DOCUMENTS ACCOMPANYING A BILL MAKING COMPENSATION TO MESSIEURS LEWIS AND CLARKE, AND THEIR COMPANIONS, PRESENTED THE 23RD JANUARY, 1807

Washington, DC: National Intelligencer and Washington Advertiser, Printed by Samuel Harrison Smith, Pennsylvania Avenue, Monday, February 2, 1807, 1807. self paper wrappers. Lewis & Clarke Expedition. folio. self paper wrappers. front page, column 3-5. First public printing, after having been published as a congressional/government document by A. & G. Way. (see, The Literature of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, A Bibliography and Essays (Lewis & Clark College2003), no. 2c.4 (containing letter from Willis Alston, January 12, 1807; letter from H. Dearborn, January 14, 1807; letter from Meriwether Lewis, January 15, 1807; and foldout chart titled "A Roll Of the men who accompanied captains Lewis and Clarke on their late tour to the Pacific ocean, through the interior of the continent of North America, shewing their rank, with some remarks on their respective merits and services." The Literature of the Lewis and Clark Expedition notes, "It is also the first printing of the expedition roster.")) Previous ownership name in ink along top corner in ink. Faint foxing throughout, else a pristine copy.



The National Intelligencer prints each of the letters found in the original government document, and the expedition roster appears here in the form of a separate letter from Meriwether Lewis.



We locate no record of this issue of the National Intelligencer having appeared at auction or in the trade. Of the government document, an example sold at Christie's, June 2009 ("Recent half red morocco. A very fine, crisp copy.") for $9,000; another sold, also at Christie's, December 2013 ("Disbound."), for $7,500. (see attached)



From the Library of Congress, "The Louisiana Purchase Legislative Timeline" (attached):



On January 2, 1807, the House of Representatives introduced a resolution "That a Committee be appointed to inquire what compensation ought to be made to Messrs. Lewis and Clarke, and their brave companions, for their late services in exploring the western waters, to report by bill, or otherwise." (Note: William Clark's name is consistently misspelled in congressional documents by adding an "e" to the end.) On January 23, the House of Representatives introduced "An Act making compensation to Messrs. Lewis and Clarke, and their companions," and on that same date received communications on "Gratuities to the officers and men in the expedition to the Pacific Ocean, under Lewis and Clarke." After subsequent debates and reports with amendments, on February 28, the House of Representatives passed as amended "An Act making compensation to Messrs. Lewis and Clarke, and their companions," and on March 3, upon passage by the Senate, President Thomas Jefferson signed it into law.