INTRODUCTION 



alterations. Yet, in the face of this testimony, the secretary says, 

 " Although Commodore Jones has great confidence in the efficien- 

 cy of the vessels, yet many other officers of the navy have not ; on the 

 contrary, I believe there is a general want of confidence in them, as 

 well as in the success of the expedition, under its present organiza- 

 tion." Then follows a lugubrious wail about the incapacity of the 

 department to afford protection to our commerce in other parts of the 

 world, and to fit out the expedition at the same time ; " more es- 

 pecially," says the secretary, " if we are to add another vessel (a 

 small schooner) to the exploring squadron ;" and yet, let it be 

 borne in mind, he was at this very period preparing to show his 

 teeth to the French minister of marine. " It therefore," continues the 

 secretary, " becomes a matter of great importance and responsibility to 

 inquire if the force intended for this expedition cannot be reduced in 

 its armament of ships and men" He accordingly begs the presi- 

 dent to authorize the department to cause these inquiries to be 

 made by experienced officers of the navy, and to report the result 

 for the president's decision. This extraordinary communication, 

 extraordinary both as to its time and nature, was returned with the 

 following no less extraordinary endorsement upon it 



Washington, June 5th, 1837. 



" The Secretary will cause the inquiries recommended by him to 

 be made by referring the subject to a Board of Officers, to be com- 

 posed of Commodores Chauncey, Morris, Warrington, Patterson, 

 and Wadsworth, to examine and report on the same. 



" M. Van Buren." 



To the board thus constituted, the secretary, upon the pretended 

 authority of officers of the navy, whose names have never yet been 

 given to the public, gave his Jesuitical instructions, June 8th, 

 1837. I was in Norfolk at the time, but repaired to Washington 

 immediately on hearing of these movements, and, in an interview 

 with the secretary, entered my protest against the course he was 

 pursuing. To President Van Buren, whom I also saw, I spoke 

 plainly of his secretary, and pointed out the insidious character of 

 his instructions to the board. The course marked out for me 

 thenceforward was devoid of all perplexity. For more than two 

 years I had witnessed the treacherous conduct of the secretary, and 



