LETTERS OP A FRIEND TO THE NAVY 375 



where all tne meridians terminate ; fastening the star-spangled 

 banner to the pole of the earth itself; and many other vagaries 

 too tedious to mention. 



In these preparations none, upon a full knowledge of the case, 

 except the " Citizen," and a few others who have been bitten by 

 him, can see any cause for throwing censure upon the secretary. 

 These preparations required extraordinary exertions, not on the 

 part of the secretary, for no more was required of him than giv- 

 ing the necessary orders, but of the officers under whom the 

 ships were to be prepared and the men recruited ; and particu- 

 larly of the commander of the expedition, under whose superin- 

 tendence the whole was placed ; and, it is believed, the " Citizen" 

 will not accuse that officer of any want of zeal or diligence in the 

 performance of any duty assigned him. 



It, however, suited the purpose of the " Citizen" that these ex 

 traordinary exertions, which had not been attended with all the anti- 

 cipated success, should be considered as the extraordinary exertions 

 of the secretary of the navy. In his fifth number he says to the 

 secretary, "Thus you tell him (the president), that inasmuch as it 

 was his earnest wish that the intentions of Congress in authorizing 

 the measure should be carried into effect with the least possible 

 delay, you had not only resolved to clothe Commodore Jones with 

 unusual powers, and to grant him every facility for the purpose of 

 shipping crews, but that you had yourself determined to make an 

 extraordinary effort to accomplish that object." The words, that 

 you had yourself , are a fabrication, and are not in the report which 

 he pretends to quote ; and this fabrication serves as the basis of a 

 series of misrepresentations about extraordinary efforts. 



The language of the report to the president is, " As, however, it 

 was your earnest wish that the intentions of Congress in autho- 

 rizing the measure should be carried into effect wkh the least pos- 

 sible delay, and that the expedition should be fitted out upon the 

 extensive and liberal scale which the indications of public opinion 

 seemed to require ; and as the officer, Captain Thomas Ap. Cate,s- 

 by Jones, selected for the command of the expedition, gave assu- 

 rances that the difficulty of obtaining seamen could be obviated 

 by giving him power to have them recruited under his immediate 

 superintendence, and for this particular service it was determined 

 to make an extraordinary effort to accomplish these objects? 



