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FIRST SECTION
PAGES
i TOffi
VOL. XLL NO. 12,810.
PORTLAND, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1902.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
"
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EFFECT OF THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION
UPON THE WESTWARD EXPANSION OF
THE UNITED STATES. & & & jp
1
FIKST ACROSS THE COiNTINENT
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THE origin of the Lewis and Clark
expedition gives strong support to
the great man theory of history.
Exploration of a route, to the
Pacific in the latitude of the
"United States was a long-cherished pro
ject, promoted by Jefferson alone. Just aa
the 'sale of Louisiana to the United States
resulted from the sudden Impulse of one
man Napoleon Bonaparte. There -was an
Interval of 20 years between Jefferson's
first efforts for such an expedition and his
success In sending out lewls and Clark.
As early as December 4, 17S3, he wrote as
follows to General George Rogers Clark,
the virtual savior of the old Northwest to
the United States, and a brother of the
William Clark who afterwards was asso
ciated with Meriwether Lewis in the ex
ploration: I find they have subscribed a very large ram
of money In England for exploring the country
from the Mississippi to California. They pre
tend it la only to promoto knowledge, i am
afraid they have thoughts of colonizing into
that Quarter. Some of us hae been talking
hero in a feeble -way of making the attempt to
search that country. But I doubt whether we
have enough of that kind or spirit to raise
the money. How would jou like to lead such
a party? Though I am afraid our prospect la
not worth asking the Question.
Nothing seems to have come of this ef
fort. But only about two years later Jef
ferson was enlisting other services for the
accomplishment of this net project of his.
In his memoir of Meriwether Lewis he
says:
"While- I resided In Paris (1780), John Led
yard, of Connecticut, arrived there, -well known
In the United States for energy of body and
mind. He had accompanied Captain Cook on
his voyage to the Paclnc Ocean, and distin
guished himself on that -voyage by his In
trepidity, ielngr of a roaming disposition, he
was now panting for some new enterprise.
His Immediate object at Paris was to engage
a mercantile company in the trade of the -western
coast of America, In which, however, he
failed. I then proposed to him to go by land
to Kamtschatka, cross In some of the Russian
vessels to Kortka Sound, fHll down into the
latitude of the Missouri, and penetrate to and
through that to the United States. He eagerly
seized the idea, and only asked to be assured
of the permission of the Russian Government.
Ledyard set out by way of St. Peters
burg, and penetrated to within 200 miles
of Kamtschatka, where he was obliged to
take up his "Winter quarters. He was
preparing to resume his Journey in the
Spring when he was arrested by an officer
of the Empress, put into a close carriage
and conveyed back to Poland. There he
was set down and left to himself. The
Empress had never given her consent to
the project. Jefferson soon had Ledyard
under another promise to make the trip
across the American Continent. July 19,
17SS, he wrote Madison that Ledyard had
left Paris a few days before, en route to
Alexandria in Egypt, "thence to explore
the Nile to its source; cross to the head
n -tn 2&H. ajicL descend n.ai to is
mouth. li' promises me. If he escapes
through his journey, he will go to Ken
tucky and endeavor to penetrate west
wardly to the South Sea." But Ledyard
perished In the very beginning of his Af
rican exploration.
Jefferson's Untiring Energy-.
A few years later, in 1732, Jefferson was
again promoting a scheme to achieve this
end. Fundb were raised by subscrlntlon.
as he had proposed to the American Phil
osophical Society, of Philadelphia. Two
men were to be equipped to ascend the
Missouri, cross the Rocky Mountains and
descend the nearest river to the Pacific.
