Day-by-Day / February 22, 1803

February 22, 1803

Expedition funds

In Washington City, the Senate approves President Jefferson’s request for $2500 to fund the expedition. Also, the American Board of Agriculture organizes with Lewis as a member representing the District of Columbia.

Robert Wright (1752–1826)

J. Pinkney Wightman (1886)

Early 19th century portrait of Senator Robert Wright in profile

Oil on canvas. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robertwrightofmaryland.jpg accessed 2 May 2022.

Robert Wright, U.S. Senator from Maryland, Democratic Republican, was a strong supporter of President Jefferson’s efforts to approve and fund what would become the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the Louisiana Purchase. He also served as a representative on one of Jefferson’s pet projects, the American Board of Agriculture. He resigned from the Senate in November 1806 to become the Governor of Maryland.

Expedition Funded

The bill, entitled “An act for extending the external commerce of the United States,” was read the third time and passed.

Ordered, That Mr. WRIGHT be a committee to carry to the House of Representative the following message:

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:

We return you the bill which passed your House entitled “An act making further provision for the expenses attending the intercourse between the United States and foreign nations;” and the bill, entitled “An act for extending the external commerce of the United States;” both of which the Senate have passed without amendment.[1]Annals of Congress of the United States, 7th Congress, 2nd Session (Washington: Gales and Seaton, 1851) 12:103 retrieved from … Continue reading

(103) Signed by President on 28th.

The bill was signed into law by President Jefferson on 28 February 1803. See Jefferson’s Secret Requests and Lewis’s Estimate of Expenses.

American Board of Agriculture

A NUMBER of respectable and patriotic citizens, including a considerable portion of the members of both houses of congress, on the 22d of February, 1803, assembled at the Capitol, and, being impressed with a clear conviction that numerous consequences highly promotive to the prosperity and happiness of the United States as a nation, and of its citizens individually, would result from a general diffusion of practical knowledge in Agriculture and Domestic Manufactures, enter into an association for this purpose, under the name of THE AMERICAN BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.

For its more complete organization, the Board adopted a CONSTITUTION, and elected the following OFFICERS to serve until the next meeting which is to near the commencement of the ensuing session of Congress, when a general election will take place.

JAMES MADISON, Secy. of State, PRESIDENT.

SAML. L. MITCHILL [and] GEORGE LOGAN Vice Presidents.[2]“Washington City, Friday, February 25, 1803,” The National Intelligencer, 2.

Thomas Jefferson likely placed Meriwether Lewis on this board so that he could interact with its numerous influential and distinguished members. Several members would become Lewis’s friends and mentors. See Lewis and the American Board of Agriculture.

 

Notes

Notes
↑1 Annals of Congress of the United States, 7th Congress, 2nd Session (Washington: Gales and Seaton, 1851) 12:103 retrieved from https://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llac&fileName=012/llac012.db&recNum=49.
↑2 “Washington City, Friday, February 25, 1803,” The National Intelligencer, 2.

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  • The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
  • The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.

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Unless otherwise noted, journal excerpts are from The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, edited by Gary E. Moulton, 13 vols. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983-2001).