Dear Sir, (Meriwether Lewis)
   The appointment to the Presidency of the U,S. has rendered it necessary for me to have a private secretary... Your knolege of the Western country, of the army and all of it's interests & relations has rendered it desireable for public as well as private purposes that you should be engaged in that office...
   Accept assurances of the esteem of Dear Sir
   Your friend & servt.

Dear Sir (President Jefferson)
   ... that I should accept the place of your private Secretary; I most cordially acquiesce, and with pleasure accept the office...
   ... not a moment has been lost in making the necessary arrangements in order to get forward to the City of Washington with all possible despatch ...
Your most obedient, and Very Humble Servt.,

Sir (Robert R. Livingston, American Minister to France),
   ... there is on the globe one single spot, the possesor of which is our natural and habitual enemy. It is New Orleans, through which the produce of 3/8 of our territory must pass to market, and from it's (the West's) fertility it will ere long yield more than one half of our inhabitants. France, placing herself in that door, assumes to us the attitude of defiance. The day that France takes possession of New Orleans... we must marry ourselves to the British fleet and nation...

Most Excellent Senor (Pedro Cevallos, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Spain),
   My Dear Sir: The president asked me the other day... if our Court would take it badly, that the Congress decree the formation of a group of travelers, who would form a small caravan and go and explore the course of the Missouri River in which they would nominally have the objective of investigating... commerce; but that in reality... the advancement of geography. He said they would give it the denomination of mercantile, inasmuch as only in this way would the Congress have the power of voting the necessary funds... I replied to him that... an expidition of this nature could not fail to give umbrage to our Government...
   The President has been all his life a man of letters, very speculative and a lover of glory, and... he might attempt to perpetuate the fame of his administration not only by measures of frugality and economy which characterizes him, but also by discovering... the way by which the Americans may someday estend their population and their influence up the coasts of the South Sea...
   May God keep Your Excellency many years
   Washington December 2, 1802
   Most Excellent Senor
   Your most attentive and constant servant, kisses the hand of Your Excellency,

Confidential.
   Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives: As the continuance of the act for establishing trading houses with the Indian tribes will be under consideration of the Legislature at it's present session, I think it my duty to communicate the views which have guided me in the excecution of that act...
   ...An intelligent officer with ten or twelve chosen men, fit for the enterprise and willing to take it, taken from our posts where they may be spared without inconvenience, might explore the whole line, even to the Western Ocean, have conferences with the natives on the subject of commercial intercourse, get admission among them for our traders as others are admitted, agree on convenient deposits for an interchange of articles, and return with the information acquired in the course of two summers.
   ...While other civilized nations have encountered great expense to enlarge the boundaries of knowledge by undertaking voyages of discovery, and for other literary (scientific) purposes, in various parts and directions, our nation seems to owe to the same object, as well as it's own interests, to explore this, the only easy line of communication across the continent, and so directly traversing our own part of it. The interests of commerce place the principal object within the constitutional powers and care of Congress, and that it should incidentally advance the geographical knowledge of our own continent can not but be an additional gratification. The nation claiming the territory, regarding this as a literary pursuit, which it is in the habit of permitting within its dominions, would not be disposed to view it with jealousy... The appropriation of $2,500 "for the purpose of extending the external commerce of the U.S.," would cover the undertaking from notice and prevent the obstructions which interested individuals might otherwise previously prepare in its way.

Dear Sir (Dr. Benjamin Smith Barton)
   ... What follows in this letter is strictly confidential. You know we have been many years wishing to have the Missouri explored & whatever river, heading with that, runs into the Western ocean. Congress, in some secret proceedings, have yielded to a proposition I made them for permitting me to have it done: it is to be undertaken immediately, with a party of about ten, & I have appointed Capt. Lewis, my secretary to conduct it. It was impossible to find a character who to a complete science in botany, natural history, mineralogy & astronomy, joined the firmness of constitution & character, requisite for this undertaking. All the latter qualifications Capt. Lewis has... I must ask a favor of you to prepare for him a note of those in the lines of botany, zoology, or of Indian history which you think most worthy of inquiry & observation. He will be with you in Philadelphia (at the University of Pennsylvania) in two or three weeks... Accept assurances of my friendly esteem & high respect.

[Passport}
   The undersigned, charge d'affaires of his Britannic Majesty in the United States of America, &c., certifies... that the bearer, Captain Merriwether Lewis... is sent (under the authority of the said United States) to explore the headwaters and shores of the Missouri and the western parts of the North America continent... to advance the scientific and literary objects of his voyage. I therefore pray all to whom these presents shall come... to render him all the aid and all the protection which shall depend upon them...
   Given the city of Washington the 28th of February 1803.

[Passport]
   The Commissioner General of Trade Relations charge d'affaires of the French Republic, undersigned, requests all those to whom this present shall be delivered... to give protection and aid to the bearer, Captain Merriwether Lewis, Citizen of the United States, who... is setting out on a voyage of discovery with the purpose of exploring the Missouri river and western regions of the Northern Continent. The undersigned certifies that Captain Merriwether Lewis has no purpose other than the above...
   Given at Georgetown...

Dear Sir (President Jefferson)
   ...the future destinies of the Missouri country are of vast importance to the United States, it being perhaps the only large tract of country, and certainly the first which lying out of the boundaries of the Union will be settled by the people of the U. States... The great object to ascertain is whether from its extent & fertility that country is susceptible of a large population...

