The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-03-12
10 Inventors and Amateurs or Ingenuity and
Skill Ia the Mechanic Ats,

Tho following circular Is addressed such persons In
me United States as msy strictly be considered original
Inv nors ard 10 all other phianthropc enterpising
men, Who in advance Of the age presume that improve
ments IN the arts and sciences yet to DO made equal
TOLL not surprising, those of the present day.
ltsoblect s the establishment OF Inventors Inst.
tn'e inventive genius and thereby to advance
es the writer believes the most important interests Of
this country Ii is not much to say that inventors
ere, far the temporal interests Of man concerned
tho most useful class Of men in the world IL
S,sss PERHAPS less o seeen Sy NOR TEL
airy, or monomsniacs Frequently they are called
extravagant apd indoent; and seldom ever, II not
immediately successful they believed to be possess
ed of sound common sense. In most they are
poor they must Of necessity be, under the present
their calling being held in such low estimation add In
its nature expensive. Also from the fact that they
even then rarely happens that original inventor OBJ
tans just remuneration for his labor althougA occa
s'onaiy by some brilliant discovery or invention he
reips the Reverb due to him. In wealth. well fame
But few inventions arc appreciated IL even partially
perfected during the life time OF the inventor and after
that hs heirs inherit only his fame, which has no ten.
dercy to anne iorae their Condition in pecuniary way
a. We il the case OF the heirs Of Robert Full
ton fths however, inve tors ought not to- and will
necessity which gives impulse to inventive talent and
strongly urges the completion of the work frst gener
the century oiinvenons Of the Marquis Of worcester
which, though published, were never put in practice by
poverty sill tauds in the way Of the the in
ventor for although man may thiLk with empty pock
cts, yethc cannot so experiment. Experiments
~ They take time as we'll as moacy, and then, when
done they but add to his stock of knowledge and pave
the 70 still further experiments whilst his daily
supplies Tor himself end family perhaps are diminishing
with equal pecs Like the movement Of the ny draulc
RAM only more Irregular he is continually interrupted
h,a lsrs III oruer 90 op.an .ne Of me-
Tor want OF time and means
But upon whom falls this loss We answer, the
country The Inventor dead, his invention sleeps with
him No drawing description he leave OF his in
complete invention, will induce original inventor to
take up and complete it, if he be capable and other
person s capable OF so doing.
Inventors, too, are liberal No genuine inventor can
be mean contracted in his views, DESTROYS &C.
quire wealth for the mere love OF money He loves to
duce to practice his conrivances and he spends his
money freely upon them. The risk i, toe great for
such a neldin fact field without fence end if he
has natural talent for penetrating the unexpored field of
SCIENCE snd a be cannot become an inventor because
contrary, the true inventor will expend all his
upon hi invention, and generally. soon as
pleted he begins upon some other, which be thinks will
be valuable instead CT apply ing hnseltto profit by
that he has done.
Original inventors also held in dsrepute by preu
they often found in bad company and the sins of im
posters visited upon them by those who have been
srs men who steal ncompeta Inventions and Obtain ma
tent rights TO SELL Some who get patents for worthless
things knowing them to be SUCH write obtain certia
Gates Of their utility, sel and then laugh in their
sleeves" at tho creduity OF their dupas There
others, real inventors who obtain patents, think
nomely valuable. and in good faith dispose of them to
the great pecunary injury Of the purchasers and the
greater deriment ADD dshonor Of tho craft Thousands
OF have abundant evidence Of the truth Of this in
the multitude OF patented machines which nre seem stow
ed away omong the old lumber in tho garrett or in the
barn or wagon house, which serhaps were never sum
GENTLY used to require oing second time. In the pre-
sent day witness wagon loads Of patented machines
hawked abou. the country great improvements, which
JUDGE formed in the mind Of the buyer against all limo
vaiions and improvements and curses denounced upon
the heads of all original thinkers
Certificates Of approval made of no value, look
ed upon with dsnst and there 10 institution in tho
country whose opinion be safely taken by the sim
pie uniformed buyer end user as conclusive evidence
OF the value Of invention the superiority Of
anoher+ No institution in country capable
OF determining as TO the merits Of inventions, because
their committeesof examination net inventors and
not having experimental the various perhaps
not at all with the subject they must take the
which is in fact, constituting him the Judge in his own
and he usually his own invention through
sinsgniiying glass or perifocal spectacles.
Having asserted that inventors the most useful
class Of men in the world it may be considered by
duty TO offer proof Of it, There will be diff
foulty ia doing this The position Dan be sustained in
place, from the country schoolhouse to the Senate
chamber of the capitol end 1t will be done whenever
casion shall call for it, IL is evidenced by every conve
dent, it is visible and tangible proposition Inventors
at least believe the fact and there ia need Of proof to
proven by the establishment Of the Patent ONCE the
only institution cherished By our government for the
nens Ut Of ,ings class Of men and by the spproPria
gress for the publication OF the Commissioners report.
Inventors however, msst not look to the government
for other aid than that OF protection in their pursuits II
IL will ocrd them the protection by law to which they
are Justly entitled and thereby to them their
right Of property in their inventions, for reasonable
limited times that they may DO guarded from the de-
precautions of mposters and pirates is ell they need
from that source
They can, and they should associate together for u.
tuaoI pro elton, for Improvement for the
ID of
rate and astinct occupation peculiar TO themselves, and
for the tapo.ue Of interIopers and pirates They
quire an institution where real Inventors may find such
aid as they nsed the prosecution and perfection of their
plans, in s1ggesors, tools and materials and ecnisy
enn phere after Maturing they may conduct and carry
their business Nth success andprcftDhers they can
have proper dspss for the szhibon and sale Of their
sompetefly e1amined and from sohsnce certificate of
GppTouat Wih be sure Rusrasfy TO party purchasng,
that he is not imposed upon by humbug Where comp
tent can De found not only to test the merits Of
any dscspv mention out also to produce tchen
wantse, any msW plan or mode of accomplishing en- end;
any desiSerafu which may be ap-
piled for at Ms Insufs, wiih a liberal s6er for fs
accomplishment. Where models Of tions wiu BE
made st prices and according to The wishes of
hs applicant Where theory and practice wiH be found
in combination, and eorrs Of Inventors may be found
capable of discriminating befpeem the CLAIMS of sant
spsnfors and often, perhaps thereby amcabty to adjust
the uiiss, and them the expense and perpiepies
Of hngatlon.
Ind though last not isas school for the instruction
meshsncs IN the best mode Of accomplishing the desired
II an upanswersbe argument DO wanting to show the
necessity Of such estaplishmen will be In the
fact that some and may not many of most In
geuious convic in prisons or entitled to
that honor. An account which In a fine illustration has
Just appeared In the Empsvtun and True dme, ican
pnbsned ~ Trenton, ~ January 20th, of ono who
has Invented and constructed In the New jersey prison
curious and very useful continuance to register the
In houses OF legislation The attention Of the wri
called to this ismenabe fact whilst engaged in
the and sale OF combination bank locke and
collecting the facts connected with bank robberies The
ut rki hutfor
their ingenuity, could not be engaged in that business
Tho temptation in the midst of went and often the con
tempt OF their fellow citizens, leads them into crime
The writer fallen in company withssome most inge.
NOUS men whom he has doubt were associated With
gsngs Of burglars and learned from them their history
90 inventors whereby he has been confirmed In thi
opinion, expressed ABOVE. During interview with
one in Philadelphia, the foregoing plan was first
ceved MS being the most likely way to turn their inven
tive talents into the proper channel This motive alone
should induce eli moral and well wishers to society
20 lend their aid to such an establishment.