Meriwether Lewis and the French bota
nist, Andre MIchaux, were selected to ex
ecute this project. But the Frenchman
became Involved In Genet's plottings to
precipitate the "West in an attack upon
Louisiana, then a Spanish possession. So
the expedition of exploration failed to ma
terialize. Jefferson's repeated efforts as a private
citizen in the promotion of westward ex
ploration had resulted only in failure. But
the exploration of the water courses af
fording a route to the Pacific could be
regarded as a matter of National concern,
and we might expect that Jefferson as
President would point this out and urge
the organization of an expedition under
National auspices. A Government explor
ing expedition, however, was, in Jeffer
son's time, an innovation. His political
principles did not admit of such. "But po
litical scruples wer. brushed aside when
his heart was set on a project as a patri
otic measure. The confidential message
sent to Congress January IS, 1S03, propos
ing a transcontinental exploration, be
trays a lurking sense of inconsistency
with his political professions. The Louis
iana purchase, however, a few months
later revealed a startling boldness in cut
ting free from political professions. This
latter step, since it Involved the payment
of millions of dollars and the immediate
doubling of our National area, would nat
urally be challenged in Congress, when
an expedition costing only a few thou
sand and promising nothing revolutionary
would be indorsed without question. That
confidential message, asking for an appro
priation by Congress for the equipment of
this expedition, exhibits wonderful adroit
ness. The Government was then maintaining
trading houses among the Northwestern
Indians. Through these agencies goods
were sold to the Indians on terms as lib
eral as possible without diminishing the
capital stock employed. The good will of
the Indians was thus secured and unde
sirable private traders were eliminated.
As the act under which these public trad
ing houses were established was about to
expire and the question of the continu
ance of the system would come up before
Congress, Jefferson naturally took occa
sion to explain his policy In the adminis
tration of the law, and to point out how,
through these Government establishments,
the Indians could be Induced to provide
themselves with the Implements of hus
bandry and gradually be brought to a
state of civilization. The substitution of
agriculture for hunting would also relieve
a feeling becoming Intense among them
that their lands were too restricted for
their needs. But private traders would,
by such a system, be debarred from for
mer opportunities. To make amends for
this, Jefferson proposed that the tribes on
the Upper Missouri should be visited for
the purpose of getting our traders admit
ted ampng them. Thus most cautiously
and Ingeniously did he lead up to his real
designs In proposing this expedition. Al
most at the close of his message he comes
out with them:
"vYhUe other civilized nations have encoun-J
teici creat excense to cnlarce the boundaries
of knowledge, by undertaking voyages of dis
covery, and for other literary purposes. In va
rious parts and directions, our Nation seems
to owe to its own Interests to explore this the
only line of easy communication across the con
tinent, and so directly traversing our own part
of It. The Interests of commerce place the
principal object within the Constitutional pow
ers of Congress, and that It should incidentally
advance geographical knowledge of our conti
nent can not but be an additional gratification.
Organized ns a. Literary Project.
That permission might be the more read
ily gained to traverse the Louisiana Terri
tory, the expedition was presented under
the guise of a literary project to the na
tion then claiming that region. Congress
responded with an appropriation of $2500
"for the purpose of extending the external
commerce of the United States." That
ml jS Wmmiimm lira?
the expedition was to be primarily in the
Interests of science and world commerce,
rather than trade with the Indian tribes.
is further confirmed by the fact that Jef
ferson had Captain Lewis go to Philadel
phia Immediately upon his appointment as
leader of the expedition, that he might
Improve his knowledge of-"botany, zoolo
gy and Indian history." On November
10, 1803, after the expedition had started,
Jefferson wrote to Lewis:
The object of your mission Is slnrfc. the direct-water
communication from sea to sea
formed by the bed of the Missouri, and, per
haps, the Oregon.
This Is a reiteration of the object of the
expedition as given the formal instruc
tions drawn up for it. The alms of tho
Lewis and Clark expedition were scien
tific and commercial, rather than political
and imperial. Jefferson did not have it in
mind to establish a claim for the United
States to the Oregon country; neither, for
that matter, did Columbus set out to dis
cover a new continent, nor was his vessel
the first to touch the mainland. Never
theless, Columbus is accounted the dis
coverer of America, and his voyage Is
held to have initiated that mighty train
of consequences Involved in the opening of
a new continent to civilization. So the ex
pedition of Lewis and Clark, the realiza
tion of Jefferson's Idea, set In motion a
scries of events that has brought this Na
tion into a position of advantage In the
commerce and International politics of the
Pacific. The voyage of Columbus at first
led only to other voyages of exploration.
and not until three centuries later. In the
Independence of the United States, did
something of its tremendous significance
for humanity dawn upon the world.
