ou,
and for no other eyes. But now I come once more to you to
hold you to your promise.

_Meriwether Lewis, come back to us!_ By this time the trail
surely is long enough! We are counting absolutely on your
return. I heard Mr. Merry tell my father--and I may tell it
to you--that on your recall rested all hope of the success
of our own cause on the lower Mississippi--for ourselves and
for you. If you do not come back to us, as early as you can,
you condemn us to failure--myself--my life--that of my
father--yourself also.

Perhaps your delay may mean even more, Meriwether Lewis. I
have to tell you that times are threatening for this
republic. Relations between our country and Great Britain
are strained to the breaking-point. Mr. Merry says that if
our cause on the lower Mississippi shall not prevail, his
own country, as soon as it can finish with Napoleon, will
come against this republic once more--both on the Great
Lakes and at the mouth of the Mississippi. He says that your
expedition into the West will split the country, if it goes
on. It must be withdrawn or the gap must be mended by war.
You see, then, one of the sure results of this mad folly of
Thomas Jefferson.

Go on, therefore, if you would ruin me, my father--your own
future; but will you go on if you face possible ruin _for
your own country_ by so doing? This I leave for you to say.

Surely by now the main object of your expedition will have
been accomplished--surely you may return with all practical
results of your labors in your hands. Were that not a wiser
thing? Does not your duty lie toward the east, and not
further toward the west? There is a limit beyond which not
even a forlorn hope is asked to go when it assails a
citadel. Not every general is dishonored, though he does not
complete the campaign laid out for him. Expeditions have
failed, and will fail, with honor. Leaders of men have
failed, will fail, with honor. I do not call it failure for
you to return to us and let the expedition go on. There is a
limit to what may be asked of a man. There are two of you
for Mr. Jefferson; but for us there is only one--it is
Captain Lewis. And--how shall I say it and not be
misunderstood?--there is but one for her whose face you see,
I hope, on this page