It is certain that it exists. It is certain that it is now
a matter of common knowledge all over the civilized world. It is
certain that ten or twelve years ago it was not knowledge. It is
certain that this curious result has grown into knowledge by
somebody's discovery and invention. And who is that somebody? The
question was put to my learned opponent by my learned associate.
If Charles Goodyear did not make this discovery, who did make it?
Who did make it? Why, if our learned opponent had said he should
endeavor to prove that some one other than Mr. Goodyear had made
this discovery, that would have been very fair. I think the
learned gentleman was very wise in not doing so. For I have
thought often, in the course of my practice in law, that it was
not very advisable to raise a spirit that one could not
conveniently lay again. Now who made this discovery? And would it
not be proper? I am sure it would. And would it not be manly? I
am sure it would. Would not my learned friend and his coadjutor
have acted a more noble part, if they had stood up and said that
this invention was not Goodyear's, but it was an invention of
such and such a man, in this or that country? On the contrary
they do not meet Goodyear's claim by setting up a distinct claim
of anybody else. They attempt to prove that he was not the
inventor by little shreds and patches of testimony.
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