LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 455 



drawing the Macedonian from the squadron. Was it not under- 

 stood, sir, at the time, that if the commission of five cut the Mace- 

 donian off from the expedition, she was to be sent immediately to 

 the West Indies as the flag-ship, in command of an officer who 

 was known to stand very high in your favour ? 



But I will leave this period, and hasten to the time when you 

 had a direct and acknowledged control. After Commodore Jones, 

 worn out in health, and more worn out in spirit, by the endless im- 

 pediments and petty annoyances so industriously thrown in his way, 

 resigned his command on November 30th, 1838, what were the 

 scenes and doings which followed ? The compliment of the com- 

 mand was tendered to Captain Shubrick, who did not like the ves- 

 sels, and declined it. Captain Kearney was next invited. The 

 new light that it was not a naval expedition had not yet burst 

 upon you, but it will be seen that your mind was rapidly undergo- 

 ing a transition tending to that point. When the Hon. Mahlon 

 Dickerson had conceded the frigate to Captain Kearney, did you 

 not interpose, and cause the order to that effect to be hastily with- 

 drawn 1 And did not this and similar conduct on the part of both, 

 in reference to other vessels, leave that officer without the hope of 

 effecting anything creditable, and cause him reluctantly to retire 

 from an enterprise upon which, under more favourable auspices, he 

 would have entered with so much zeal and professional ambition ? 



I come now to the case of Captain Gregory ; one which I have 

 no doubt you would much prefer should be passed over in silence. 

 When called to take charge of the expedition, this officer stood at 

 the head of the list of master-commanders, and was entitled to his 

 promotion to the rank of post-captain, independent of his com- 

 mand in the expedition. But so tenacious were you at this time of 

 the rights of seniority, so important did you deem ra?i/t'^-ay, that 

 the commander should be of the highest grade (even after the Ma- 

 cedonian had been withdrawn) that your locum scrivens of the 

 Navy Department was dragooned into putting his name to certain 

 papers dictated or prepared for him by you for that end. Was it 

 you or Governor Dickerson one of you it was, I know that of- 

 fered Captain Gregory his promotion, or to send in his name to the 

 Senate, which was the same thing, as soon as he (Captain Greg- 

 ory) should accept the command of the expedition? Though 

 Captain Gregory, as I understand, very properly refused his pro- 



