LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 393 



the amendment be engrossed and the bill read a third time ?" it 

 v r as determined in the affirmative without debate. Yeas forty- 

 one ; nay one. 



But this is not all. Memorials from Connecticut had brought 

 the South Sea expedition before the committee on naval affairs in 

 the Senate from the first part of the session. That committee 

 examined into the policy of the measure, and, without division, 

 reported a bill to the Senate providing for, the expedition on the 

 21st March, before the bill for the general service had passed the 

 lower house ; so that, when the latter did reach the Senate, the 

 committee simply added as an amendment to the general bill 

 what they had previously determined on. Neither in the com- 

 mittee, therefore, nor in the Senate, did this amendment and 

 " rider" cause the least detention. 



Thus saith the record ; in the face of which, for the evident 

 purpose of casting odium on the committee, and of justifying your 

 animosity to the expedition, was the statement I have disproved 

 brought forward. Having no doubt that the committee are both 

 competent and ready to answer to you and to their country for 

 their proceedings in this matter, I commit you on this point, with- 

 out further comments, into their hands, to dispose of you and your 

 implications as the public good shall seem to require ! 



" Much delay has taken place," says " A Friend to the Navy," 

 " in consequence of the condition of these vessels." 



The amount of labour requisite for all the proposed altera- 

 tions would not, I should suppose, occupy more than thirty days 

 in any well-regulated private shipyard. 



" The officers who have entered the navy with the hope of distin- 

 guishing themselves in battle for their country" look, we are told, 

 with little interest to a service so pacific as a surveying and explo- 

 ring expedition. The love of honourable war is an infirmity of no- 

 ble minds, and may, by the gallant and brave, be forgiven ; but 

 this assumption by a ministerial officer of so decided a belligerent 

 temper may prove dangerous to the state, and should be treated 

 with severity, otherwise what a warlike nation we should speed- 

 ily become under your management of the navy ! If, however, the 

 desire to distinguish themselves in battle be the motive of our 

 youth in entering the naval service of their country, then should 

 it be the policy of government to cherish this feeling, and, as fre- 