America, with her new role in the world's
affairs, political and Industrial, has dur
ing the last five years added immensely
to the revelation of what was Involved
In
er
the voyage of Columbus. So. on a lesser
scale, but yet with grand import, is the
Lewis and Clark exploration working out
Its train of consequences. Its first effect i
is shown in a series of noteworthy Gov- J
ernment explorations under Long, Pike, J
Dunbar, Freeman and others. These
traced the courses of the main "Western
streams from the Bed River of the South
to the Red River of the North. By them
the map of Louisiana Territory was com
pleted. Most naturally were these the se-
' quel to the complete success of Lewis and
, Clark. Coues thus characterizes their
work of exploration:
The Continental Divide was surmounted In
three different places, many miles apart. The
I actutl travel by land and water, including
arious side-trip, amounted to about one-third
the circumference of the globe. This cost but
one life, and was done without another serious
casualty, though often with great hardship,
sometimes much suffering and- occasional immi
nent peril. . . . The story of this adventure
stands easily first and alone. This Is our Na
tional epic of exploration.
RcsnltN of the Expedition.
"While our title to the Oregon region was
In question and our claim to the Pacific
Northwest was disputed by England, It
was customary to name the Lewis and
Clark expedition as one of four or five
links In the chain of our right. The list
comprised generally the following: The
discovery of the Columbia River by Cap
tain Robert Gray, the Lewis and Clark
expedition, the founding of Astoria, the
restitution of Astoria In 1S18, Involving
an acknowledgement of our possession of
the region; the transfer to us of the
rights of Spain to the Northwest Coast in
the treaty of 1S19. But were these eventi
equally and Independently decisive? The
naval battle In Manila Bay is recognized
by all as the decisive event leading to our
possession of the Philippines. It gave us
a foothold and brought on a train of
events that called forth the desire to pos
sess those islands. Much 'tho same relation
did the Lewis and Clark exploration bear
to the subsequent events that furnished
the basis of our claim to Oregon. Lewis
and Clark's report on the Columbia re
gion was necessary, along with that of
Captain Robert Gray, to lead John Jacob
Astor to plan the occupation of that coun
try with a system of trading posts. The
capture of what had been Astor's post
where now Is Astoria, led, as a sequel, J
to the act of restitution in fulfillment of i
the first article of the treaty of Ghent. In
the treaty with Spain In 1S19 the parallel
of 42 degrees was insisted upon by our
Secretary of State as the northern limit
of the Spanish possessions from the J
Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Coast,
That boundary line left us in possession
of the country of the Upper Missouri and
of the Columbia. This possession was the
j result of the work of Lewis and Clark.
' Thus tho Lewis and, Clark expedition was
I not merelv nni at n kaHp: nf ovnts fnrm-
lng the basis of our claim to Oregon, but
It was the event that carried the others
In Its train. From It emerged gradually
the conscious desire to claim that terri
tory. This pregnant relation to subse
quent events can be claimed for the Lewis
and Clark exploration rather than for
Gray's prior discovery of the Columbia,
as no trace of any Influence on Jefferson
In his promotion of the exploration can
be ascribed to Gray's achievement.
Until the railway locomotive and the
ocean steamship in the 'SOs gave promise
of the virtual annihilation of distance for
the future, our claim to Oregon could
hardly have had In view the making of
this region an integral part of the United
States. Up to that time we looked upon
It as ours to exploit In the fur trade and
to hold In trust as a home for the adven
turous and for the fugitives from oppres
sion, who might here rear institutions of
freedom and Independence. On November
19, 1S13, Jefferson wrote to John Jacob
Astor as follows:
I learn with great pleasure the progress you
have made towards an establishment on the
Columbia River. I view it as the germ of a
great, free and Independent empire on that
ride of our continent, and that liberty and
flf-g-overnment. spreading from that as well
as this side, will Insure their complete estab
lishment over the whole. It must be still more
gratlfjlng to yourself to foresee that your
nwno will bo handed down with that of Co
lumbus and Raleigh, as the father of tho
establishment and founder of such an empire.
Hall J. Kelley, who so persistently for
20 years, from 1S13 on, advocated the occu
pation of Oregon "by an enlightened peo
ple," thus spoke of the settlement he pro
posed to make In 1S32:
From the plenitude of Its
will soon bo enabled to sust
own resources. It
sustain its own opera-
'. and will hasten on to Its own majesty.
to a proud rank on the earth.
