On July 31, 1790, President George Washington affixed his elegant signature to a single piece of parchment. The short document credited Samuel Hopkins of Philadelphia with having “discovered an Improvement, not known or used before,” in the production of potash, a chemical useful in making fertilizer and other products. The statement granted Mr. Hopkins “the sole and exclusive Right and Liberty of using, and vending to others the said Discovery” for a period of 14 years. Thus was issued the