University of Virginia Library

I. I

JEFFERSON SUGGESTS TRANSCONTINENTAL EXPEDITION
TO GEORGE ROGERS CLARK, 1783[1]

I. [From original MS. in library of Wisconsin Historical Society—Draper MSS., 52J93.]

Dear Sir: I received here about a week ago your obliging letter of
Oct. 12. 1783 with the shells & seeds for which I return you many
thanks. you are also so kind as to keep alive the hope of getting for
me as many of the different species of bones, teeth & tusks of the
Mammoth as can now be found. this will be most acceptable. Pittsburg
& Philadelphia or Winchester will be the surest channel of conveyance:
I find they have subscribed a very large sum of money in England for
exploring the country from the Missisipi to California. they pretend it
is only to promote knolege I am afraid they have thoughts of colonising
into that quarter. some of us have been talking here in a feeble
way of making the attempt to search that country. but I doubt whether
we have enough of that kind of spirit to raise the money. how would
you like to lead such a party? tho I am afraid our prospect is not worth
asking the question. the definitive treaty of peace is at length arrived.
it is not altered from the preliminaries. the cession of the territory
West of Ohio to the United States has been at length accepted by Congress,
with some small alterations of the conditions. we are in daily
expectation of receiving it with the final approbation of Virginia. Congress
have been lately agitated by questions where they should fix their
residence. they first resolved on Trentown. the Southern states however
contrived to get a vote that they would give half their time to
Georgetown at the Falls of Patowmac. still we consider the matter as

undecided between the Delaware & Patowmac. we urge the latter as
the only point of union which can cement us to our Western friends
when they shall be formed into separate states. I shall always be
happy to hear from you and am with very particular esteem Dr. Sir Your
friend & humble Servt.