MR. H A M E R. 281 



tage, than ourselves. It was known to every man who had exam- 

 ined the subject, that our mariners were navigating the ocean, 

 almost exclusively, by the aid of charts furnished us by foreigners. 

 The immense amount of wealth daily flowing into our country 

 from foreign commerce, owed its security, amidst the dangers of 

 the great deep, to the information we had derived from the explor- 

 ations and surveys made by others, in former times, as well as in 

 the present age. The expedition was not novel, therefore, nor 

 was it at all extraordinary. 



" It had been pronounced a visionary project, and one gentleman 

 had compared it to an expedition to the moon. He was surprised 

 to hear gentlemen indulge in the use of such language. They 

 surely had misapprehended the meaning of the term "exploration," 

 as used upon this occasion. The expedition, so far from being 

 visionary, was one of the most practical kind that could well be 

 imagined. It was sent out, not so much to discover new islands 

 and continents, as to explore and examine those which were al- 

 ready known. It was, in a great measure, to collect information, 

 and embody it in such a form, as would enable our hardy and en- 

 terprising countrymen to navigate those seas, and to prosecute 

 their labours in safety. If any gentleman, who entertained such 

 opinions, would look into the documents upon our tables, con- 

 nected with the subject, he would be convinced that it was one of 

 the most practical affairs that had been proposed during the present 

 session of congress. It had been asked for by practical men, and 

 recommended by many who had themselves sailed in those seas, 

 and were personally acquainted with the imminent perils which 

 had to be encountered in such voyages. These men were not 

 likely to be carried away by wild and visionary schemes ; and when 

 the measure had their decided approbation, it would be well for 

 gentlemen to pause before they gave it an unqualified denunciation. 



" Some gentlemen seemed to question our constitutional authority 

 to send out this expedition. He had no doubts upon that subject 



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