ing engendered. Even Englishmen, jealous
as they are known to be, viewed Hussey as a public benefactor, and his
mission as one calculated either directly or indirectly to benefit all
classes. Yet in his own country, which he has so signally benefited, he
is compelled to supplicate for years, and as yet in vain, for rights,
that others, with not a tithe of his claim and merit, but with more ample
means perhaps, or more influential friends, succeed in obtaining. It is a
reproach to the age and to the Halls of Legislation. When it was supposed
this great invention was perfected in England, many years ago--though
_not_ successful, as was subsequently proved--the _Nation_ took
the matter in hand, and Parliament voted a reward to its author.

At the great Agricultural Exhibition for "Bath and the West of England,"
held at Plymouth in 1853, the _Plymouth Mail_ states: ["the interest
and excitement created by the trial of Reaping Machines was very great,
and the crowd of persons assembled to witness their performance was
immense"]--that Hussey won the prize for Reaping, by acclamation, over
all competitors--the only other American machine present, McCormick's
included; and an eye witness states that three cheers were proposed for
Mr. Hussey by Sir Thomas Ackland, the President, and member of
Parliament, which was responded to by thousands, and without a dissenting
voice; that his reaper was crowned with laurel by the Judges, and the
"Stars and Stripes" waved in triumph twenty-five feet high over American
ingenuity and enterprise on English soil.

[Illustration: Gold medal won by Mr. Hussey with the Reaper at Baltimore
in 1853.

Silver medal won by Mr. Hussey with the Reaper and his Steam Plough at
New York in 1857.]

[Sidenote: A Mowing Machine as Well as a Reaper]

At this trial it was again demonstrated to the agriculturists of Great
Britain by Obed Hussey [and not the first time, though he was the first
to do it] that his machine would cut their grass quite as perfectly as
their "corn." The _Mail_ goes on to say: "A mowing machine was so
remote from the expectations and hopes of the Society, that no prize was
offered for one; yet Mr. Hussey was prepared with a mowing machine, which
was taken to an adjoining field of meadow grass and clover mixed. The
people followed, but evidently with no expectation of being gratified.
The machine mower was put in action, and to the admiration of every one,
it cut the grass with an eve