LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 135 



Of the artists I have before spoken. Their number should be 

 augmented rallier than curtailed. Numerous specimens in botany, 

 a vast variety of fish and other objects, will require delineation at 

 every rendezvous before they shall have changed their natural 

 state ; and there should be no delay in these matters. Twelve 

 thousand dollars would employ two more artists during the voy- 

 age, and it would be economy to engage their services- Surely, 

 then, you will not lay hands on the fine arts ! 



Thus you see, sir, that in every form and aspect in which the 

 subject can be reviewed, the rationale and argument are in favour 

 of the frigate and other vessels as now prepared. Equally appa- 

 rent is it that the alterations you are now urging are virtually 

 destructive to the entire enterprise. Razeed as you propose, it 

 would not meet public expectation, and the nation could feel but 

 liltle pride in it. It would fall short of what some of our state 

 governmenls, even those most adverse to expenditure, are now 

 doing by the employment of men of science, with large salaries, 

 in examining the natural history and geology of their respective 

 territories ; and it is well known that, in a pecuniary point of view, 

 those governments have been repaid a hundred fold for their 

 outlay. 



Sir, in your report to the president in December, 1836, you ac- 

 knowledged that the " indications of public opinion" were in favour 

 of the expedition being prepared and sent out on an efficient and 

 liberal scale. I put the question to you direct ; has there been 

 any change in the "indications of public opinion" since that time? 

 Among the journals of the country, all of which have appeared to 

 meet upon this point as upon common ground, few, if any, have 

 expressed dissatisfaction at the original arrangement. 



The most distinguished societies, literary and scientific, in the 

 United Stales, have not only manifested increased interest in its 

 complete preparation and opposed its curtailment, but have thrown 

 open their libraries for the use of the expedition, offering the use 

 of any books upon their shelves. Foreign societies, both in pri- 

 vate correspondence and by public resolutions, have expressed, in 

 the strongest manner, their anticipations of the benefits to be gath- 

 ered from its researches. 



Indeed, not only our own country, but the nations of Europe, 

 would hear of a determination to reduce the naval force of the enter- 



