Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1830-04-07

/ MARBOIS'S HISTORY OF IOITSr,,..
| II is truly refreshing, after wadinoN, .
| he llbellous trash Q: recent EeoTsL = n g''o
| 3llers and Reviewers, 10 glide over ,1 ,.'''
book as that whose tile is hereto ms
Ito ;urn from ill-namrcd msreo-o, -
tion, aud stupid iguoranco, to heor,r a.
nature and cal gh,cncd lbenly
/ NIarbois, an aged and highly es,cc9sa -.
zen OF France, who held posts Of nv,
and trust under the Boalbons bef,a y
revolution; who was distinguished T.
he supremacy of Bonapare; vbo
been elevated still higher since The rest
ION ofthe legitimate soyereigns ofPr,.
and who was i resident IN this co,,l~
/ 4 diplomatic agent for seven wears
published a history Of the French CI.
ues in North America, with a rrinr., y.
tail of the cession Of Louisiana. prc5,
by an account Of the institutions ana %,
crnment of fhe United States. The ril
IS done in manner so generally aces-,
as 10 command our admiration aBd r.,r
luie. Il might have been exocc,e5 ~,
one who had suffered so severely ~,;.
the republican and imperial govefbp,,,.
ofhis country, would have looked No.
al liberal institutions as the causes or,,9
But NJ. MarboIs, with an enlarged ans
pbilanthropic view has duly apprec:,,;
ouI system Of government, and has c,.
lsssly displayed its characteristics and
vantages to his countrymen.
TITS amusing to look back upon lo5,
tailed history Of the ccssion of Louisi,r,
which caused so much heart burningabs
time, and to observe the fears which mais
it ours. At the very momeht whom ON
government was sending minister evr.
ordinary to treat for the purchase Of New
Orleans, that we might secure the fes
navigation Of the Mississippi river and
a place of deposite for merchandise, sc.
as a matter Of necessity for tho exs
tence of the Western States, or leu1.
rics as they then were; tho Frs. Consul
Of France was empowering an agent to
throw into our hands Territory almost
unbounded and invaluable. Before Mr.
Monroe arrived in Frsnce, for the purpose
of purchasing New Orleans, Borapue
had offered to sell all the right Of France
to lands ID North America, which extend
ed from West Florida to the Pacific Ocean,
lie authorized NJ. Marbos to sell lhs
same for fifty millions Of francs; and bis
reasons for doing so we're. FIRST, the aa
Of a war with England, in which case he
English would take Louisiana from he
French by the supremacy Of their naval
power; aud second, the want Of money
The First Consul could net brook de
idea, that any part of the French domlnol'
should fall INTO the hands of his iormlda'
bio rival, because that would entail %.
tional disgrace; and the navy Of France
was at that time too weak to admit REM
forcing tho colony Of Louisiana, inaced
British feet, and in spite Of the ploun-
ty Of British colonies. he Therefore
chose to sacrifice the permanent interest
rather than the national honor Of bis coa''
,Iy, especially when he could by 50 ooal
replenlsh an exhausted Treasury nl
strengthen another rival to Great Bne
which threatened at no distant day 20 con-
pete with her on her own empue % O..
ocean.
The American Ministers, Messrs M'i
roc and Livingston, though not emPogoe'
to treat for so extended a purchase si'
the advantage to this country, and emO'
ced il with equal surprise aud plcas0I'
The acuteness of NJ. Marbois gained la
his government thirty millions OF ian'
orsabout six millions Of dollars more il'-
Bonapartc was willing to.receNe iol DC
cession; still the territory wouldha'e b'@
cheap at much larger sum; and our g"
arnment had concluded to pay as nl9
for New Orleans and the free navigate
Of the river, as Bonaparte limited Iol p.
whole cesslon. The sum Of SIX nhl''
is, of course, all that the Ministers sf
ded their instructions, and all inel ~
land from the Mississippi westward g.
De SAID to have cost. We Can scarce!
avoid trembling when we consider 'N
certainly any yacclIlation would .-'l
thrown that whole country 10 ihe liana' q"
Great Britain; and how much soca 90
vent would have endangered Tie sale4
large part Of our nation, If It woa9 4
have frazardcd tie liberty Of the vac.
Though our thanks are due, not SO ID.'s
to tho foresight or policy Of our go'-
ment, as TO the necessities Of de i,..-'
still we may be allowed to bless u' ~
tune which prevented our enemy "
stealing behind our back--and Of Oh I
nations on the globe, England Is lls y. -.
hostile 10 our interests. Let US sal y.
we will and do what we will, she eaI
get rid Of the notion that we should p 7.
servants, her "hewcrs Of wood ana .'-
ers Of walor;" and ages will moi mo.,