Jefferson, Thomas, as third President

Autograph letter signed ("Th: Jefferson"), 1 1/2 pages (9 7/8 x 7 7/8 in.; 250 x 200 mm) on a bifolium of wove paper (watermarked J Larking), Washington, 20 June 1805, to Dr. William Eustis of Massachusetts, docketed by recipient "T. Jefferson 1805" on verso of integral blank; blank leaf tipped to an album leaf, a few very sort tears and repairs at folds.

"I have the pleasure to inform you that one of Capt Lewis's barges returned to St. Louis brings us certain information from him. … he has sent in his barge 45 deputies from 6 of the principal nations in that quarter … we shall endeavor to get them to go on as far North as Boston, being desirous of impressing them correctly as to our strength & resources. this with kind usage, and a commerce advantageous to them, & not losing to us, will better secure their & our peace & friendship than an army of thousands."

An incisive letter by President Jefferson reporting on the progress of the Lewis and Clark expedition and outlining his policy towards the Native Nations.

Jefferson begins this letter to the former congressman and future Secretary of War with a discussion of a political appointment in the newly created Territory of Michigan, as well as his perspective on the declining state of the Federalist Party in New England. "Your two favors of the 2d. & 10th. inst. have been duly received with respect to mr Avery, as he was to obtain the testimonies of his character in the Eastern states, & was himself in the same place with Genl. Hull in whose gift the office of Marshal for Michigan was, I left him to satisfy General Hull, himself on that point, & thought it best to add no bias by expressing any wish of mine to the General. I therefore did not write to him on the subject—I believe with you, that the Boston manouvre, has secured the death of federalism at the end of the present year. the steady progression of public opinion, aided by the number of candid persons who had voted with them this year, but will be displeased with this measure, cannot fail to join Massachusetts to her sister-states at the first election. the arrangements you suggested in your letter of the 10th. could not be adopted, because a prior one had been initiated. the person appointed is very distant & will not be here till Autumn. within a month from this time our annual recess will take place for the months of Aug. & Sep."

The letter then takes a turn to a far more significant topic: the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the most important exploration of the North American continent ever undertaken and one of the signal achievements of Jefferson's storied life of public service.  "I have the pleasure to inform you that one of Capt Lewis's barges returned to St. Louis brings us certain information from him. he wintered with the Mandans, 1609 miles up the Missouri, Lat. 47, Long. 101 with some additional minutes to both numbers, all well, and peculiarly cherished by all the Indian nations. he has sent in his barge 45 deputies from 6 of the principal nations in that quarter who will be joined at St. Louis by those of 3 or 4 nations between the Missouri & Mississippi, and will come on here. Whether before our departure or after our return we do not yet know. we shall endeavor to get them to go on as far North as Boston, being desirous of impressing them correctly as to our strength & resources. this with kind usage, and a commerce advantageous to them, & not losing to us, will better secure their & our peace & friendship than an army of thousands."

Several Indian delegations sent by Meriwether Lewis did visit Washington, D.C., among other eastern cities, during Jefferson's tenure in the White House, including Osages, Pawnees, Sac and Fox Sioux, Miami, Kansa, Kickapoo, Iowa, and Arikaras. In 1806, a delegation of Osages toured the U.S. frigate Adams in company with Jefferson and Secretary of War Knox. In April of 1806, an Arikara leader died while visiting Washington, and while Jefferson himself gave a eulogy for him, Herman Viola speculates that this incident may have lead to the continued hostility of the Arikaras to the government (Diplomats in Buckskins, p. 159).

At the conclusion of his letter, Jefferson, still looking forward to a visit from the "diplomats in buckskins," reflects on international affairs. "I receive with due sentiments of thankfulness the invitations of my Eastern friends to visit that portion of our country. the expected visit from the deputations of so many distant nations of Indians, provisional arrangements with Spain in lieu of the permanent ones proposed, in which we are not likely to concur, the presence of English & French fleets in the American seas, which will probably visit and perplex our harbors during the hurricane season will not permit me to be so far from the seat of government this summer. add to this that should I ever be able to make the visit it would probably be more generally agreeable, when there shall be less division of public sentiment that at present among us. Accept my friendly salutations, & assurances of great esteem & respect."

This is only the second autograph letter signed by Jefferson mentioning the Lewis and Clark expedition to appear at auction in more than sixty years (the other, a 31 January 1804 letter to the French scientist and explorer Barthelémy Faujas de Saint-Fond, set an auction record for Jefferson when sold at Sotheby’s, 13 December 2002, for $1,439,500).

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