392 LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 



against the committee on naval affairs in the Senate for their au- 

 dacity in presuming to add an amendment providing for the ex- 

 pedition to the bill for the general service, without having first 

 procured your gracious permission, and ascertained that the thing 

 could be done " in accordance with your views ;" but it is the 

 first time I have seen this presumptuous censure in print ! 

 Nearly five months, we are informed, did this bill remain in the 

 Senate ; yes, there did it remain, loaded with this " rider* to 

 " the most serious injury of the service." To this " rider" is at- 

 tributed all the delay, from the early part of the session, when you 

 inform us the bill was sent to the Senate. The only "rider" of 

 leaden weight upon the expedition has been yourself, and I very 

 much fear it will yet be the death of you ! But did you hazard 

 nothing in the statement that the "rider" to which you allude 

 had protracted the passage of the bill from the early part of the 

 session till nearly the middle of May ? 



Now, sir, let it be seen how a few plain facts from the record 

 shall put you down. Bid the busy functionary, ever near your 

 person, bring the journals of the Senate and house and lay them 

 on your table. I am much mistaken if you do not find that the 

 house did not take up the naval bill, in committee of the whole on 

 the state of the union, until March 30, 1836. Search the rec- 

 ord from that date, and you will find that the bill was read a third 

 time and passed on the 7th of April, four months and seven days 

 after the session had commenced, during the greater portion of 

 which interval, according to your showing, the bill was detained 

 in the Senate groaning under this " rider" to " the most serious 

 injury of the naval service." 



What, then, was the time this bill did remain in the Senate? 

 Look at the journal, and see if it did not pass that body on the 

 28th of April. Only twenty days were occupied by the naval 

 committee in passing on the whole bill, with all its details and 

 heavy appropriations ; in getting the documents printed ; and 

 in carrying the measure through the Senate. But, sir, even this 

 delay of twenty days was not chargeable on the " rider" provi- 

 ding for this enterprise. I tell you, sir, and I appeal to the commit- 

 tee to confirm the truth of what 1 say, that the said " rider" did not 

 detain the general bill one hour. The committee were unani- 

 mous, the Senate nearly so. When the question was put, " shall 



