Editing Thomas Jefferson (section)

====Wilkinson's misconduct====
Commanding General [[James Wilkinson]] was a holdover of the Washington and Adams administrations. In 1804, Wilkinson received 12,000 pesos from the Spanish for information on American boundary plans.{{sfn|Banner|1974|p=35}} Wilkinson also received advances on his salary and payments on claims submitted to Secretary of War [[Henry Dearborn]]. This damaging information apparently was unknown to Jefferson. In 1805, Jefferson trusted Wilkinson and appointed him Louisiana Territory governor, admiring Wilkinson's work ethic.

In January 1806, Jefferson received information from Kentucky U.S. Attorney Joseph Davies that Wilkinson was on the Spanish payroll. Jefferson took no action against Wilkinson, since there was not then significant evidence against him.{{sfn|Banner|1974|pp=35–36}} An investigation by the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] in December 1807 exonerated Wilkinson.{{sfn|Banner|1974|p=36}} In 1808, a military court looked into the allegations against Wilkinson but also found a lack of evidence. Jefferson retained Wilkinson in the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]].{{sfn|Banner|1974|pp=36–37}} Evidence found in Spanish archives in the 20th century proved Wilkinson was on the Spanish payroll.{{sfn|Banner|1974|p=35}}