LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 399 



ployed, " it was evident," we are told, " that another session must 

 elapse, and further appropriations be made, before the fleet could 

 be sent to sea." Is this true ? Will the country believe it? If 

 so, into what a condition have you brought our navy, when the 

 head of this great branch of national defence can make so humil- 

 iating a declaration to the world ! I have already shown that the 

 only departure even from the strict letter of the law was the sub- 

 stitution of the frigate of thirty-six guns for a sloop of twenty-four. 

 What a nutshell to hold so many difficulties. The difference be- 

 tween a sloop-of-war and a frigate ! And let it be borne in mind 

 that a report had been made which stated that in ninety days the 

 Macedonian could be ready for sea. This report was made by 

 the commissioners to the president prior to the selection of the 

 last-mentioned vessel. The difference between this ship and a 

 sloop-of-war is twelve guns, and yet the disparity, in fact so tri- 

 fling, is paraded before the public as a valid excuse for the shame- 

 ful and unnecessary detention of the expedition. By " extraordi- 

 nary efforts," however, you have been able to overcome this dif- 

 ficulty in fitting out an expedition at the rate of about one gun per 

 month ! ! ! ! 



It is a matter of surprise that the confession to which I have 

 referred should have escaped " A Friend to the Navy," inasmuch 

 as you must remember having declared, from the beginning, that 

 the expedition could not sail during the past season. Yes, sir, I 

 remember to have met you in the lobby of the theatre at Wash- 

 ington on the very evening of the day on which the bill passed 

 the house, and that you then remarked, previously to a word being 

 said as to the size of the vessels to be employed, that the squad- 

 ron could not be despatched that season. I repeat, sir, to me, 

 the " Furious Citizen," did you make that declaration. Do you 

 forget it ? Have you forgot, also, how reluctantly you took the 

 measure up when required by the president to do so ? Sir, you 

 intended, from the first, to bring the matter a second time before 

 Congress. Will you give the negative to this assertion ? And 

 was it not because you felt deeply chagrined at being unable to 

 defeat the enterprise as authorized by Congress 1 



As a plea in mitigation of judgment, for I cannot consider it of- 

 fered as a defence, we are told what extraordinary efforts you had 

 used during the month of June, 1836 (I mention the year, lest, 



