New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-06-12
The
as
well


q history
5 Louisiana
ehe present tim
.orrect in its gener
on z5etrays knowledge
facts .e transfer of Lonisiap
from Spa. aud from the latter to tn
United State : oh have never vet becom
matters Of his. ry, but which the late Gen
Ripley eonfded to us more than 20 years ago, a
having been derived from Mr. Marigny ant
documents inAhis possession. We cannot resis
the inclination to make an extract from til,
work in question:
so On the 18th March, 1902, the peace o
Amiens having been signed by England, Franc,
and Spain, the treaty of st. lldefonso, by which
Louisiana had been coded to France, becam,
public. 1t was a matter of astonishment il
Europe, that the French government did moi
now prepare any military expedition for Louisi.
ana-ftey who il 1902 had sent an army d
forty Thousand men to Saint Domingo under
general Leclere
Napoleon only made some insignificant de-
nonstrations in order to induce the United
states to enter into negotiations relative to
Ionisiana. The government of the colony was
frst proposed to general Bernadotte; but he was
purposely denied what he thought necessary
there, to maintain his authority But the
United States making no overtnres, Laussat was
sent 70 Louisiana in 1903, with the title Of
project. lie was accompanied by adjutant
Burthe, and by lieutenant Dominique Burthe,
his brother by colonel Vinaehe. Of the engineers,
and by captain Castillo, of the artillery who
brought with him six field pieces Laussat was
bearer of a letter to me from my relative de
PonTalba. whom have already mentioned he
invited me to tender the use of my house to
Laussat aud tolis wife, a woman of remarkable
beauty and wit. Madam Laussat was ac-
companied by her two daughters, aged fourteen
and twelve. D'Augereau was the secretary Of
the project. As my house was large, / had re-
served for myself two apartments: Laussat had
rendered mea seat at his table and the entrance
OF his saloons; was therefore one of his intimate
society aud have often heard him exclaim
$ The French troops arrive not."s II was known
that afser the refusal of Bernadotte general
victor had been appointed to the government of
Louisiana, and no preparations we're made either
tor the departure of that officer OF ofany military
force.
chancellor Livingston, then United States
minister IN ParIss was rather man Of learning
than q diplomatic; he had paid thus far but little
attention to the question Of the navigation of the
mississippi Under these circumstances, two
merchants from New Orleans arrived in Paris |
Ihey were James Pilot, q man of learning and /
who was subsequently, for many years |
mayor of New Orleans, and Daniel Clarke an /
irIshman by birth, of an active and restless
spirit, who was reputed at the time as the larp.
est land holder in Louisiana In consequences of |
the representations Of these two citizens To the
American minister, of the grievances Of the
people Of the Western part of the United States,
Livingston addressed letter to the minister of
Ioregn affairs, Talleyrand de Perrigord, in order
70 ascertain he intentions of the French govern.
nent as to the navigation Of the Mississippi and
ne mart which was indispensable in Louisiana,
or the productsof the Western country. Talley-
ana ex presseds IN his answer TO the American
Minister, The desire that the existing harmony
between the two nations should not be inter
'np1ed but be promised nothing positively. |
livingston, although without any authority
rom ms government, thereupen thought proper
Q enter into negotiations with the French
'abnet in relation to Louisiana He offered a
nia OF three millions of dollars for the Isle of
orleans, from the head of the river Manchac to
AXE Maurepas, then following line in the n
middle OF said lake, and of lake Pontcbartrain,
through the middle ofthe Rigolets, and turning |
round The coast Of the Mexican Gulf to the G
mississippi, and thence continuing up said river n
. the pointof departure. The answer of Talley
and to this proposition was less evasiYe
In Louisiana, the people were uneasy as to 4
ne new government about to be established in |
le country Tllefofmer French administration u
az ana the mild VI
nd paternal government which Spain had es. u
sbllshsd there had given general satisfaction;
r with the exception of the Governor, the
itendant and the Chief Judge, nine tenths Of 8
e employees, both in the civil and military :,
rVice. IN New Orleans, as we'll as ia the :
,nntry, were natives OF Louisiana In the N
est, ex eitement had reached its highest point m
% hotning less than the invasion and conquest nj
Louisiana, to prevent the French from taking \,
)SSRSti0Q OF lkpn of IS
islsed his felow-citizens to be patient, and TO IL
Sait the result OF the great transaction he was IL
edltating, In mind as comprehensive, as his
ltrlot SIN was great. Being informed that
Ivlngsten had met with but little success, he m
dressed % James Monroe pressing letter hi
he urged upon himsto depart without DELAY /;
france, giving him unlimited powers on nc. - -
eus " sne great distance, and setting forth the II
1lnent services he might render his country, tn
sToted to the interests of his country, Monroe co
lmediateiy departed on his mission but the nj
aseh being uniayorable, he did not reach Paris :.
i1i april, after q long and tedious VOYAGE "
apoleon awaited hin, with impatienee Barrie
afbois, then minister of the treasury. was en-
usted on the part of France with the neeotia ST.
my which were about to be opened in relation gf
Y Wy Navigation OF the Mississippi At the
st interview between the Representatives. Of
Q two countries, Livingston aud Monroe were
! pf3sea at the propositions Of BARRIE Marbois va
W ueslre, said he, IS the navigation of the -,
lssisslppi and mart at New Orleans; well II, ~
viii sell you the whole of Louisiana, with M
primitive boundaries, such as France first ex
sssssea III that Is to say, will sell it ms we tn
sss y from Spain, by the treaty of St. wi
le ,sa IN the year 1900. The price was soon
ieeai upon. ana was fixed ut 50 millions Of
anes, Of which twenty millions were to be re o.
lheu py the government of the United States 80
an indemnity to those fits citizens, who had 10
nereo losses from seizures of their goods or a
ssels, made st different periods by French sea
FPS. ~.
an obstacle presented itself to the execution
Shis treaty, wliehmight have been considered no
neult to overcome; but Napoleon, on this oc. tht
sion. dlsregarded the Obligations esta hlishsd AM
me law Of Aations. BY secret treaty
aflng the same date with that Of ST Ildefnnso
nay heen stipulated that France should not Ola
- 1T! louisiana to any other nation. and m,
~ m. SO happened that she could not or would ~
= Aeep II, she should retroeede it TO Spain va
10 prseaution on the part of Spain is an evil fist
nut already at thnt period the ca binet of of
aaIaa Were fearful OF the encroachments Of th Ind
agio.saXon race towards Mexico. Nanolenn
uneless feared that impediments wop1d or;sa eAl
.ne part OF Spain, but these would he bnt
sne, When La1issat would have heen M ~ I
session OF Louisiana by the spanisb COW - riy
ssionefs, Don Manuel de salzedo ana III ~ mi,
arqnis OF Casacalvo The choice Of tbasa vio -,
ssioners was injudicious. Salseds sHese yum nel
lrm oetogenarian Casacalyo had Nv "eS ah cla
h;s9 .a eSsa'es' MS family. his dearest tfiS
DTS were IN Cuba, and he longed To retnrn ~ yer
hoifsphald mods SSt " AetuTn 10 "