LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 491 



stand : I find you have been in correspondence with all our learn- 

 ed societies, and that all the members of the corps have been high- 

 ly recommended by them. How happened that ? Reynolds never 

 interfered in that quarter, did he ? 



Dickerson. I'll tell you how it occurred. Soon after the expe- 

 dition had been authorized by Congress, some of our most dis- 

 tinguished men, Professor Anthon, Daponceau, Pickering, De Kay, 

 and others, wrote to Reynolds, explaining their views as to the ex- 

 tent and composition of the corps. These letters Reynolds used 

 to put into the hands of Mr. Butler, who used to take more inter- 

 est in the scientific department of the expedition than I did, though 

 he doesn't know a petal from a calyx, and never studied botany. 

 Well, Butler showed these letters to the old chief, who took them 

 all for gospel, and declared so it should be. I thought, therefore, 

 the best thing I could do (for myself) was to write to the socie- 

 ties, and have the credit of asking their opinions. Especially, I 

 felt it my duty (as we say officially) to write to the "Philosophi- 

 cal Society of Philadelphia," of which, you know, I am a member. 

 Butler was the only man in the cabinet who ever opened his mouth 

 in favour of the expedition ; but he and the old chief were now 

 more than a match for the rest of us. I finally wrote a letter to 

 Martin, preferring a complaint against the attorney-general for in- 

 terfering with other people's departments. I don't mean any re- 

 flections on you, Mr. Poinsett, because you see the expediency of 

 my plans, and will stand by me. We have things our own way 

 at last, and we will show the societies we don't care a fig for their 

 recommendations. " Some things can be done as well as others," 

 as Sam Patch said just before he drowned himself. 



Poinsett' I thank you, governor, for your compliment, and for 

 the confidence you repose in me. I will carry out your plans, 

 because, in so doing, I am carrying* out my own. I have more 

 to do with this business than the public knows of. You know 

 I have bespoke the Macedonian for a friend of mine. That 

 matter is now fixed, though you came very near spoiling all by 

 giving the frigate and the whole squadron, pretty much as Jones 

 left it, to Captain Kearney. You know the way we arranged it 

 the night after you gave that promise. Our promptitude and ad- 

 dress on that occasion alone saved us. One day more, and Kear- 

 ney would have had the squadron in motion; but, between you and 



