The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-08-23
Mr.. BLAINE's NEW BOOK.


How First Consul Bonaparte SOLD
tho Great Mississtppi Region to
the United statos to Prevent its
Seizure by England.
The following is an extract from the
Introductory chapter of Mr.. Blaine's
forthcoming history, Twenty Years of
C0ngress:"
Events beyond the ocean were work.
ing more rapidly for the interest of the
United States than any influences the
government could exert. Before Mr..
Munroe reached France, in the spring
of 1903, another war-cloud of portentious
magnitude was hanging over Europe.
The treaty of Amiens, which proved
only truce, misconstrued and violated
by both parties, was about to be for
nally broken. Fearing that in the con-
flict to come, England, by her superior
naval force, would deprive him Of his
newly acquired colonial empire, and
greatly enhance her own prestige by
securing all the American possessions
which France had owned prior to 1863,
BOnaparte, by dash in diplomacy as
quick and as brilliant as his tactics on
the field of battle, placed Louisiana be-
yond the reach of the British power.
After returning to St. Cloud from the
10, 1903, he called two of his most trusted
advisers, and in tone of vehemence
and passion said:
II know the full value of Louisiana.
and have been DESTROYS of repairing the
fault of the French negotiators who lost
it in 1863. A few lines of a treaty must
have restored it to me, and now must
expect to lose it. The English
wish to take possession of it and it is
thus they will begin the war. They
have twenty ships of war in the gulf Of
Mexico. T. = The conquest of Louis
lana would be easy. have not mo-
ment to lose in putting it ont of their
reach. The English have success
lively taken from France the Canadas,
Cape Breton, Newfoundland, Nova Sco-
| tia, and the richest portions of Asia. But
they shall not have the Mississippi which
they covet."
The discussion went far into the
night. The two ministers differed wide
~ in the advice which they gave the
first consul. One was in favor of hold
ing Louisiana at all hazards: the other
urged it's prudent cession rather than its
inevitable loss by war. The ministers
both remained at st. Cloud for the nieht.
At daybreak the minister who had adj.
vised the cession was summoned by b.
| naparte to read dispatches from London
that moment received, and which GER
| tainly foreshadowed war; as the English
were making military and naval prepa-
ratiOns with extraordinary rapidly. Al
| ter reading the dispatches the first con-
sui said:
"Irresolution and deliberation are no
| longer in season. Irenounce Louisiana.
1t is not only New Orleans will cede;
it is the whole colony without any res.
eryation. l know the value of what
abandon. l renounce it with the great
est regret. To attempt obstinately to
retain it would be folly;I direct you to
negotiate this affair with the ENJOYS of
the United States. Do not even wait
the arrival of Mr.. Monroe: Have an in
teryiew this very day with Mr.. Living
quire great deal of money for this var.
| l will be moderate. I want $50, 600, 900
for Louisiana"
The minister who was opposed to the
sale interposed, in subsequent inter-
view, .some observations upon what
the Germans call the soulsas to whether
they could be the subject ola contract
or sale" Bonaparte replied with undis-
gnised sarcasm: "YOu are giving me the
idealogy of the law of nature. But re-
Quire money to make war on the rich
est nation in the world Send your
maxims to London. am sure they will
T II sffa rst c s%%'ie' afte eneas
added: perhaps it will be objected that
the Americans will be found too power
| full for Europe in two or three centuries;
but my foresight does not embrace such
4ou'OIo fears. besides VIC may hereafter
expect rivalries among the members of
the Union. The Considerations, which
are called perpetual, only lasts till one
| OF the contracting parties finds it to his
interest to break them"
Louis Napoleon embodied the sub
stance of these views in his "Ideas
Napo!eonnes;" and sixty years after the
First Consul spoke the words quoted,
his nephew believed the time had come
and the Mexican invasion, based on the
assumed destruction of the American
| Union, was undertaken. The destruc-
ton which followed was not OF The Union,
but of the unhappy Austrian Prince
who represented his policy, and later OF
the Emperor himself.
| Two days after this conversation Mr..
Monroe opportunity arrived, and on
| the 3Oth of April the treaty ceding Lou
lsana to the United States was formally
signed and sealed. Mr.. Monroe and
MIR. Livingston had no authority to
negotiate for so vast an extent Of terri
tory; but the former Was fully possessed
Of President Jeferson's, views, and felt
assured that his instructions would have
been ample if the condition of France
had been fOreseen when he sailed from
| American. Communication with Wash.
ington was impossible. Under the most
favorable circumstances an answer could
| not be expected in less than three
months; and by that time British ships
would probably hold the mouths of the
! Mississippi and the flag of St. George
would wave over New Orleans. Messrs.
Monroe and Livingston realized that
hesitation would be fatal; and they
boldly took the responsibility of purchas-
ing territory of unknown and almost
unlimited dimensions and Of pledging
the credit Of the Government for sum
which, rated by tho ability to pay, was
larger than similar pledge for FIVE
hundred millions of dollars. The price
| agreed upon was eleven million two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars in
| per CcHI. OulCeu StdCeS UO0OS, the IN.
terest of which was made payable in
London, Amsterdam and Paris,
and the principal at the treasury
in Washington in sums of three millions
per annum, beginning fifteen years at.
ter the bonds were issued.
In separate treaty made the same
day, the United States agreed to pay
2o,0o0,0 cO francs additional, to be ap-
piled by France to the satisfaction of
certain claims owed to American citizens
thus the total cost of Louisiana was So.
O0O, 600 Of francs, or, in round numbers,
Sis, 100000.
1t seems at this day scarcely creditable
that the acquisition Of Louisiana by JEFF
ferson was denounced with bitterness;
surprising the partisan rancor with
which this generation is familiar. No
abuse was too malignant, no epithet too
coarse, no impre@tion too savage, for
the assaiiants of the great philosophic
statesman, who laid the foundations SO
broad and deep for his country's growth
and grandeur. President of a
! feeble reDublic cOntandi::p