Note VI'-1 — Chapter VI · CONGRESSIONAL REPORT AND ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS.[VI'-1]

This chapter, which appears to be a number of disjointed pieces, whose connection is not obvious, is really all of a part, being a certain Congressional matter. It is easily traced to its source in American State Papers, as the set of documents which Pike brought to bear on Congress for legislative action in his case, when he was trying to secure some appropriation to recompense himself and his companions for what they had undergone and accomplished during his two expeditions. Barring the way in which it was botched in this book, Nos. 6 and 13 are substantially the same as Doc. No. 259 of the 2d Session of the 10th Congress, being the report of a committee laid before the Ho. Reps. Dec. 16th, 1808, with accompanying papers, and as such will be found printed in American State Papers, folio, Washington, Gales and Seaton, 1834, pp. 942-944. The same volume contains, on p. 719, Doc. No. 248 of the 1st Session of the 10th Congress, being a previous report of a committee, communicated by John Montgomery, chairman, to the Ho. Reps., Mar. 10th, 1808. The same volume also contains, on p. 463, Doc. No. 212 of the 2d Session of the 9th Congress, a Report on Exploration of Western Waters, communicated by Mr. Alston to the Ho. Reps., Dec. 22d, 1806, mentioning Lewis and Clark, Pike, and Freeman, and recommending an annual appropriation for the purpose of such explorations. But none of these bills passed or became a law, though in Pike's own case they were, as we see, entirely favorable to his claim for extra remuneration. The case was reopened by Pike's widow, many years after his death; but nothing ever came of it. This seems hard, especially as Lewis and Clark and their men were well rewarded by Congressional legislation; but acts of Congress are as inscrutable as the ways of Providence, in any question of right or wrong. As to the composition of this chapter, see note1, p. 807, and observe that we have: (1) The Report of the Congressional Committee of which Mr. Montgomery was chairman, recommending an appropriation. (2) A letter from the Secretary of War to this chairman, inclosing copies of instructions Pike received from Wilkinson for each of his expeditions. (3) A copy of one of these instructions, namely, for the Mississippi voyage, but no copy of the other which ought to appear here—for the reason, no doubt, that Pike had put it already in his book, as a sort of preface to Pt. 2: see note1, p. 562. Both or neither of these instructions should have come here. (4) Dearborn's complimentary letter to Pike. (5) Pike's return of men, etc., or roster of his two parties, furnished for the information of Congress upon the question of who were the persons for whom reward was claimed.