The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-05-24
April 12, 1899.
(Te be concluded in Our next.J
NEGOTIATION FOR LOUISIANA.

THE public have right to know the hifory of their
great public events. Much has been faid concern
ing the extent of Mr.. LivingRon's inGructions
to negotiate for that important and extenive pro-
vince; and many fpeculatons have been publh-
ed as to the REFLECTIVE merits of that gentleman,
and of Mr.. Monroe his colleague, in eifeeinc the
treaty. The buiinefs being now happily completed
and adjutted to the iatisfaction of SPAIN France,
the United States and the inhabitants of the coded
country thenielves, there Teens to be peculiar
iatisfacton in taking minute review of this great
tranlaetion. With this intention we pubhih an
account OF the beginning and progrefs of the treaty
until its coneluiion on the 3oth April, 1903. The
facts are iaid to have been written from Paris to
Doctor MIrcHELL by gentleman of the firt
credibility and information there and fubhan-
TALLY the fame which were circulated at Waihing-
ton while the treaty and convention for Louifiana
were under confederation by the Senate and BY
Congrrfs. They fhew the bold and decided con-
duct OF MIR. LIVINGSTON, and give 4 fair view Of
his talents as negociator, well of the fare he
had and the part he acted in the acGuiltion of Lou
iiana.1 11e,e. dSz,
Mr.. L. had long foreGeen that the pof1efIion
of the eaf bank of the MiiIiEippi, to which a.
lone the views of our government extended
would be inefficient 10 infiIre our tranquility if
an active, powerful, and enlightened people oc-
cupicd the wet bank, particularly that beautiful
country that lies above the river Arkanfas, op-
polite to our weftern Establishments. He there
fore, Though without powers) firft endeavour-
ed to fatisfy the people in power at Paris, that
the eftabliihment would be of no ufe to them {:
and that if they pofTeiIed LouiGana, it was pro-
per to give us all the country above the Arkan-
fas, in order to nterpofe us between them and
Canada. He got his reflections on this fubieGt
fubmitted to the Firf Conful, through the bro
herr f he latf n a; l.:
oent attachment TO it, procured an alIinrance
from him that fome arrangement fhould be
made satisfactory to us on this fubieGf, & that
it Mould be done in America by General Ber-
Badotte.
In March, MIR. L. vcntured upon what was
there conlidered as a bold and hazardous mea-
fure, direct and forcible addrefs to the firt
Conful, particularly onthe fubiett of our claims !;
upon which having received from him a DO
ftiue aDuranee that they fhould be promptly &
fully paid, Mr.. l.. began to look forward TO
this as means Ct accomplishing his other OBJ
jeets becaufe he felt an afIurance that the FirH
Conful could not go back from his perfonal
promife (; nor, in cafe of war, which began
to be probable, could he find any other means
of difcharging it.
The fpirted conduct of our nation in the af-
fair of New Orleans was alto of ufe, and 70
ftrongly preHed by Mr.. l.. that the French min
liter called upon him for fome proportion re.
lative to that country. Though wholly withou:
powers, he ventured on the l4th of March to
make them explicitly for the eait lide of the RI
yer, and all above the Arkanfas, on the wet ;
he received Il verbal aTurance few DAYS after
that the next day fhould bring him full and
satisfactory anfwer and he doubted not that
uch was prepared when, unfortunately, let
iCTs from air. iiCbon were received, +" and tina,
all was quiet" This determined them TO wait
to fee whether the war would pats over, and
whether a better bargain could not be made
But as our Mnilter continued to prefs the ex.
ecution of their promife for the debt, and ar
explicit recognition of our right OF depot, the
Pirt Conful announced to Council on the ssg
-four days before Monroe arrived there) his de-
termination to fell the country to us. The
next day the mipilter called upon Mr.. T.. for :
ipecifc proposition. The day after Oh,
buGnefs being put into Mr.. Marbois's hands
the miniher alarmed MIR. T.. by pretend
ing that he had no particular authority e
fpeak to him on the fubje6t, but again cal
led on him TO fay what he would give. Wher
our Minifter heard of Mr.. Monroe's landing Al
Havre, he refufed TO ad till his colleague arri
we'd but ansed why they wiihed him TO pro
pofe for The whole Of LouiGana, when he hac
only alSed the eat fidc of the river, aud por
ton ofthe WET The mGiner told him thai
he had afked all that was worth having, ant
therefore muf take the whole to which Mr
l.. faid he had no objection, but would now