Washington telegraph., 1864-05-18
From the Naichitoche. Union. I


The Duty OF FRANcE-The Treaty
of Cession of Both April, 1903, BY the
then French Republic, was but tempo
rary transfer. for the benefit of the iuhab b.
tauts of the cedcd Territories under the
dominion, political and proprietary, Of The
Government of the United States. Such
was the Intention and object OF Bonapsrte,
first Consul of the French Republic, sud
so it has been received and construed by
the American Government At the tina OF
the Treaty and since. The commissioners
of the United States were My instructed
to treat for the Cesslon of the Island OF
Orleans, leaving TO France the whole west
size of the Mississippi
The retrocession of Louisiana to France
by Spain, in 1900, vas the earlies, acqui-
sition ot the First Consul. He naturally
felt great Al 1iery to retain il. but at that
time he was on the eve of q war with the
E. glish, and had we'll grounded appre-
heusions for the safety Of the Colony,
should their feet euter the Mississippi.
10th as he was to part with this iin,uense
serritory, he could not calmly contemplate
to dire q misfortune. Those gr,sping
Islanders, said he, have already wrested
from France-Canada, Nova Scotia, Cape
Breton and Newfoundlani, ia the New
World, and the richest part of Asia in the
Old will save the Colonists OF Louisl-
sua, Frcuchmen as they are, from the fate
OF their less fortunate countrymen--they
shall never groan under tho British yoke
L will make them Independents States aud
members of the American Union.
The proposition for the cession Of the
whole Territory took the American Com
missioners by surprise, but they saw in
stantly the iucaculable advantages to be
derived from it, and the negotiation was
pressed with great vigor.
Bonaparte was determined 80 to frame
the Treaty, as that while ten porarily
granting the political and proprietary Do
minion to the United States, he would Sc
cure to the inhabitants Of the Colony their
independence as sovereign States, "as soon
as possible" He said to his Minister,
(Barbe Marbois,) who negoriated the
Treaty, there is DO time to consult the
Colonists, bu: l have permanently estab.
lished their great interests.
He then presented him the Instrument,
drawn up in his own hand, to be inserted
10 the Treaty. 1t is 10 these clear and
expressive terms:
"The inhabitants Of the ceded Territory
shall be incorporated IT the Uni,n of the
United States, aud admitted ns room as
possible, acourding to the principles Of the
Federal Constitution, to the enjoyment of
all rights, advantages and immunities o
ci,izeus of the Uniied States; aud, in the
meantime, they shall be maintained aud
protected in the free enjoyment Of their
berty, property, and tue religion which
they profess"
And said:
"Que les Louisisnais eachent gu. nou.
nous sepsrons d'eux a regret. quo nous
sipulons Gu leur fnveur tout &c qu'ils peu-
VI n desirer, ct qua PaveDir. heuresuI de
lsar il dependence. lis re souvieuucu, qu lis
snt etc frapcais ct que Ia France, eu les
csdant, leur assure des avantsges qu'ii-
u'sursient pu obtenir sous le gouverDe-
mept d'uUe metropole d Europe, que'que
paiesnel'qa'il put etre. Qu'ils conserve, t
d,nc pour nous des sentiments d'affection.
It QUO forigiue commune, Ia parente, le
language, les meurs perpe'uent ramitie."
LET the Loaisianiaps know that We
separate ourselves from them with regret.
that We slipulate in their favor every
thing that they can desire; aud let them
hereafter, happy in their independence,
recullect that they have been Frenchaen.
and that France, in ceding them, has Sc
cured Tor them advantages which they
c,uld not have obtained from a European
p,wer, however paternal il might have
been. Let them retain for Us sentiments
of affection; add may their common ori.
gin, descent, language and customs. per-
petuate the friendship"