Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 6.djvu/18

12 have to repair to the thought, purposes, and ideals of Thomas Jefferson.

An event so peculiar in its origin and setting as was the Lewis and Clark exploration has character and influences of its own. Events of the ordinary run, like the Louisiana purchase, are mainly but precipitations from conditions and have their significance and influence in the change they make in conditions under which a people lives. An event, however, like the Lewis and Clark- exploration, when appreciated in its essential character, has in it the enkindling thrill, the spur to resolute endeavor that wins a people to the mastery of its fate. The former affects the lifeless externals. This touches the living, inner purposes. That is bound to decrease. This will bear fruit increasingly as conditions ripen for the application of its spirit, its methods, and its purposes. Its intent will be realized, its motive have application as conditions are prepared for it. It needs but be comprehended to draw all unto it.

The great achievement of the intrepid explorers was but the first act of a world drama of Jefferson's planning, for which the continent was to be the stage. We find the sentiments and ideas for the acts that were to follow in order in the life-ideas of Jefferson. As was natural, Jefferson's thought ran far ahead of the slow procession of events. Before his mind's eye he passed in review the other four acts of this "Westward Course of Empire." Our attention as a people has been too long and too exclusively arrested on the dramatic opening. Our admiration has been chained to the exhibition of fortitude, valor, and endurance. It is time that we should turn to the more advanced, the more significant and far-reaching purposes cherished by its author. These, when fully comprehended, will be found to have largest and closest application to the prob-