Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-03-01
CONGRESS
OF TIE
] u N.ITED $ tn T ES.
ROUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

= 3ts,Btt
House OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
gessaesdny, February 10.
The following message was received from
the president ofihe United States:
10 The Senate and House Of Representatives
ofthe United States.
IN pursuance Of measure proposedto
congress by message OF Jan. 10, 1908,
and sanctioned by their appropriation
fer carving it into execution, captain Mer.
,iwether Lewis Of the 1streSment of IN.
fauuy was appointed, With q parry OF men,
70 EXPLORE The river Missouri, from It's
mouth to its source, and crossing the high
lands by the shortest por'age, 10 seek the
hes, water communication thence TO the
Pacific ocean; and lieutenant Clark, was
appointed second in command. ihey were
to enter into conference with the Indian
nations on their route, with view to the
establishment of commerce WIN them -
They entered the Missouri, Nay II 1904,
and on the 1st Of November, took up shsir
winter quarters near the Mandan towns,
1909 miles above the mouth OF the river,
in la'.47deg. 2tm. 47sec. nor.h, and long.
% deg. "a N. As sec. west from Green.
witch. On the 's,h Of April, 1905, they
proceeded up the river in pursuance OF the
objects prescribed 10 them. a letter OF
The preceding day, fp'll 7, irem cap.
tain Lewis, IS herewith cemmaa ica'ed.
During his stay among che Mandsns, be
had been able to lay down the Missou-
ri, according to courses and distances
taken on his passage up, IT. correct
ed by frequent observations OF longitude
and latitude; au6 to add TO the actual sur
vey of this portion of the river, general
map Of the country between the Mississlp-
ri and Pacific, frea the 34!h to the saith dee
erees of latitude, These additions are
from information collected from Indians
with whom he bad opportunities of COM
municating, during his journey and resi-.
! dence with them. Copies OF this map are
now presented to both houses of Congress.
I With these | communicate also, statistl-
| cal view, procured and forwarded by him,
/ Of the Indian nations inhabiting the terri.
tory of Louisiana, and the countries ada.
cent TO its northern and western borders,
If thsjr aqammsgss aRd at e Mss lntsre.'
In orde, to render the state ment az com.
p!ete as may be, of the indians, inhabitlng
the country west Of the Mississippi, | add
DIR. Sibley's account Of those residing in
and adiaceps 10 the territory Of Orleans.
/ communicate also frora the same per.
son, an account of the Red river, accord.
ing to the bess information he had been a..
bic to collect.
Having been Disappointed, after consi-
derable preparation, in the purpose ofsend-
ing an exploring party up that river in The
summer of 1901, IT was thought .bes. TO
employ the apluma of that year in procur-
lug a knowledge ofan interesting branch of
the river called the Washita. This was
undertaken under the direction OF Mr..
Dunbar of Natchez, a citizen OF d;ssin.
guished science, who had aided, and con.
,nues 10 aid US, with his disn,erested and
valuable services 10 the prosecution Of these
enterprises. He assembled the river 10 The
remarkable Ho,springs GEAR it, in lat. Sd,
sl-.4 Is, long. 90, SO, As, west from
Greenwich, takipg its courses and distances
and correcting them by frequent celestial
observations. Extracts from his obserya.
tons, aud copies Of has map Of the river,
from its mouth to the Hotsprings, make
part of the present Communications. The
examination ofihe Red river itself is but
now commencing.
TIL: JEFFERSON.
February19, 1906.
Senate Of the United States.