Eli Whitney

“You are undoubtedly acquainted with my Reputation, and as for my Penmanship it must speak for itself; this is to desire your Approbation to keep a public school.”

“I can make just such ones if I had tools, and I could make tools if I had tools to make them with.”

“I have always believed that I should have had no difficulty in causing my rights to be respected.”

“I have now taken a serious task upon myself and I fear a greater one that is in the power of any man to perform in the given time-but it is too late to go back.”

“One of my primary objects is to form the tools so the tools themselves shall fashion the work and give to every part its just proportion.”

“I have not only Arms but a large proportion of Armourers to make.”