University of Virginia Library

XXXVI. XXXVI

JEFFERSON TO LEWIS

XXXVI. [From original MS, in Bureau of Rolls—Jefferson Papers, series 1, vol. 9, doc. 305.]

Dear Sir: I have not written to you since the 11th. & 18th. of July,
since which yours of July 15, 22, 23, Sept. 8, 13, & Oct. 3, have been
recieved. The present has been long delayed by an expectation daily of
getting the inclosed account of Louisiana through the press, the
materials are recieved from different persons, of good authority. I enclose
you also copies of the treaties for Louisiana, the act for taking
possession, a letter from Dr. Wister, & some information obtained by
myself from Printeau's journal in Ms. all of which may be useful to
you. the act for taking possession passes with only some small verbal
variations from that inclosed, of no consequence. orders went from
hence signed by the King of Spain & the first Consul of France, so as
to arrive at Natchez, yesterday evening and we expect the delivery of
the province at New Orleans will take place about the close of the
ensuing week, say about the 25th. inst. Govr. Claiborne is appointed to
execute the powers of Commandant & Intendant, until a regular
government shall be organized here. at the moment of delivering over
the posts in the vicinity of N. Orleans, orders will be dispatched from
thence to those in Upper Louisiana to evacuate & to deliver them
immediately. you can judge better than I can when they may be
expected to arrive at these posts, considering how much you have been
detained by low waters, how late it will be before you can leave Cahokia,
how little progress up the Missouri you can make before the freezing of
the river; that your winter might be passed in gaining much information
by making Cahokia or Kaskaskia your head quarters, & going to St.
Louis & the other Spanish posts that your stores &c. would thereby be
spared for the winter, as your men would draw their military rations, all
danger of Spanish opposition avoided, we are strongly of the opinion
here that you had better not enter the Missouri until the spring, but as
you have a view of all circumstances on the spot, we do not pretend to

enjoin it, but leave it to your own judgment in which we have entire
confidence. one thing however we are decided in: that you must not
undertake the winter excursion which you propose in yours of Oct. 3.
such an excursion will be more dangerous than the main expedition
up the Missouri, & would, by an accident to you, hazard our main
object, which, since the acquisition of Louisiana, interests everybody in
the highest degree. The object of your mission is single, the direct
water communication from sea to sea formed by the bed of the Missouri
& perhaps the Oregon. By having mr. Clarke with you we consider
the expedition double manned, & therefore the less liable to failure,
for which reason neither of you should be exposed to risques by going
off of your line. I have proposed in conversation, & it seems generally
to be assented to, that Congress shall appropriate 10 or 12,000 D. for
exploring the principal waters of the Missipi & Missouri. in that case
I should send a part of the Red river to its head, then to cross over to
the head of the Arcansa, & come down that. a 2d. party for the
Pani & Padouca rivers, & a 3d. perhaps for the Moingona & St. Peters.
as the boundaries of interior Louisiana are the high lands enclosing all the
waters which run into the Missipi or Missouri directly or indirectly, with a
greater breadth on the Gulph of Mexico, it becomes interesting to fix
with precision by celestial observations the longitude & latitude of the
sources of these rivers, and furnishing points in the contour of our new
limits. this will be attempted distinctly from your mission, which we
consider as of major importance, & therefore not to be delayed or
hazarded by any episodes whatever.

The votes of both houses on ratifying and carrying the treaties into
execution have been precisely party votes, except that Genl Dayton has
separated from his friends on these questions & voted for the treaties.
I will direct the National Intelligencer to be forwarded to you for 6.
months at Cahokia or Kaskaskia, on the presumption you will be there.
our friends & acquaintances here & in Albermarle are all well as far as
I have heard: and I recollect no other small news worth communicating;
present my friendly salutations to mr. Clarke, & accept them
affectionately yourself.