our youth, ed by actual experiment, will of men of science and enterprise cheerfully lend the aid of their be cramped, and shackled, and influence in its encouragement insolated in this age of renovation and support. When the vast exand improvement throughout our pense of erecting Arch-Bridges, national territory. Let the on any system heretofore exhibtrade and manufactories of Connecticut flourish; let her sons find employment at home; let her not be forever a nursery for New-York.

ited, is taken into view, in comparison with the one now offer ed to the public, the undersigned feel it a duty which they owe to the citizens of this state, and to

the community in general, to af- | Extract for the RURAL MAGAZINE. ford their patronage to an inven- DEAR BROTHER, tion, where public utility is so conspicuously great. And to this end,

WE HEREBY CERTIFY,

YOU will discover, by the inclosed,* that the Bridge I mentioned to you which was building upon the new model which I

That on the 10th inst. an ele-shewed you, is now completed; gant Bridge was raised across and exceeds our most sanguine Onion River, two and a half miles expectations. The Patentee below the State-House, Mont- thinks to try one experiment peleir, Vermont, on the above more. He is now building one simple, yet valuable model. in the state of New-York, not far

The Bridge is composed of six-from Albany; the arch of which ty-nine string pieces, thirty feet is to be two hundred feet, which in length, and ten inches by ele- will soon be done; and when ven and a half in size; together completed, will be so well done, with twelve thwarts, or cross pie-as to place the experiment beces, twenty-two feet long, seven yond doubt. inches by fourteen; forming one entire arch, one hundred andninety-five feet long, and twenty broad; with not a single mortise, tenon, bolt, or band about it. The whole

BRADFORD KINNEY.

SURRENDER AT YORKTOWN.
[This event was one of the

expense of which, does not ex-most interesting that has occurred

ceed two hundred dollars.

TIMOTHY HUBBARD,

JAMES H. LANGDON,

in the American Continent, since its discovery by Columbus. Although it has long since been de

CHESTER W. HOUGHTON,scribed in the history of the Re

EBENEZER MORSE,

SALVIN COLLINS,
DAVID HARRINGTON.

April, 1819.

volution, yet the following deeply

interesting account of it, has very

recently been given by a veteran officer, still surviving, who wielded

[In addition to the preceding a conquering sword in that great very favourable testimony, we victory. To Americans, it was present our readers with the fol- the battle of Waterloo; for their lowing Extract of a Letter, very fate was suspended upon its issue. obligingly communicated to the It was the crowning glory of Editor, by NEWCOMB KINNEY, WASHINGTON'S military careerEsq. of Norwich, Conn. from his it was the setting sun of that of brother, the Rev. BRADFORD CORNWALLIS's.] Ed. KINNEY, of Plainfield, Vt.]

*The preceding Certificate.