132 CORRESPONDENCE. 



as to induce congress to pass the law. Who, then, has a better 

 claim to participate in its toils, and to share its honours, than he 

 who may be justly called the originator of the voyage who can 

 bring so much of valuable knowledge, derived from various sources, 

 some of which you alone have been permitted to drawfro?n, as you 

 could? J mean not to flatter when I say, not another who is a 

 citizen of the United States. 



Then it cannot be doubted but that any commander qualified to 

 conduct such an enterprise as the law contemplates, as well as the 

 executive head under whose auspices it will be sent out, will gladly 

 avail themselves of your services, to aid them in organizing the 

 scientific department, and further identify you with the expedition, 

 by assigning to you some honourable station in it. ,*>^ t 



Such are my views, very hastily expressed, as you know. Did 

 time or occasion allow, they might be greatly enlarged ; but, at 

 present, I have only time to repeat my ardent wishes for complete 

 success in all your undertakings, and to express the hope that the 

 just expectations of a liberal public may not be disappointed by a 

 defective organization, as regards ships, or by the indiscriminate 

 appointment of persons incongruous in their dispositions, and who 

 never act in perfect concert, nor harmonize in social intercourse. 

 I remain, dear sir, 



Yours, faithfully, 



THOMAS AP C. JONES. 



J. N. REYNOLDS, Esq., 

 New-York. 





