Washington
June 19th 1803
To William Clark:
Herewith inclosed you will receive the papers belonging to your brother Genl. (George Rogers) Clark, which sometime since you requested me to procure and forward to you…
From the long and uninterrupted friendship and confidence which has subsisted between us I feel no hesitation in making to you the following communication under the fulest impression that it will be held by you inviolably secret…
During the last session of Congress a law was passed in conformity to a private message of the President of the United States, intitled “An Act making an appropriation for extending the external commerce of the United States.” The object of this Act as understood by its fram-ers was to give the sanction of the government to exploring the interior of the continent of North America, or that part of it bordering on the Missourie, and Columbia Rivers I am armed with the authority of the Government of the U. States for my protection, so far as its authority or influence extends; in addition to which, the further aid has been given me of liberal passports from the Ministers both of France and England I shall embark at Pittsburgh with a party of recruits eight or nine in number, intended only to manage the boat and are not calculated on as a permanent part of my detatchment; when descending the Ohio it shall be my duty by enquiry to find out and engage some good hunters, stout, healthy, unmarried men, accustomed to the woods, and capable of bearing bodily fatigue in a pretty considerable degree; should any young men answering this description be found in your neighborhood I would, thank you to give information of them on my arivall at the falls of the Ohio The present season being already so far advanced, I do not calculate on getting further than two or three hundred miles up the Missourie before the commencement of the ensuing winter You must know in the first place that very sanguine expectations are at this time formed by our Government that the whole of that immense country wartered by the Mississippi and it’s tributary streams, Missourie inclusive, will be the property of the U. States in less than 12 Months from this date; but here let me again impress you with the necessity of keeping this matter a perfect secret…
Thus my friend you have so far as leasure will at this time permit me to give it you, a summary view of the plan, the means and the objects of this expedition, if therefore there is anything under those circumstances, in this enterprise, which would induce you to participate with me in it’s fatiegues, it’s dangers and it’s honors, believe me there is no man on earth with whom I should feel equal pleasure in sharing them as with yourself; I make this communication to you with the privity of the President, who expresses an anxious wish that you would consent to join me in this enterprise; he has authorized me to say that in the event of your accepting this proposition he will grant you a Captain’s commission which of course will intitle you to the pay and emoluments attached to that office and will equally with myself intitle you to such portion of land as was granted to [officers] of similar rank for their Revolutionary services; the commission with which he proposes to furnish you is not to be considered temporary but permanent if you wish it; your situation if joined with me in this mission will in all respects be precisely such as my own. Pray write to me on this subject as early as possible and direct to me at Pittsburgh…
With sincere and affectionate regard Your Friend and Humbl sevt.
Meriweather Lewis
REUBEN GOLD THWAITES, ed., The Original Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804-1806, vol. 7. New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1904-5. Reprinted by Arno Press, 1969, pp. 226-30.