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it　is　the　most　effectual。　　Enlighten　the　people　generally；　and

tyranny　and　oppressions　of　body　and　mind　will　vanish　like　evil

spirits　at　the　dawn　of　day。　　Although　I　do　not；　with　some

enthusiasts；　believe　that　the　human　condition　will　ever　advance　to

such　a　state　of　perfection　as　that　there　shall　no　longer　be　pain　or

vice　in　the　world；　yet　I　believe　it　susceptible　of　much　improvement；

and　most　of　all；　in　matters　of　government　and　religion；　and　that　the

diffusion　of　knowledge　among　the　people　is　to　be　the　instrument　by

which　it　is　to　be　effected。　　The　constitution　of　the　Cortes　had

defects　enough；　but　when　I　saw　in　it　this　amendatory　provision；　I　was

satisfied　all　would　come　right　in　time；　under　its　salutary　operation。

No　people　have　more　need　of　a　similar　provision　than　those　for　whom

you　have　felt　so　much　interest。　　No　mortal　wishes　them　more　success

than　I　do。　　But　if　what　I　have　heard　of　the　ignorance　and　bigotry　of

the　mass　be　true；　I　doubt　their　capacity　to　understand　and　to　support

a　free　government；　and　fear　that　their　emancipation　from　the　foreign

tyranny　of　Spain；　will　result　in　a　military　despotism　at　home。

Palacios　may　be　great；　others　may　be　great；　but　it　is　the　multitude

which　possess　force：　and　wisdom　must　yield　to　that。　　For　such　a

condition　of　society；　the　constitution　you　have　devised　is　probably

the　best　imaginable。　　It　is　certainly　calculated　to　elicit　the　best

talents；　although　perhaps　not　well　guarded　against　the　egoism　of　its

functionaries。　　But　that　egoism　will　be　light　in　comparison　with　the

pressure　of　a　military　despot；　and　his　army　of　Janissaries。　　Like

Solon　to　the　Athenians；　you　have　given　to　your　Columbians；　not　the

best　possible　government；　but　the　best　they　can　bear。　　By…the…bye；　I

wish　you　had　called　them　the　Columbian　republics；　to　distinguish　them

from　our　American　republics。　　Theirs　would　be　the　most　honorable

name；　and　they　best　entitled　to　it；　for　Columbus　discovered　their

continent；　but　never　saw　ours。




　　　　　　　　To　them　liberty　and　happiness；　to　you　the　meed　of　wisdom　and

goodness　in　teaching　them　how　to　attain　them；　with　the　affectionate

respect　and　friendship　of；







　　　　　　　　CAPTAIN　LEWIS'S　PAPERS




　　　　　　　　_To　Correa　da　Serra_

　　　　　　　　_Poplar　Forest；　April　26；　1816_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR　　Your　favor　of　Mar。　29。　was　recieved　just　as　I　was

setting　out　for　this　place。　　I　brought　it　with　me　to　be　answered

hence。　　Since　you　are　so　kind　as　to　interest　yourself　for　Capt。

Lewis's　papers；　I　will　give　you　a　full　statement　of　them。




　

　　　　　　　　1。　Ten　or　twelve　such　pocket　volumes；　Morocco　bound；　as　that

you　describe；　in　which；　in　his　own　hand　writing；　he　had　journalised

all　occurences；　day　by　day；　as　he　travelled。　　They　were　small　8vos

and　opened　at　the　end　for　more　convenient　writing。　　Every　one　had

been　put　into　a　separate　tin　case；　cemented　to　prevent　injury　from

wet。　　But　on　his　return　the　cases；　I　presume；　had　been　taken　from

them；　as　he　delivered　me　the　books　uncased。　　There　were　in　them　the

figures　of　some　animals　drawn　with　the　pen　while　on　his　journey。　　The

gentlemen　who　published　his　travels　must　have　had　these　Ms。　volumes；

and　perhaps　now　have　them；　or　can　give　some　account　of　them。




　　　　　　　　2。　Descriptions　of　animals　and　plants。　　I　do　not　recollect

whether　there　was　such　a　book　or　collection　of　papers；　distinct　from

his　journal；　altho'　I　am　inclined　to　think　there　was　one：　because　his

travels　as　published；　do　not　contain　all　the　new　animals　of　which　he

had　either　descriptions　or　specimens。　　Mr。　Peale；　I　think；　must　know

something　of　this；　as　he　drew　figures　of　some　of　the　animals　for

engraving；　and　some　were　actually　engraved。　　Perhaps　Conrad；　his

bookseller；　who　was　to　have　published　the　work；　can　give　an　account

of　these。




　　　　　　　　3。　Vocabularies。　　I　had　myself　made　a　collection　of　about　40。

vocabularies　of　the　Indians　on　this　side　of　the　Missisipi；　and　Capt。

Lewis　was　instructed　to　take　those　of　every　tribe　beyond；　which　he

possibly　could：　the　intention　was　to　publish　the　whole；　and　leave　the

world　to　search　for　affinities　between　these　and　the　languages　of

Europe　and　Asia。　　He　was　furnished　with　a　number　of　printed

vocabularies　of　the　same　words　and　form　I　had　used；　with　blank　spaces

for　the　Indian　words。　　He　was　very　attentive　to　this　instruction；

never　missing　an　opportunity　of　taking　a　vocabulary。　　After　his

return；　he　asked　me　if　I　should　have　any　objection　to　the　printing

his　separately；　as　mine　were　not　yet　arranged　as　I　intended。　　I

assured　him　I　had　not　the　least；　and　I　am　certain　he　contemplated

their　publication。　　But　whether　he　had　put　the　papers　out　of　his　own

hand　or　not；　I　do　not　know。　　I　imagine　he　had　not：　and　it　is　probable

that　Doctr。　Barton；　who　was　particularly　curious　on　this　subject；　and

published　on　it　occasionally；　would　willingly　recieve　and　take　care

of　these　papers　after　Capt。　Lewis's　death；　and　that　they　are　now

among　his　papers。




　

