Message of President Thomas Jefferson concerning the success of the expedition of Lewis and Clark
02/19/1806
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President Jefferson wrote to Congress to explain the many benefits of exploring the new territory, including learning about the native tribes in order to establish trade practices.
Transcript
To the Senate & House of Representatives of the United States.In pursuance of a measure proposed to Congress by a message of Jan. 18. 1803. and sanctioned by their appropriation for carrying it into execution, Capt Meriwether Lewis of the 1st regiment of infantry was appointed, with a party of men, to explore the river Missouri, from it’s mouth to it’s source, & crossing the highlands by the shortest portage, to seek the best water communication thence to the Pacific ocean: & Lieut Clarke was appointed second in command. They were to enter the conference with the Indian nations on their route with a view to the establishment of commerce with them. They entered the Missouri May 14. 1804. And on the 1st. of Nov. took up their winter quarters near the Mandan towns, 1609 miles above the mouth of the river, in Lat. 47 -21’-47” North, & Long. 99 -24’-45” West from Greenwich. on the 8th. of April 1805. they proceeded up the river in pursuance of objects prescribed to them. a letter of the preceding day Apr 7 from Capt Lewis, is herewith communicated. during his stay among the Mandans, he had been able to lay down in the Missouri, according to courses and distances taken on his passage up it, corrected by frequent observations of Longitude & Latitude, & to add to the actual survey of this portion of the river, a general map of the county between the Mississippi & Pacific, from the 34th to the 54th degrees of Latitude. These additions are from information collected from Indians with whom he had opportunities of communicating during his journey & residence with them.
copies of this map are now presented to both house of Congress. With these I communicate also a statistical view, procured and and forwarded by him, of the Indian nations inhabiting the Territory of Louisiana, & the countries adjacent to it’s Northern and Western borders, of their commerce, & of other interesting circumstances respecting them.
In order to render the statement, as compleat as may be, of the Indians inhabiting the county West of the Mississippi, I add Doct Sibley’s account of those residing in & adjacent to the Territory of Orleans.
I communicate also from the same person, as Account of the Red river, according to the best information he had been able to collect.
Having been disappointed, after considerable preparation, in the purpose of sending an exploring party up that river in the summer of 1804. it was thought best to employ the autumn of that year in procuring a knowledge of an interesting branch of the river called the Washita. This was undertaken under the direction of Mr Dunbar of Natchez, a citizen of distinguished science, who had aided, and continues to aid us, with his disinterested & valuable services in the prosecution of these enterprises. he ascended the river to the remarkable Hot springs near it, in Lat. 34 -31’-4.16” Long. 92 -50’-45” West from Greenwich, taking it’s courses & distances. & correcting them by frequently celestial observations. Extracts from observations, and
copies of his map of the river, from it’s mouth the Hot srings, make part of the present communications. The examination of the Red river itself, is but now commencing.
Th Jefferson
Feb. 19. 1806
9th Cong L. Sep.
Message from the P. U. S. communicating information of Capt. Lewis’s success in exploring the western Country.
- Feb. 19. To Lic.
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. Senate.
National Archives Identifier: 306470
Full Citation: Message of President Thomas Jefferson concerning the success of the expedition of Lewis and Clark; 02/19/1806; Presidential Messages to the 9th Congress; Presidential Messages, 1789–1875; Records of the U.S. Senate, Record Group 46; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/message-of-president-thomas-jefferson-concerning-the-success-of-the-expedition-of-lewis-and-clark, April 25, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.