LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 121 



XI. 



To the Honourable Mahlon Dickerson, Secretary of the Navy. 



Sir, 

 Perhaps I ought to apologize for affixing your name lo the head 

 of this letter, inasniuch as I now intend lo speak of the scientific 

 labours to be performed by individuals attached to the expedition. 

 To this department of the enterprise, notwithstanding all your 

 correspondence with learned societies and your many professions, 

 you are inveterately hostile. Well do you know that ihc very 

 measures you are at present urging will break up the scientific 

 corps, and render nugatory all the time and means expended in its 

 ample preparations ; that they will destroy the efficiency of the hy- 

 drographical department, in which the naval officers, as a body, 

 would find constant and arduous professional employment. Of the 

 duties of the latter, as regards hydrography, I spoke concisely in 

 my last letter. With no complaint from the people in any quarter 

 against the magnitude or expenses of the undertaking, as now 

 contemplated, but, on the contrary, with the public voice eveiy- 

 where in its favour, you cannot hope to escape the accountabiliiy 

 lo which your official action has subjected you ; an accountability 

 that few men wo«ld be willing to incur for all the honours and 

 emoluments of your office, even though the incumbent might hoard 

 wpjive thousand dollars per annum ! 



I have asserted that you were hostile to the scientific corps, 

 malgre all you have said and written to the learned upon the sub- 

 ject. You commenced its organization with extreme reluctance; 

 and it is notorious that you used the most extraordinary efforts to 

 create jealousies between its members and the naval officers. 

 When the principal savans were selected, having first been 

 strongly recommended by our learned societies, their appointment 

 was not your act, but the credit of it belongs to the late executive, 

 who compelled you to perform this galling duty. That distin- 

 guished individual took a most lively interest in the expedition ; 

 and, as some prominent members now in Congress, as well as 

 yourself, are perfectly aware, was resolved that, so far as he was 

 concerned, it should be sent out in all respects worthy of tlie na- 



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