The provisions pertaining to this region
in our treaty with Spain in 1S19, and with
Russia In 1S24, and In the declaration of
tho Monroe Doctrine, were Inspired by
the desire to debar despotism rather than
by a conscious purpose to Incorporate
Oregon within our National jurisdiction,
In the discussions of the Oregon question
in Congress some declaimed against hold
ing It for any purpose. Congress was slow
In extending our laws over the region,
even after a considerable body of our
people had gone thither and were pleading
for an organization under the National
aegis.
These first settlers demonstrated what
should be the destiny of the Oregon re
gion. They were scions of that stock
that had, from the time of the earliest set
tlements on the Atlantic Coast, been push
ing the frontier west, pressing on to the
higher lands of the Atlantic ylope, thence
through, the valleys of the Appalachian
system, on by way of the Great Lakes into
the Valley of the Mississippi, even to the
river and across It, until the States of
Missouri and Arkansas were formed be
yond. This work had developed a people
Imbued with the pioneering spirit and
restlessness. The Lewis and Clark narra
tive, as many of tho pioneers profess: the
discussions In Congress based In consider
able part on that narrative, and the re
ports of fur traders these all helped to
kindle the Oregon fever in this pioneer
population, so susceptible to such influ
ences. The route the great majority took
to Oregon was in principle the Lewis and
Clark route, but better adapted to their
purposes. Instead of taking the river con
nection made by the Missouri and north
ern tributaries of the Columbia, they took
the virtual junction next to the south
formed Platte, and the Lewis or Snake
fork. Thus the movement through which
Oregon was firmly and finally ours fol
lowed, as It were, in the footsteps of
Lewis and Clark.
As their explorations stand In as strong
and comprehensive causal relation to the
settlement of Oregon and the expansion of
the United States to the Pacific as any
single event can stand to a great histori
cal outcome, then all that grows of the
facta of our attainment of continental
proportions in the temperate zone and of
our facing both oceans, must also be ar
rayed as results. In a measure, of the
work of these two explorers. The Oregon
trail became the highway to California.
Our National Interests in Oregon first
drew our attention to California and
caused the presence there at the time of
crisis In Mexican rule of our military and
naval forces. The Oregon pioneers com
prised no small part of the organizers of
the Commonv. enlth of California, and sup
plied her with her first Governor. Our
stake In Oregon, however, effectively fur
thered expansion to the Southwest In yet
another tay. The Democratic party In
1844 coupled Its aggressive policy against
Mexico with the radical attitude of "54-40
or fight" for Oregon. This Oregon plank
won the support of the Northwest. Polk
was elected. American armies marched on
to the City of Mexlpo. The fruits of victo
ry were the acquisition of the Southwest.
Without the Oregon claim on which to
j have based that party pledge of the Dem-
ocrats consent to the extension to the
Pacific on the southwest could hardly have
been forthcoming. The Intense rivalry
between the North and the South made it
inevitable that the expansion westward
on the north and on the south should be
abreast. The Lewis and Clark exploration
led out on the north, and the south would
of necessity find some way of following.
Thus, as a necessary sequel to the Lewis
and Clark projection westward, our Na
tion grew to be four-square and conti
nental. As the only nation of the first rank
bordering oij the Pacific, widest oppor
tunities are open to us In this "new
Mediterranean." It gives us a position of
advantage for controlling Pacific com
merce and Pacific politics. This widening
of National opportunity of necessity re
acts upon our National character. Ameri
can Institutions will be more severely
tested. Only methods that are effective
and pure will suffice us. American talent
and genius will be Inspired by unlimited
opportunities, not only, for economic gain
and political influence, but also by condi
tions that favor creations of beauty and
the attainment of Greek poise of intellect.
The Pacific Coast, philosophers say. fur
nishes the physical basis for the develop
ment of Grecian traits of civilization.
