LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 407 



" Then time shall render to you 

 The justice that is due you, 

 Till the very state that grew you 



Stares in wonder." 



Sir, throughout all the numbers constituting your defence in this 

 controversy you have been determined, from some motive inexpli- 

 cable to me, that the parties engaged in it should not remain un- 

 known to the public. Of this I do not complain, but have en- 

 deavoured to gratify your wish by gently intimating to the com- 

 munity the high source to which it was indebted for those mas- 

 terly and statesman-like papers bearing the signature of " A Friend 

 to the Navy." It would be uncandid in me, therefore, under 

 present circumstances, to affect that you were incorrect in as- 

 cribing to the individual you have designated the authorship of 

 the articles over the signature of " Citizen." This avowal made, 

 I shall reply to your remarks personal with the directness they 

 seem to require ; having hitherto abstained from answering them 

 with the intention of disposing of them en masse. The following 

 is from your No. I. 



" This anpry ' Citizen' is no doubt Mr. , who has succeed- 

 ed in producing an impression through the country that this is 

 his expedition ; an impression much strengthened by the publica- 

 tion in October last of his address delivered on the third of April 

 of last year in the hall of the House of Representatives," &c., &c. 



Here is a grave charge made by a personage high in place, 

 and the document containing its alleged proof is named. Now, 

 sir, on page ninety-eight of this said address, which lay open be- 

 fore you when you made an extract from the opposite page, 

 ninety-nine, is contained a declaration of my motives of action ; 

 and I defy you, or any parasite under your control, to point out 

 a single act of mine which has not been in conformity with the 

 spirit and letter of the sentiments therein expressed ; they read as 

 follows : 



" We have no narrow and exclusive feelings to be gratified, 

 We wish to see the expedition sail solely because of the good it 

 may do and the honour it may confer on the country at large. 



" For the same reason we wish to see it organized on liberal 

 and enlightened principles, which object can be effected only by 

 calling in requisition the known skill of the service, which will 



" , ' :; ''' 1: V '-* - 



