ADDRESS. 25 



and the Landers, for the purpose of laying open the source of the 

 mysterious Niger, but to drag the huge rhinoceros from his 

 marshes, the ponderous elephant from his groves, and seize the 

 Numidian lion in his lair ; and not only have our zoological insti- 

 tutes been thus supplied for the gratification of the curious visiter 

 and the student of natural history, but numbers have been sent 

 from hence for the supply of the European market ! 



With these observations we proceed to the consideration, not 

 of what we have done, but of what we have so long been promis- 

 ing to do. We mean a naval enterprise, or voyage of discovery, 

 to be fitted out in the best manner, with every scientific appliance, 

 at the public expense, for the sole purpose of increasing our 

 knowledge of the Pacific and Southern Oceans, where our com- 

 merce is now carried on, as we shall be able to show, far beyond 

 the bounds of ordinary protection. 



As early as the session of 1826-7, a proposition for fitting out 

 an expedition of this nature was brought before congress.* It was 

 recommended by numerous memorials, embracing among others a 

 resolution from the legislature of Maryland, a memorial from the 

 governor and both branches of the legislature of Pennsylvania, a 

 similar one from the state of Ohio, and various other addresses, 

 petitions, and memorials, from many cities of the Union. The 

 House appointed a select committee to consider the prayer of 

 these memorialists ; but, owing to the great press of unfinished 

 business, and the exciting discussions which then absorbed the 

 attention of the members, they had little leisure to consider the 

 subject of a national expedition, however useful and necessary in 

 itself. 



Favourable opinions, however, were entertained by the commit- 

 tee with regard to the project, novel as it then appeared to the 

 House and the country at large. The advocates of the measure 



* Document No. 1. 



B 



