New Haven Septr 12, 1844
To Prof Hitchcock
dear Sir,
Soon after, if not with this letter, you will receive a proof of Dr Deane’s reclamation. As you have both of you stated your facts and signed your case, I hope that both of you will agree to let the cause go to the grand tribunal of the scientific world without rejoinder. Should you however reply, we beg that it may be brief & prompt: the Journal is more than full so the end of the month will soon bring us up. If you have any thing to add that appears to you indispensable, it will be necessary to send a MS copy of your remarks to Dr Deane as well as to me, without delay, & he will do the same by you should he give to your rejoinder a surrejoinder; but you will both remember that there must be a last word & you must stop somewhere--in my judgment it were better to stop where you are and in any event stop to ^we must in this No & vol; the coral controversy and the bird track discussion have recently presented new frictions in the Journal which we would exceedingly regret to have assume a
Benjamin Silliman remarks to Edward Hitchcock that he will soon receive a reclamation from James Deane. He reminds Hitchcock that although both Deane and he have made rejoinder statements, if they have more to say they should say it briefly and soon, as the next issue of American Journal of Science is about to be printed and it is already quite full. Silliman suggests that any further statements need to be exchanged between Hitchcock and Deane directly, as well as submitted to the journal, but to keep in mind that in his opinion, it is time for the two men to stop writing rejoinders and "surrejoinders", shake hands, and move on. Silliman also reminds Hitchcock that as editor of the journal, he needs to remain as impartial as possible.