180 LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 



formation called for is published. In your instructions to that 

 board, sir, you kept out of view all the important and leading op- 

 erations to be performed among the islands of the Pacific. You 

 told the members that the objects of the expedition were to go as 

 near the South Pole as could be done with safety. Confined to 

 that branch of the undertakuig, the force would be too large ; and 

 the commissioners, governed by your instructions, did right in 

 saying so. You were grievously chagrined at not being seconded 

 in your plan of mutilation by the report of that body, and, for a 

 time, allowed the preparations to go on with a much better grace 

 than you had previously done, though I never imagined you 

 would permit the squadron to depart before the meeting of the 

 present Congress. The condition of the national finances prom- 

 ised you much ; while the possibihty that Congress, wearied 

 and disgusted with the delay and expenses already incurred, 

 might allow you to break up the " whole concern," or to cripple 

 and send it out on a scale which would mar its usefulness, was 

 doubtless a source of self-complacent reflection to you. Other- 

 wise how shall we account for the fact that, the moment you 

 heard of the greatly-to-be-regretted indisposition of Commodore 

 Jones, you renewed, with indecent haste, your former efforts at 

 cutting down, which, with you, means the same as cutting up 1 

 Instantly another commission is organized, with which you hope 

 to succeed, though disappointed by the first. Sir, I respectfully 

 inquire, what instructions have you given this new commission ? 

 Have you presented the whole subject, in all its bearings, fully 

 and fairly? Have you handed in the correspondence between 

 Commodore Jones and the former board ? If you have done this 

 in good faith, then you will not be sustained. If you have not, 

 the report will be made on a partial eocparte statement, and will 

 be undeserving the consideration which the opinion of the officers 

 selected, under other circumstances, would be entitled to. I shall 

 write you again. 



I have the honour to be. 



Very respectfully, your fellow 



CITIZEN. 



Nft-w-York, Dac«mb«» 28, 1837. 