The Lcwi3 and Clark exploration that
was fraught with as much of this glori
ous outcome as any single event can be
should have its centennial anniversary
appropriately celebrated. And what will
be the most appropriate commemoration
of the event through which our National
attention was first directed to this Ore
gon, and In which National representa
tives first trod this soil? That Lewis and
Clark Centennial will be the most appro
priate which is the means of the largest,
highest and, therefore, most permanent
good. It should be planned so that Its
central aim appeals to the deepest pat
riotism of the people of the Pacific North
west. The Pacific Northwest is unique In
its natural wonders. Their charm for the
people of the East should be most effect
ively utilized. Our Industries and com
merce should receive from the Fair, or
congresses held In conjunction with It, tho
best Impetus that science can give. Our
position as the gateway to the Orient
should make the Exposition the occafcion
of the meeting of the Occident and the
Orient. That meeting should be so care
fully planned the largest measure of mu
tual good In the Interchange of products
and ideas will result. The Centennial, too.
should leave a monument from which
there would perennially radiate for all the
people of this region the best light of re
search, of history and of patriotic love for
the welfare of the Pacific Northwest.
Co-Operatlon In the Orej?on Country.
Peculiarly fortunate Is It that the Lewis
and Clark Centennial Is to commemorate
the natal date of a natural division of our
country. The alacrity and zeal with
which the sister states of the Pacific
Northwest respond to Oregon's move for
a celebration arise largely, no doubt,
from the sentiment that unites those tht
had a common origin In this exploration,
and that for half a century were undi
vided parts of historic "Old Oregon."
This common history more than Justifies
their union In the proposed Exposition.
But, In a more profound sense, the peo
ple of the Columbia and Puget Sound
basins are one. and with a natural de
velopment will not only remain united,
but will have relations increasingly inti
mate. Nature has so ordained it.
This whole-souled co-operation in the
proposed Exposition i a glorious sign of
the recognition of the community of Inter
ests that inheres In their physical unity.
At any rate, let It be so interpreted and
the Exposition will have a mission .and
create an epoch. It will have a natural
basis, address itself to natural problems,
unite thore in co-operation whom R.fturu '
has Joined, and result in Increased
strength and prosperity. The" Isolation of
the Pacific Northwest from the rest o
the world and the natural unity of tho
region create for It peculiar problems of
transportation, markets and manufacture.
"What to Exhibit.
Exhibits of their best products will be
essential, but mere congeries of exhibits
will not suffice. Investigation, carefully
planned and assigned at once, to be car
ried through the intervening years and
reported to congresses of Industry, com
merce and transportation held in connec
tion with the Fair will accomplish these
purposes. Every citizen whose experience
and scientific method makes him an au
thority In his line should be called on to
contribute his part towards making this
region serve man more richly. The schol
arship of the country Is available for help
In solving these problems of ours. Such
organizations as the Association for the
Advancement of Science, the National
Educational Association, the Amprlcan
Historical Association and the American
Economic Association can be brought here
and their programmes adjusted to handle
many of our peculiar problems.
Events are epochal as they are timely
In opening the way for a natural and
wider development, of National life. Such
was the work of Lewis and Clark. A
region some 730 miles long and 5C0 miles
wide lay a blank upon the map. except
as rivers with Imaginary courses wero
projected through It. The young Nation
situated on Its eastern border In Its vigor,
enterprise and spirit had a natural claim
to It that could be perfected by Just such
an expedition ns that of Lewis and Clark
and such migrations as those of the Ore
gon pioneers in the early '40s. Lewis and
Clark had their opportunity and seized
it as heroes and benefactors of the Na
tion. Tho heritage of their glorious
achievement is an Inspiration uniting the
people of the Pacific Northwest In a
project aiming at the largest and most
far-reaching good that their resources will
suffice for. It lies with them to choose
what they ought to do, and can do
what Is befitting their stage of develop
ment and In harmony with the best spirit
of the times. The occasion, with Its in
spiration. Is our richest heritage as the
Pacific Northwest, and should not be sold
for a mess of pottage.
Victory to the Scientific.
Victory goes today to those who can
combine and apply the principles-of sci
ence. Those win who get the largest
margins through application of the prin
ciples of the division of labor, who drive
In harness the strongest forces, and who
market the largest annual product. The
Fair should be. planned to gain the most
valuable secrets along these lines. That
this work of pointing out the way of
progress may be kept up after the: short
Summer Is over, that there may be a
bureau of research for this region, and
that the spirit of reverence for our tradi
tions and benefactors may have an ob-
j ject towards which to direct itself, a
building for history, monumental in de
sign, the future home of thjToregon His
torical Society, should be. planned. Its
activities inspired the ideabf a centennial
celebration. ,'
F. G. YOUNG. Eugene,
Secretary Oregon Historical Society.
I