Hon. Alva Adams of Pueblo, Col., delivered an address before the students and faculty of Colorado College, Colorado Springs, July 12th, 1894, which was published under the title: The Louisiana Purchase and its first Explorer, Zebulon Montgomery Pike, 8vo, pp. 23. This is a spirited oration, befitting the occasion and inspiring to read. It is true that Pike's book appeared in 1810, thus anticipating by four years the publication of Lewis and Clark; but can Governor Adams have forgotten who first explored the Louisiana Purchase, and returned from their expedition to the Pacific at noon of Sept. 23d, 1806? At that date Pike was at the Pawnee village on the Republican river; and on the 4th of October he had the news of Lewis and Clark's return to St. Louis. His western expedition had been in progress only since July 15th, 1806. If Governor Adams had Pike's Mississippi voyage in mind, that does not alter the case. Lewis and Clark started up the Missouri May 24th, 1804; and when Pike began to navigate the Mississippi, Aug. 9th, 1805, Lewis and Clark were on Jefferson river, in Montana. Furthermore, Pike was preceded in exploring Louisiana, from Missourian waters to those of the Rio Grande, by James Pursley, who had himself been preceded by Jean Baptiste Lalande, as we are duly informed by Pike himself; and it is probable that French traders reached Santa Fé by the same way half a century before Pike.
The Annals of Iowa, 3d series, Vol. I. No. 7, Oct., 1894, pp. 531-36, contains an article entitled: Pike's Explorations. This is anonymous, but was written by my much esteemed friend, Hon. Charles Aldrich, editor of the Annals and curator of the Iowa State Historical Department at Des Moines. The article is clear and concise; and it traces Pike's several journeys with absolute accuracy.
We return from this bibliographical excursus to resume the thread of Pike's biography—would that there had been many more years to chronicle in the gallant and patriotic, but all too brief, life of the young soldier! No longer lieutenant, but captain, since Aug. 12th, 1806, Pike was delivered out of the hands of "our friends the enemy" on the Sabine river, to which he had been escorted by his Spanish captors, June 29th, 1807; and arrived at Natchitoches about 4 p. m., July 1st. The following letter was received at the War Department Sept. 29th, 1807; it is not included in the Appendix to Pt. 3 of the book, and has probably never been published. I print verbatim from a copy of the original now on file in the office of the secretary of war:
Natchitoches 15 July. 1807.
Sir
I arrived here a few days since with part of my command only, the ballance being yet in New Spain, but expect them daily; as the Capt. General assured me they should follow me in a short period; he detaining them I presume, to put them through an examination, when he conceived they would be more easily intimidated into some equivocal expressions; which might palliate the unjustifyable conduct of the Spanish Government with respect to the expidition which I had the honor to command.
Whatever may be the sentiments of the Executive of the United States as to the conduct of the Spaniards to myself and command, I am bound to submit. Yet I am conscious that our Honor and Dignity, as a nation will not permit us to tranquilly view, the violation of our Territories; infringements of Treaties; Hostile communications to our Savages; and oppression of our Citizens; in various Instances: all of which I can make manifest.
The unreasionable Ideas of the Vice Roy, & His Excelly the Capt. Genl. (the immediate representatives of his Catholic Majesty on our Spanish Frontiers) as it respects the line of Demarkation, is such that in my humble oppinion almost precludes the possibility of a thought that they can ever be amicably adjusted.
On that subject I flatter myself I have acquired some important and interesting information.