514 LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 



James Rariden, Indiana. William Herod, Indiana. 



William Graham, Indiana. R. Boon, Indiana. 



George H. Dunn, Indiana. Albert S. White, Indiana. 



William L. May, Illinois. Zaclok Casey, Illinois. 



John Chancy, Ohio. J. Webster, Ohio. 

 E. Whittlesey, Ohio. 



" Washington, May 1st, 1838." 



To J. N. Reynolds, Esq. 



" New- York, Nov. 12th, 1837. 



" DEAR SIR, 



" The members of the scientific corps attached to the Southern 

 Exploring Expedition have, with deep regret, understood that you 

 entertain some idea of resigning the commission by which you are 

 at present associated with us. 



" Without pausing to inquire whether the position in which you 

 are placed by that document is such a one as, in justice to your 

 unwearied exertions for the success of this great national enter- 

 prise, should have been assigned to you, we would earnestly re- 

 quest you to reflect farther upon the subject before making a final 

 decision. 



" That you would of necessity occupy a prominent station in the 

 expedition has so long been considered by us, in common with the 

 whole country, as a point beyond all question, the present contin- 

 gency takes us wholly by surprise ; and we have heard, with not 

 less astonishment than grief, that in the official list of the civilians 

 connected with this undertaking, the name of J. N. Reynolds is 

 nowhere to be found. Upon the manifest injustice of this omission 

 no comments are requisite. We believe that through the length 

 and breadth of our land, wherever the name of the Exploring Ex- 

 pedition has been mentioned, every voice will be lifted up against 

 it. Neither is it required that we should enter into a detail of the 

 many reasons for which we consider your accompanying it to be of 

 the utmost importance to the harmony and eventual success of the 

 expedition. Permit us, however, to assure you that such is our 

 conviction, and to express our sincere hope that the knowledge of 

 this fact may induce you to sacrifice your present views and feel- 

 ings in this matter to the wishes of the corps, and to consent to 

 retain a position which, however it may fall short of what in jus- 



