Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-07-26

"a been in friendship, Meriwether
Lewis and Willim Clark went
- on side by side in their new
labors in the capital Of that great land
which they had won for the republic.
Their offices in title We're distinct, vet
scarcely so i'll fact, for each helped the
other, as they had always done.
To these w men the new territory
Of Louisiana owed not only its discov-
cry, but its early passing over to the
day of law and order. No other men
could have done what they did in that
time Of disorder and change, when.
rolling to the west in countless waves,
came the white men crossing the great
river, striking out into the new lands.
a headstrong, turbulent and lawless
population.
A thousand new and petty cares
came to Governor Lewis. He passed
from n duty to another, from one
part of his vast province to another,
travelling continually With the crude
methods Of transportation of that pc.
Rod and busy night and day. Courts
must be established. The compilation
Of the archives must be cared for. Rec
ords must be instituted to clear up the
swarm Of conflicts over land titles.
Scores Of new duties arose, and scores
Of new remedies needed to be devised.
The first figure Of the growing capt.
tai Of st. Louis, the new governor was
also the central figure Of all social ac-
t%ivities, the cynosure of all eyes. But
the laughing bellies of st. Louis at
length sighed and gave him up. They
loved him as governor since they
might not as man Wise, firm, DELHI
crate, kind, sad, he was an old man
now, though still young in years.
Scattered up and down the great val
ley above and below st. Louis and
harboring in that town were many Of
the late adherents Of Burr's broken
conspiracy. These liked not the on
coming of the American government,
enforced by so rigid IN executive as
that which now held power. Threats
came to the ears Of Meriwether Lewis,
who was hated by the Burr adherents
as the cause Of their discontinue, but
he, wholly devoid of the fear Of any
man, only laughed at them. Honest
and hlameless, it was difficult for any
enemy to injure him, and no man
cared to meet Meriwether Lewis in the
open.
But at last one means of attack was
found. Once more-the last time-the
great heart of a noble man was pierced.
"Will," said he to his friend as they
met at William Clark's home, accord
ing to their frequent custom, 81 am in
trouble"
"Fancied trouble, Merne," said Clark.
you're always finding it."
"Would 1 might call it fancied! But
this is something in the way Of facts,
and very stubborn facts. See here"
He held out certain papers in his hand.
"By this mornings mail I get back
these bills protested-protested by the
government at Washington. And they
are bills that I have drawn to pay the
expenses of administering my Office
here"
"Tut, tut" said William Clark grave,
ly. "Come, let us see"
"Look here and here! Will, you know
that I am a man of no great fortune.
You also know that I have made GER
tain enemies in this country. But now
I am not supported by my own gov
eminent. I am ruined. I am a broken
man. Did you think that this country
could do that for either Of us?"
"But, Merne, you, the soul Of hon
orr
"Some enemy has done this. What
influences have been set to work I can
not say, but here are the bills, and
there are others out In other hands,
also protested, I have no doubt. I am
publicly discredited, disgraced. I know
not what has been said Of me at Wash
ingtOn."
THAT is the trouble" said William
Clark slowly. washington is so far.
But now you must not let this trouble
you. TITS only some six dollar n week
clerk in Washington that has done 1t.
You must not consider 1t to be the de.
liberate act OF any responsible head of
the government. You take things too
hard, Merne. I will not have you
brooding over this. II will never do.
80 -s~