Government Document
Jefferson’s Confidential Message to Congress
President Jefferson's secret message to Congress requesting $2,500 to fund an exploratory expedition to the Pacific Ocean. Written before the Louisiana Purchase, the message framed the expedition as a commercial venture to extend American fur trade. Jefferson carefully justified the appropriation as a "literary pursuit" to avoid alarming Spain and Britain about American territorial ambitions in the West.
This confidential message to Congress initiated the legislative authorization for what would become the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Jefferson requested an appropriation of $2,500 — a deliberate underestimate of the true cost — to fund “an intelligent officer with ten or twelve chosen men” to explore the Missouri River to its source and find “the most direct & practicable water communication across this continent.” The message emphasized commercial benefits including the extension of American fur trade and the potential to redirect trade from British and French competitors.
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