　　　　　　　　4。　His　observations　of　longitude　and　latitude。　　He　was

instructed　to　send　these　to　the　war…office；　that　measures　might　be

taken　to　have　the　calculations　made。　　Whether　he　delivered　them　to

the　war…office；　or　to　Dr。　Patterson；　I　do　not　know；　but　I　think　he

communicated　with　Dr。　Patterson　concerning　them。　　These　are

all…important：　because　altho'；　having　with　him　the　Nautical　almanacs；

he　could　&　did　calculate　some　of　his　latitudes；　yet　the　longitudes

were　taken　merely　from　estimates　by　the　log…line；　time　and　course。

So　that　it　is　only　as　to　latitudes　that　his　map　may　be　considered　as

tolerably　correct；　not　as　to　its　longitudes。




　　　　　　　　5。　His　Map。　　This　was　drawn　on　sheets　of　paper；　not　put

together；　but　so　marked　that　they　could　be　joined　together　with　the

utmost　accuracy；　not　as　one　great　square　map；　but　ramifying　with　the

courses　of　the　rivers。　　The　scale　was　very　large；　and　the　sheets

numerous；　but　in　perfect　preservation。　　This　was　to　await

publication；　until　corrected　by　the　calculations　of　longitude　and

latitude。　　I　examined　these　sheets　myself　minutely；　as　spread　on　the

floor；　and　the　originals　must　be　in　existence；　as　the　Map　published

with　his　travels　must　have　been　taken　from　them。




　　　　　　　　These　constitute　the　whole。　　They　are　the　property　of　the

government；　the　fruits　of　the　expedition　undertaken　at　such　expense

of　money　and　risk　of　valuable　lives。　　They　contain　exactly　the　whole

of　the　information　which　it　was　our　object　to　obtain　for　the　benefit

of　our　own　country　and　of　the　world。　　But　we　were　willing　to　give　to

Lewis　and　Clarke　whatever　pecuniary　benefits　might　be　derived　from

the　publication；　and　therefore　left　the　papers　in　their　hands；　taking

for　granted　that　their　interests　would　produce　a　speedy　publication；

which　would　be　better　if　done　under　their　direction。　　But　the　death

of　Capt。　Lewis；　the　distance　and　occupations　of　General　Clarke；　and

the　bankruptcy　of　their　bookseller；　have　retarded　the　publication；

and　rendered　necessary　that　the　government　should　attend　to　the

reclamation　&　security　of　their　papers。　　Their　recovery　is　now　become

an　imperious　duty。　　Their　safest　deposit　as　fast　as　they　can　be

collected；　will　be　the　Philosophical　Society；　who　no　doubt　will　be　so

kind　as　to　receive　and　preserve　them；　subject　to　the　orders　of

government；　and　their　publication；　once　effected　in　any　way；　the

originals　will　probably　be　left　in　the　same　deposit。　　As　soon　as　I

can　learn　their　present　situation；　I　will　lay　the　matter　before　the

government　to　take　such　order　as　they　think　proper。　　As　to　any　claims

of　individuals　to　these　papers；　it　is　to　be　observed　that；　as　being

the　property　of　the　public；　we　are　certain　neither　Lewis　nor　Clarke

would　undertake　to　convey　away　the　right　to　them；　and　that　they　could

not　convey　them；　had　they　been　capable　of　intending　it。　　Yet　no

interest　of　that　kind　is　meant　to　be　disturbed；　if　the　individual　can

give　satisfactory　assurance　that　he　will　promptly　&　properly　publish

them。　　Otherwise　they　must　be　restored　to　the　government；　&　the

claimant　left　to　settle　with　those　on　whom　he　has　any　claim。　　My

interference　will；　I　trust；　be　excused；　not　only　from　the　portion

which　every　citizen　has　in　whatever　is　public；　but　from　the　peculiar

part　I　have　had　in　the　design　and　execution　of　this　expedition。




　　　　　　　　To　you；　my　friend；　apology　is　due　for　involving　you　in　the

trouble　of　this　inquiry。　　It　must　be　found　in　the　interest　you　take

in　whatever　belongs　to　science；　and　in　your　own　kind　offers　to　me　of

aid　in　this　research。　　Be　assured　always　of　my　affectionate

friendship　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　THE　TEST　OF　REPUBLICANISM




　　　　　　　　_To　John　Taylor_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　May　28；　1816_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　On　my　return　from　a　long　journey　and　considerable

absence　from　home；　I　found　here　the　copy　of　your　〃Enquiry　into　the

principles　of　our　government；〃　which　you　had　been　so　kind　as　to　send

me；　and　for　which　I　pray