Dear Mother
   The day after tomorrow I shall set out for the Western Country; I had calculated on the pleasure of visiting you before my departure but circumstances have rendered this impossible; my absence will probably be equal to fifteen or eighteen months; the nature of this expedition is by no means dangerous, my rout will be altogether through tribes of Indians who are perfectly friendly to the United States, therefore consider the chances of life just as much in my favor on this trip as I should concieve them were I to remain at home for the same length of time; the charge of this expedition is honorable to myself, as it is important to my Country. For it's fatiegues I feel myself perfectly prepared, nor do I doubt my health and strength of constitution to bear me through it; I go with the most perfect preconviction in my own mind of returning safe and hope therefore that you will not suffer yourself to indulge any anxiety for my safety...
   You will find thirty dollars inclosed which I wish you to give to Sister Anderson (Jane Lewis) my love to her Edmund & the family; Reuben (Lewis) writes me that Sister Anderson has another son; remember me to Mary and Jack (Marks) and tell them I hope the progress they will make in their studios will be equal to my wishes and that of their other friends. I shall write you again on my arrival at Pittsburgh. Adieu and believe me your affectionate Son,

Dear Sir (Captain Lewis)
   ... last night also we recieved the treaty from Paris ceding Louisiana according to the bounds to which France had a right. Price 11 1/4 millions of Dollars, besides paying certain debts of France to our citizens which will be from 1, to 4, millions. I recieved also from Mr. La Cepede (Comte de Lacepede), at Paris, to whom I had mentioned your intended expedition a letter...
   Accept my affectionate salutations.

Dear Lewis
   I received by yesterday's Mail, your letter of the 19th ulto: the contents of which I received with much pleasure. The enterprise & Mission is such as I have long anticipated & am much pleased with and as my situation in life will admit of my absence the length of time necessary to accomplish such an undertaking, I will cheerfully join you in an "official character" ... and partake of the Dangers Difficulties & fatigues, and I anticipate the honors & rewards... should we be successful in accomplishing it This is an immense undertaking fraited with numerous Dificulties, but my friend I can assure you that no man lives with whom I would prefer to undertake and share the Dificulties of such a trip than as yourself...
   I shall endeavor to engage temporally such men as I think may answer our purpose but, holding out the Idea as stated in your letter - the subject of which has been mentioned in Louisville several weeks ago.
   With every assurance of sincerity in every respect, and with affn fd & H. Srv.

Sir (President Jefferson)
   I had the honor of receiving thro' Captain M. Lewis an assureance of your Approbation & wish that I would join him in a North Western enterprise. I will chearfully, and with great pleasure, join my friend Capt. Lewis in this Vast enterprise and shall arrange my business so as to be in readiness to leave soon after his arrival...

Dear Lewis
   ... I am arrangeing my matters so as to detain but a short time after your arrival here, well convinced of the necessity of getting as far as possible up the __________ this fall to accomplish the object as laid down by yourself and which I highly approve of.
   (My friend I join you with hand & Heart and anticipate advantages which will certainly arrive from the accomplishment of so vast, Hazidous & fatiguing enterprise. You as doubt will inform the president of my determination to join yoiu in an "official Character" as mentioned in your letter. The Credentials necessary for me to be furnished with had best forwarded to this place, and if we set out before their arrival, to Kaskaskie.)
   I have temporally engages some men for the enterprise of a description calculated to work & go thro' labours & fatigues which will be necessary. Several young men (gentlmen's sons) have applyed to accompany us - as they are not accustomed to labour and as that is a verry assential part of the services required of the party, I am causious in giveing them any encouragement. The newspaper accounts seem to confirm the report of war in Europe and the session of Louisiana to the United States...
Pray let me hear from you as often as possible.

Dear Clark
   ...be assured I feel myself much grafityed with your decision; for I could neither hope, wish, or expect from a union with any man on earth, more perfect support or further aid in the discharge of the several duties of my mission, than that, which I am confident I shall derive from being associated with yourself...
   ...if a good hunter or two could be conditionally engages I would think them an acquisition, they must however understand that they will not be employed for the purposes of hunting exclusively but must bear a portion of the labour in common with the party...    The session of Louisiana is now no (secret); on the 14th of July the President received the treaty from Paris, by which France has ceded to the U. States, Louisiana according to the bounds to which she had a wright, price 11 1/4 Millions of dollars, besides paying certain debts of France to our citizens which will be from one to four millions; the Western people may now estimate the value of their possessions.
   I have been detained much longer than I expected but shall be with you by the last of this month. Your sincere friend & Obt. Servt.
   Note - Write & direct to me at Cincinnati

   Left Pittsburgh this day 11ock with a party of 11 hands 7 of which are soldiers, a pilot and three young men on trial they having proposed to go with me throughout the voyage...

Dear Sir (Meriwether Lewis)
   ...In May 1802 I received a letter from Betsey Crosby; she informed me that... she was about offering hirself a Sacrifice at the Shrine of Hymen which information I wish to have corroborated. With respect to the flying report a matrimonial engagement with Miss Nevens I positively deny... not that I wish Betsey to loose an oppertunity of enjoying connubial felicity by waiting for my return; but the probability is, that if She remains in a State of celibacy till my return I may perhaps join hands with hir yet. Please give her my Compliments..

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