
          During the 3 or 4 months that the work was in progress, I wrote repeatedly 
 to Dr. Torrey, whom I took to be the exponent of Col. [Colonel] Emory's
 interests, as to botany & who had the means of ascertaining his wishes &c., 
 and I requested that I might have the means of knowing what 
 Dr. Bigelow had collected so that I might mention his name along 
 with yours in every interesting case, I expressed an anxious wish to 
 be able to do so. But I was never furnished with the means which 
 would enable me to give to Dr. Bigelow the credit he wished, & wh. [which] I 
 was ready to give. And as I knew that Dr. Torrey was personally 
 every way disposed to furnish me with a list of Dr. Bigelow's collection 
 or of Dr. Parry's, or to furnish specimens from them, I came at last to the 
 conclusion that Col. [Colonel] Emory had probably requested him not to do so. 
 What then could I do? Still however in every case where a specimen 
 of a new plant was furnished me, such as is seen on p. 29, p. 42, p. 43, 
 etc. etc. I was careful to credit it to Dr. Bigelow. More I had not the 
 means of doing. 


 Then at length when the preface came to be written I wrote to 
 Dr. Torrey to learn whether it would be agreeable to the parties that I should 
 make a general statement that many of the novelties had been also 
 collected by Dr. Bigelow, Dr. Parry, &c. And I kept back the preface a
 good while, waiting for an answer: which I did not receive, and wh. [which]
 at length forced me to conclude that Maj. [Major] Emory did not wish 
 me to make any reference to the collections made by the naturalists 
 under his orders. 


 I felt therefore, & still feel that no blame is justly chargeable 
 upon me in the matter of which Dr. Bigelow complained; as I had 
 done all I could to avoid his having any such ground of complaints.
 The evidence of this is to be found in many of my letters of that time 
 to Dr. Torrey, if he has preserved them; & to them I respectfully refer 
 Col. [Colonel] Emory for corroboration of what I say. 


 With great regard Yours sincerely 
 (signed) Asa Gray
        