New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-12
AN IMPUDFNT CLAIMANT.


CAREER AND OF THE NATURE OF his CLAIMS.
lDY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUEE.l
WASHINGTON, April 11.-The 10Th OF last month
Mr. Robertson, of Louisiana. brought forward in
the House a bill authorizing grant of limited
patents to George A. Morse for inventions i'll fire.
armsD The bill requires the Commissioner OF
Patents to issue to MIR. Morse six new patents for
the term of eight years for certain inventions
in breech-loading arms and ammunition, the
original patents for which were issued before
the Rebellion, aud without requiring the return
of the original patents. Mr. Morse is also to be
allowed to patent certain improvements, which are
shown IN models constructed under his direction at
the United States armories, as contemplated IN his
contract with the Secretary of War. III the years
1858 and 1850.
A condition of the isNue Of the new patents is to
be that the United States shall never be required
to pay anything for the Of them. The bill con-
tains other provisions relating to the use OF Old
Morse patents to infrngements, and to the royalty
TO be paid to Mr.. Morse by manufacturers of fire.
arms who may now be using any of the devices
which he claims as his own. 1t is claimed by man
ufacturers Of breech-loading firearms that the In
ventions of Mr.. Morse which were patented In 1906
and 1853 did not contain single feature which was
novel at that time; and IL is further claimed that
| the Robertson bill Is simply scheme to blackmail
every manufacturer Of breech-lOading firearms in
the United States.
The above considerations chiefly affect the manu-
facturers of such arms. but there are some facts
| in the history of Mr. Morse and his inventions
which are OF considerable interest to the public
Mr. Morse, who was born in New-England, removed
| to Louisiana when he was n young man and was q
citizen Of that State down TO the outbreak Of the
| Rebellion. Several years before tho war he took
ont patents for q breech-lOading gun and for
metallic cartridge. Through the influence Of
Southern politicians no secured an appropriation OF
| $4,000 from Congress in 1858 to provide for the
| manufacture Of his arms Extensive tools and
machinery were manufactured for this purpose by the
| Government at the United States Arsenal at
! HaIper's Ferry.
Al this time John B. Floyd. Secretary of War,
was busily engaged in carrying out his plan of
| sirippinR the Northern Arsenals order to equip
the South for the Rebellion. Anxious to make as
| effective as possible the arms which were to be
used TO destroy the Government Secretary Floyd
| made a contract with Mr.. Morse TO convert several
| tsousond of the muAzIe-loadng Harpers Ferry
arms into breeeh-lOaders. This work was not fln-
shed when Fort sumter was fired upon. But n
good deal had been done. and Mr. Morse had received
| $4,000 upon his contract. In April, 1861, Mr..
Morse was residing with his family in Washington.
| IIIs stepson was then cadet at West Point.
Shortly after Fort sumter was fired upon Mr.
Morse visited Harper's Ferry where tho work under
his contract was performed. Ho returned to Wash
ington about the time Alexandra was occupied by
the Union forces, and he Immediately fled to Rich
mond His stepson, who is now On employe Of the
| House OF Representatives, left West Point and
| went South, whore he was appointed an officer on
the staff of the Rebel General Polk. Very soon
after Mr.. Morse went TO Richmond Harpeps Ferry
WAS captured by the Rebels who carried off when
they left large amount Of tools and machinery
/ -. allo how
careful to take way, probably upon the suggestion
of Mr. Morse himself all the tools and machinery
which had been provided TO in carrying out the
Morse contract With thcse Mr. Morse went to
| Nashville and set mp an establishment
under the control of the State of
Tennessee to repair and manufacture
| arms which wero used BY the Rebels. This estab-
| lishment was removed from Nashville on the ap-
| proach Of tho Union forces. Mr.. Morse. Tn Charge
I of the tools and machinery won't first to Chatta-
nooQa next To Atlanta. 0nd hnnlly 10 ureenVille.
South Carolina, where another gun factory was set
up this time under tho auspices OF the State OF South
Mr.. Morse remained at Grecnville and worked In
this factory until the close of tho war. When the
| Rebellion collapsed Mr. Morse had on band fey
| carbnes. and he had the impudence to offer to sell
| tbem as well rs the tools and machinery wbicn hau
| been stolen from the Government at Harpers Ferry
TO the United States. The Government TOOK posses
! sion Of the property however, without paying MT
| Morse for It, Ever that time Mr. Morse has
| been a pertinacons claimant for compensation from
the Government. lie managed 10 secure tne eA-
| tension of two of his patents six years ago.
In 1875 he began n suit against the United States
! in The Court of Claims for the modest sum, OF
&S75 900 for the use of his patents In the last
Congress n bill to pay him $4,000 was favorably
rcpor,sd by the House Committee. Now he comes comes
with tho bill reported above aud demands especial
| consideration. IL, r.
I'm this bill Mr. Morse asks TO be relieved from
flo necessity Of filing his original patents. Inc
reason for this he does not explain 1t is because
he filed those patents III the Confederate Patent Oi-
| dce and took ont patents under the Confederate
t5oyernment in 1861 or 1862. The original patents
granted by the United States were, It
| seems destroyed when portion or
| tle Confederate archives was burned 10
| 1865, and therefore Mr.. Morse Is now unable
TO produce them. 1t Is understood that despite the
fact that ho devoted his inventive genius his skill
| as n mechanic and his time and services to the
| Confederacy from the beginning until the close OF
tho Rebellion, Mr., Morse now dec ares that he was
always loyal" and he therefore demands especial
| consideration at the hands of the Government.
| A good many people, in view OF the facts that
| have been rocted, will probably not agree with
Mr. Morse either IN his assertion or his conclusion