TO THE 



HONOURABLE J. C. CALHOUN, 



SECRETARY OF WAR, 



WHOSE LIBERAL VIEWS, ENLIGHTENED POLICY, AND 



JUDICIOUS MEASURES, 



WHILE THEY HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED WITH THE 



UTMOST CIRCUMSPECTION AND ECONOMY, 



HAVE AT THE SAME TIME CONTRIBUTED 



IN AN EMINENT DEGREE 



to the ADVANCEMENT of the 

 NATIONAL CHARACTER OF THE UNITED STATES 



BOTH IN SCIENCE AND POLITICS; 



THESE VOLUMES ARE MOST RESPFCTFUI.LY DEDICATED 



BY THE AUTHORS, 



AS AN HUMBLE TESTIMOMIAL 



OF THEIR 



HIGH SENSE OF HIS TALENTS AND PATRIOTISM, 



AND AS A GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT 



OF HIS 



INDULGENCE AND PATRONAGE. 



