Full exposure of the conduct of Dr. Charles T. Jackson : leading to his discharge from the government service, and justice to Messrs. Foster and Whitney, U. S. geologists.
- Date:
- [1850]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Full exposure of the conduct of Dr. Charles T. Jackson : leading to his discharge from the government service, and justice to Messrs. Foster and Whitney, U. S. geologists. Source: Wellcome Collection.
47/76
![APPENDIX. OFFICIAL REPLY OF J. D. WHITNEY AND J. W. FOSTER TO C. T. JACKSON'S DEFENCE. To tie Hon. Thomas Ewug, Secretary of the Department •/ tie Interior: Sis: The undersigned, on application to the Department, baring been favored will a copy of ; a letter addressed 10 the Secrelary of the Interior, by Dr. Charles T. Jackson, United States Ge- ologist, late in charge of the Geological Survey of the Lake Superior Land District, in reply to a report of John Wilson, Esq., Chief Clerk of the Public Surveys, touching the official conduct of the said Jackson, beg leave to submit the following answer thereto, and pray that it may be placed upon the files of the Department. As that letter contains charges involving our personal veracity and scientific character, we sea, ' no impropriety in making this request. For the truth of any statements we may make in this le- ] ply, we stand ready to produce the testimony of men whose character cannot be impeached. We strenuously maintain that we hare not sought to become the public accusers of Dr. Jack- i son, and that we hare taken no steps in this matrer but such as we were compelled to, by a just ) regard for our own reputations and the public interest. Bat by his communications to the Depart- i ment and his verbal statements, he has rendered it necessary, for our own vindication, that w» i should declare the whole troth touching his official conduct. We will proceed to take up, in order, the several points in his letter. 1. It is charged that Dr. Jackson, during the two years in which be has been in commission, baa i spent less than four months, each season, in field explorations, and that the amount of labor per- I formed by him daring the fifteen months passed in Boston, wonld not equal fifteen days. Dr. Jackson replies, that all all the time has been spent by him in field operations, each year, i that was practicable, and that as no Tessels start from Sauk St. Marie until the middle of Jane, i there is no means of reaching the mineral lands in the earlier part of the season. This announce- i mem would be received with surprise by the inhabitants of Sault St. Marie, and [by those nari- l gating the waters of Lake Superior. To show how £»r Dr. Jackson's assertion corresponds with I facts, we submit the following statement: In 1847 the first vessel left that port for Copper Harbor on the I7th day of May. In 1848 the first Tessel left that port for Copper Harbor on the 10th day of May. The passage between Boston and Copper Harbor, under ordinary circumstances, and with pro* | per management, is accomplished in ten days. In 1847 Dr. Jackson left Boston on the 7th of Jane, and arrived at Copper Harbor on the 26th i of June. • In 1848 Dr. Jackson left Boston on the 20th of June, and arrived at Copper Harbor on the 8th .of July. On the 2d of October, 1847, and not in the middle of that month, as asserted in the letter. Dr. . Jackson left the mineral region. On the 30th of September, 1848, Dr. Jackson left the field, after having been engaged a few i days over three months. We admit that field operations cannot be prosecuted successfully after the 1st of October, but ' we deny tbat the region is not accessible until the middle of June. Dr. Jackson enters into details to show tbe causes of his detention. After he was rorjimia- i sioned, be receired $2,000 from the Government, which was more than sufficient to transport the I party to the field, and it was entirely unnecessary for him to remain with all his parry, at an ex- | Dense of nearly £50 per day to the Government, at Detroit, awaiting the receipt of more funds. Tbe same may be said with reference to the township plats, which were not used by the party i tinder Dr. Jackson, during the first season. It appears from Dr. Jackson's statement, that on the 9th of June, 1848, he arrived in Boston ' 5|»m Washington, with ample funds to prosecute tbe surrey, and that tie interval between that pe- i riod and the 20th of June, was occupied in preparing instruments and filling barometers. Adcit- I tingtiistobe true, tbeqnestion arises, why this was not done ln-fore the openii: g cfnavij-jtioTi! But ' *Jle,rreo'leclion °f Mr. Whitney, who was in tbe laboratory, is distinct npoo this point, that Dr. . Jackson was not, at least during the greater portion of the time, engaged in prepiiln* iosin^ i taenia, but in publishing and circulating pamphlets relating to the ether controversy. ' j The other portion of this count will be replied to under another head.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21778711_0047.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
