Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-07-03
SYMMES-again.
TO A GENTLEMAN IN WASHINGTON

Wewhort, Ky. Mhri Ia, 1921
DEAR SIR:-I yesterday saw the re-
port of the committee relative to our
forming settlements Oh the north west
coast, and was much transported Vn per-
ceiving that there was a probability of
our having territory as high as the ,ix-
tieth degree of latitude; because I
think, by pushing our discoveries up the
rivers of those regions, we may obtain a
continuous possession quite into the con-
cave to an indefinite extent, more espe-
cially as, on lately reading over Mac
kenzie's voyage. find reason to believe
that there is very large river which
comes from the concave and discharges
somewhere ON that coast above the six
tieth degree; and that is not far over
land from the extremity of our claim to
such great river, which heading in the
concaye, must discharge, at all events,
somewhere in the northern seas.
Were an expedition sent by land from
where the sixtieth degree intersects the
northwest coast, it could embark in ca
noes on such river, and ascend into the
concave. And, if the mouth of such
river is not owned by the Russians, and
can be claimed by US, we may establish
claim to its sources; or we may Go
SO at any rate, if we proceed to settle it
soon with strong arm.
According to my principles, all the
internal rivers must press towards the
exterior seas. therefore infer that the
great river Mackenzie, heard Of lover
his Stony Mountains) as running towards
the midday sun, must have been running
from the inner midday sun towards the
exterior of the sphere, as the great river
which Hearne found does. To under
stand me in this, you must bear in mind
that have declared that both Hearne
and Mackenzie were within the sphere
without being aware oft, see the West
ern Spy of the 22d inst.) As Macken-
zie's Interpreters were imperfect, they
may have misunderstood the concave In
dams about the course the river run 1t
appears to me most probable that Mac
kenzie's track winds round to the left
over the left hand slope of the polar
verge, as Hearne's does to the right over
the right hand slope if SO, Mackenzie's
east must have tended inwards and west
outwards; whilst Hearne's east tended
outwards, and his west inwards.
Probably Cooks Inlet would be the
best place in that quarter for such an
expedition to start from; but, as the
Russians possess that part of the coast,
other places may do nearly as well.
There is no time to lose. On such
an expedition from that coast, there
should be two or three hundred men, to
ensure secure passage. The distance
by land to the great river cannot be far,
for the brow of the verge must, in its
lowest point, come below the sixtieth de-
gree. In case of such an expedition
going, ship or two should attend some
place up Dayis's Straits, at some point
and place to be fixed upon, to bring off
the men in case the expedition found it
best to return that way. But, it is use
less to suggest plans whilst the world is
SO slow in listening to me as it is. Yet,
should the subject become popular
topic, these ideas may be marshalled to
some advantage; and if the contrary,
they will remain record for or against
me, as they may prove true or untrue
when tested by actual examination.
l remain, with esteem, your most ODE
dient humble servant,
JNO. CLEVES SYMMES.