Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-11-20
LEXINGTON, (Ken) Oct. 90.

tlenan at Russelvle, GATED October Goth,
TO his friend in this town, says, f" A gen
tleman from Nashville informs me that he
Lewis buried on the 18th inst. about 40
miles beyond Nashville on the Natchez
road. The accounts are that Gov. Lewis
arrived al house very weak, from & recent
illness at Natchez, and Showed marks of
mental derangemene. After stay Of few
hours at the above house, he took his pis-
tolls and shot himself twice, and then cut
his throat"
The above unfortunate intelligence is
confirmed By gentleman at present in this
place. It's added, that Gov. Lewis, in adj
dition to shooting himself twice in the bo-
dy, and cutting his throat, shot himself in
the head, and cur,ac arteries in his thighs
and arms.
We have been unable to procure any sa-
tisfactory Intelligence of the circumstances
which led to this unhappy event. We have
only heard it stated, that governor Lewis
drew bills to considerable amount Oh the
government of the y. States, for which
there had been no specific appropriations,
and which came back protested. We can
hardly suppose, however, that an incident
Ct this kind, alone, cou!l have produced
such deplorabe consequences.
After the above was put in type, gen
tleman politely handed rs Nashville paper
of the 2oih inst. from which we have made
the following extracs:
To record the un1lgnelv end Of brave
and prudent officer, a learned scholar and
scientific gentleman, this column Of the
Clarion is ushered TO the world in black
On the night of the 1o,h inst. Merriwether
Lewis, Esqare, governor general OF Upper
louisiana, en- his way to Washington CITY,
came to the house Of M. Crude, near the
Indian line ia this state---caIled for lis sup
per and some spirits, Of which he parsook
and gave some to his servants. MIR. Grind
Ell nor being a home, MRS. Grinder retired
to the kitchen with her children, and tie
servants CATER the governor went to bed,
which lie did in good order) went to stable
about 800 yards distant 70 sleep-no one in
the house with the goveraor-and some
time before midnight l.irs. Grinder was a
larmed BY the fling OF 2 pistols 10 The house
she called to st- servants without effect
and at the appearance OF day lisht the SER
wants came 70 the house, when the governor
SAID he had now done for h,.nse li---they
asked what, and he SAID he had shot hlm-
self and woad die, and requested them to
bring HIM wager, he then lying on the floor,
where he expired about Z O'Clock in rhe
morning of the 18th, he had saot bali that
grazed the top OF his head, and another
through his intestln1s, and cut his neck,
arm and ham WHO razor. When in his
best senses he spoke ABOUT trunk or pa
pers that he sala would be Of great vatua to
our govefnRent. IL had been under the
influence q dargnging n,aady for about
. six weeks-sths caus1 OF which Is Unknown,
unless II was rom a protest to a draft which
he drew ~ the secretary at war, which he
considered taa.amount to disgrace by 60
vernnent.
In the death of governor Lewis the pub
lie behold the wreck of one OF the noblest
Of men. He was pupil OF the immortal
Jefferson: by him be was reared-by ham
he was instructed in the tour OF the sciences
by hin, he was introduced to public lite,
when his enterprizi..g soul, great botanical
knowledge, acute penetration, and personal
courage, soon pointed him out as the most
proper person TO command a projected ex-
ploring party to the N. w. coast of TIE A.
merican comment. He &C. epted the arduous
command, on condition that he might take
MFR. Clarke with him. They started-1he
best wishes Of the American people attend
ed them. After an absence OF TWO years.
10 us of anxious solcitude) we were cheer
ed with the joyful return of our country
men. A new world had been explored
additional knowledge in all the sciences OBJ
tanned, at trifinS expence. Thevolce OF