Washington, DC The Senate approves Jefferson’s request for $2500 to fund the expedition. Also, the American Board of Agriculture organizes and includes Lewis as a members representing the District of Columbia.
Robert Wright (1752–1826)
J. Pinkney Wightman (1886)
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.
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.
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. |
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| ↑2 | “Washington City, Friday, February 25, 1803,” The National Intelligencer, 2. |
