Page:Centennial History of Oregon 1811-1912, Volume 1.djvu/269

 he ancient

bouiulary of Louisiaii;i. Tlicsc claims will he \\\r suiiji-cl of negotiations with Spain, and it, as soon as she is at war we juisli tlicm strongly with one hand, liolding out a price in the other, we shall obtain the Floridas, and all in good time. In the meanwhile, without waiting for permission, we shall enter into the exercise of the natural right we have always insisted on w^ith Spain, to-wit: That of a nation holding the upper part of streams, having a right of innocent passage through them to the Ocean. We shall prepare her to see us pracliee on this, and she will not oppose it by force. ' '

And under the doctrine announced in that letter, Jefferson immediately organized the Lewis and Clark Expedition which made its way across Spanish territory to Old Oregon, and connected with Gray's discovery under Washing- ton's authority at the mouth of the Columbia river, thus raising under the au- thority of these two great Presidents the American flag from Ocean to Ocean — and planting the stakes for the American Title to Old Oregon.