mensuration were corrected by almost daily observations of latitude and longitude. With his map he sent us specimens or information of the following animals not before known to the northern continent of America. 1. The horns of what is perhaps a species of Ovis Ammon. 2. A new variety of the 3. An antelope. 4. The deer having a black tail. badger, not before known out of Europe. 5. A new species of marmotte. 6. A white weasel. 7. The magpie. 8. The Prairie hen, said to resemble the Guinea hen (peintade). 9. A prickly lizard. To these are added a considerable collection of minerals, not yet analyzed. He wintered in Lat. 47° 20' and found the maximum of cold 43° below the zero of Fahrenheit. We expect he has reached the Pacific, and is now wintering on the head of the Missouri, and will be here next autumn. Having been disappointed in our view of sending an exploring party up the Red river the last year, they were sent up the Washita, as far as the hot springs, under the direction of Mr. Dunbar. He found the temperature of the springs 150° of Fahrenheit & the water perfectly potable when cooled. We obtain also the geography of that river, so far with perfect accuracy. Our party is just at this time setting out from Natchez to ascend the Red river. These expeditions are so laborious, & hazardous, that men of science, used to the temperature & inactivity of their closet, cannot be induced to undertake them. They are headed therefore by persons qualified expressly to give us the geography of the rivers with perfect accuracy, and of good common knolege and observation in the animal, vegetable & mineral departments. When the route shall be once open and known, scientific men will undertake, & verify & class it's subjects. Our emigration to the western country from these states the last year is estimated at about 100,000. I conjecture that about one-half the number of our increase will emigrate westwardly annually. A newspaper paragraph tells me, with some details, that the society of agriculture of Paris had thought a mouldboard of my construction worthy their notice & Mr. Dupont confirms it in a letter, but not specifying anything particular. I send him a model with an advantageous change in the form, in which however the principle is rigorously the same. I mention this to you lest he should have left France for America, and I notice it no otherwise lest there should have been any error in the information. Present my respectful salutations to Doctr. Cabanis & accept them yourself with assurances of my constant friendship & attach ment. TO THE MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE. J. MSS. WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 06. MY DEAR FRIEND,-Your letters of 1805 which I have to acknolege are of Apr. 22 & June 4, the last delivered by M de Lessert a week ago. In your preceding ones of 1804 the reason assigned for your not venturing across the ocean was certainly weighty, as a capture by the English would have been a very serious misfortune. Your presence at New Orleans would give security to our government there, but in the present state of things it is not certain you could give us your service there, for it seems very uncertain which of the two powers of Spain or England, by commencing hostilities against us first will force us into the scale of the other. If the former commences first, and it seems most imminent, you probably could take no part. As, before the receipt of your powers on the subject of your lands, I had ordered a survey of the vacant parcel adjoining to New Orleans, I have continued to press that part of the location, because it is under a peculiar difficulty. The law requires your locations to be in parcels of not less than 1000 acres each. The survey sent to me made but 6. or 700 as. I have requested Govr. Claiborne, either by including part of the lake or by some other device to have it made up 1000 as. in which case I can immediately sign a grant. It will be some time before I shall receive his answer. Mr. Madison has appointed M. Duplantier to make the other locations, for which no person is better qualified or better disposed. I inclose a letter for M. Tracy, making him my acknolegements for the very acceptable present he was so good as to make me of his two works. For details of our affairs it is safer to refer you to Mr. Skipwith the bearer of this. Present my friendly respects to Me. De Lafayette, M. & Me. De Tessy, & accept assurances of my constant & affectionate friendship & respect. TO THE U. S. MINISTER TO FRANCE. J. MSS. WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 1806. DEAR SIR, Mr. Skipwith will inform you what a terrible tempest has been excited against you by an opinion said to have been given by you in the case of the New Jersey & a letter of yours on that subject published in the papers. The body of merchants & insurers of New York have presented an address, the object of which tho' not expressed, cannot be mistaken, & it is expected their example will be followed by the other cities making common cause. I inclose you the answer of N. York, from which you will perceive the expediency on your own account as well as the public, to send a statement of the case, the points on which it is decided, and how your opinion happened to be given in that stage of the business, with documents to establish such facts as are not known. The hope is further, that in the business confided to you by this conveyance you may be able to obtain a success which may place you where you wish to be in the public favor. There are several circumstances at this time which you may so use as to produce favorable dispositions in the party with which you are to negotiate. 1. The law prohibiting intercourse with St. Domingo, which could not of right be demanded from us. 2. A second law to render the first more effectual in the main point by prohibiting the exportation of military stores to any part of America. These two laws will be passed in time to go by this conveyance. 3. The measures which will be explained to you for procuring a solid establishment of neutral rights. 4. Measures which will be taken to exclude British commerce from the U. S. in a great degree. 5. An effective navigation act. We cannot yet say what will be the precise form of the two last; but they will unquestionably be effectual. Considering the accidents which may happen to this by the way, it is not signed. That is unnecessary for your information that it comes from one whose friendship & respect to you are real. TO JOSEPH HAMILTON DAVEISS.1 WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, '06. SIR,-Your letter of January 10. came safely to hand a week ago. According to your permission it has been communicated to Mr. Madison, and Mr. Gallatin. I have also communicated it to General Dearborn, because one of the persons named by you is particularly under his observation; so far as it was necessary and not further, I will be responsible for its secrecy. The information is so important that it is my duty to request a full communication of everything known or heard by you relating to it, and particularly of the names of all persons whether engaged in the combination, or witnesses to any part of it. At the same time I pledge myself to you that it shall be known no further than it now is, until it shall become necessary to place them in the hands of the law; and that even then no unnecessary communication shall be made of the channel through which we received our information. You will b ble that the names are peculiarly important to prevent a misg of our confidence either in the investigation of this subject particularly, or in the general trust of public affairs. In hopes of hearing from you without delay, I pray you to accept my salutations and assurances of great respect. I return you the draft of the bill for the establishment of a National Academy & University at the city of Washington, with such alterations as we talked over the last night. They are chiefly verbal. I have often wished we could have a Philosophical society or academy so organized as that while the central academy should be at the seat of goverment, it's members dispersed over the states, should constitute filiated 1 From Daveiss' View of the President's Conduct, Frankfort, 1806, p. 15. |