AJ-140: Jefferson, Letter to Clark (1783)

              Jefferson Suggests Transcontinental Expedition to George



Rogers Clark, 1783[1]
[From original MS, in library of



Wisconsin Historical Society -- Draper MSS



52J93.]
Annapolis, Dec. 4. 1783.
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 fnd 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 knoledge  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