Litchfield enquirer., 1833-09-26
bad Wkitney, ingeat0r of the COtton

 Gin.-We find in the Boston Centinel, abridged from the N. York Mechanics Magazine, some account Of Eli Whitney, whose name ought to be held in everlasting remembrance as the inventor of the cotton gin. Whitney was born in WesborOugb. (Mass. in I765. His mechanical genius was developed early. When only l6, he had fitted up nail factory; and worked at the manufacture two winters. In 1789, he entered Yale College in preparation for which he had struggled against much op- position; his slep-mother using every ex- ertion to thwart his plans. While in col lege, he at one ;ime employed his leisure moments in the use of the tools, belonging to a carpenter, who was at work on the house, owned by tue person, with whom he boarded. The carpenter, surprised at lis dexterity, exclaimed: there was One good mechanic spoiled, when you went to Col lege.' After receiving his degree, he re- moved to Georgia; where he was domici- led, at Mulberry Grove, arsSaVannah, in the family of Gen. Greene. One day Mrs. c. while employed upon piece of em- broidery, which she was working in a frame, called tambour, complained that her machine was badly constructed andre her work. Wailney detected the causes of its defects, and soon produced another in- strument, of so perfect construction as to excite the admiration and delight of the family. Shortly after number of gen,le- men being present at Gen. Greene's, some one regretted that no means had been ds- covered for expeditiously freeing cotton of seeds, as such discovery would bring thousand of waste acres into immediate and profitable cultivation.
 Mrs. c. hearing the remark, observed, Gentlemen, apply to my young friend Whitney, he can make any thing Whit ney modestly disclaimed alb such rowcr but did not forget the conversation. All that time, he had never seen any cotton or cotton seed but subsequently,, being in Sa- vannah, procured a small quantity, which he carried home. Here Ire conferred with MT. Phineas Miller, who, it seems, had married tho widow of Gen. Greene, and with his encouragement and by his aid, went to work, and at length produced the Cotton Gin.
 Tn May, 17o3, Miller and Whitney, formed a copartnership for the purpose of making and vending the machine. A knowledge of its properties soon spread .throughont the State, and multtudes flock ed to see it. So eager was the desire to get possession of it, that the building in which it was secured, was broken in at night, and the machine stolen. The consequence was that numbers were in operation throughout the State, before Whitney could obtain q patent. This was but the beginning o( troubles. His patent. when obtained. was invaded by spectators ; and at one time, 1 his shop was burnt down and his tools de- siroyed. Tn 17o6, intelligence was receiv- ed, that the English manufacturers had con- demned the ginned cotton, as being weak ened in it's staple report, which. al- though without foundation. brought the firm to the brink of bankruptcy. In 1901, the legislature of South Carolina voted to pur- chase the patent for $5O,OOO. This was done, we suppose. to quiet his claims upon individuals for damages arising from infrac- tions of his patent. The acceptance of this sum, Whitney considered sacrifice of from 2 to 800. .OOO dollars. In fact he new CT derived any pecuniary benefit from his invention. Nearly the whole term, for which his right was secured, was spent in expensive efforts to establish its validi!y.- So hopeless was the prospect of pecuniary advantage, that he betook himself to the improvement of water privilege near New Haven, where he commenced the manufac- ture of fire arms. In January, 1877, he married; and on the Sth of January, 1925, died leaving family of one son and three daughters.
 | The value of this invention is incalcufa- ble. Whitney himself declared that it had added from 50 to 100 per cent, to the wealth of the Southern States. In New England its effects are visible in almost ev- cry waterfall. Hundreds and thousands are now living in prosperity and comfort, who but for this invention would never have seen the light of existence; ; or would have dragged out fife of poverty and wretch- edness.. But the works and fame ofsuch man as Whitney, have no charms for the historian. His pen cannot descend to so contemptible theme. Men too at large admire and venerate only those who des- pire and destroy them. Let man give loose to his passions. ravage the fair face of nature, annihilate the works of arts and a. bove all butcher his feIlow-mcn by wh0le- sale, and he is canonized and dsi6ed as a hero. Rescuing country from barren ness and q people from barbarisn, plac.