
          I do not wonder at the great vexation felt by you in the hasty
 and heedless publication of your reports by the government's printer.
 These things are shamfully done, indeed, in this best of Republics;
 and shameful also is the manner in which the copies of these
 highly interesting works are distributed among Members of Congress
 and petty politicans, whilst institutions, libraries and men
 more particularly interested are neglected.


 The reports of Caps Beckwith & Pope's survey, were,
 last week, received at the Academy of Nat. [National]  Sciences, through
 the Smithsonian institute. With the exception of the botanical
 plates, it is miserabley got up bad paper, wretched landscapes and
 probably very inaccurrate for want of proper corrections & [?]
 I wrote to Washington to endeavour to obtain a copy; but so
 far, I have not succeeded and do not expect to succeed. I do 
 not care for the whole work, all I want is your botanical report
 with the plates. If you had one copy to spare, I would be much
 obliged to you - so will it be with your reports of Whipple Packe
 and others. A full collection of these is very important to me
 for the present as well as for the future.


 With great respect your most obt [obedient] servant & friend


 E. [Elias] Durand
        