Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-21
THE FRENCH CLAIMS.
Story Of Their Justice and the
Wrong Of the Long Delay.
THE PURCHASE OF LOUISIANA.
Napoleon Preferred the United States Should
Have the Territory Rather Than England
The Cheapest Lot Of Land Ever Purchased
The Ultimate Destiny of the Island Of Cuba.
WE ARE SURE THE WHOLE AMERI
w can raor,la will that ~ last Tor,

WE ARE SURE THE WHOLE AMERI-
w can people will rejoice that at last Con-
gress has done something to redeem the faith
Of the government toward the claimants pro-
vided for in the French spoliation bill. How
few know the origin and the consequent justice
Of that ng-delayed measure of relief-no re-
lief it is true. to the original claimants. many
| OF whom died in want while waiting the tardy
justice OF ''the most scoundrelly government on
EARTH" as Mr.. Sumner denounced it. while
these very claimants were pleading for justice
and their rights. of which he was an ardent ad-
vocate The money to pay these claims was
retained from the French government out of
the price agreed upon for the purchase Of
Louisiana. Let me tell the whole story as it il
found in the public records both OF France and
our own country. In 1903 Mr.. jefferson sent
Mr.. Monroe to France, as special envoy. to
treat for the settlement of the questions
then pending between the two governments.
The utmost the administration expected to
acquire from France who was soon to become
the owner of Louisiana and Florida. was a re
moval of the commercial disability which the
western section of the Union was subjected to
and which most seriously obs.ructed its progress
and defeated its prosperity. To obtain the
control OF tine left bank Of the Mississippi to
| its mouth by the purchase of Louisiana was the
object of Mr.. MonrOe's mission to France
Before Mr. Monroe reached France the clouds
OF war were hanging over Europe. The treaty
OF hmlens, which promised long peace. was
only truce. Joseph Bonaparte and Lord
CORVALLIS were the representatives Of their
respective governments, but their negotiations
failed to secure the peace they promised. This
Threatened conflict ROpapart ia felt ,voul1
England, whose naval power was superior to
any nation in the world to take from him
Louisiana and Florida. He had only held them
few days, when he determined to place them
where England would be deprived of the pres
tige it would give her to wrest these import
ant possessions from France.
BoNAPARTEs DIPLOMACY.
Mr.. Blaine relates most graphically in his
Thirty Years in Congress" how Bonaparte by
dash of diplomacy, as quick and brilliant ~
his tactics o9 the field of battle. placed Lousi-
ana beyond the reach of British power Mr.
Blaine says: ION Easter Sunday. April TO- 1903
he called two Of his most trusted advisers and
IN tones OF vehemence and passion said Il know
the full value of Louisiana and have been desrous
OF repairing the faults of the French negotiators
OF 1863. After few lines of a treaty have re-
stored 1t to me L must expect to lose it, or the
Engllsh wish to take possession of it. and il is
thus they will begin the war. They have
!
Mexico. The conquest of Louisiana
would be easy. = have not a moment IN
loose in putting it out of their reach. = 3 The
English shall not have the Mississippi which
they covet. The discussion went far into the
night: The two members differed widely Oh
the advice which they gave the first consul
Ono was in favor of holding Louisi-
an" at all hazards. The other urged
ITS prudent cession rather than
| Its inevitable loss by war. At daylight
the minister who had a1y
summoned by Bonaparte to read dispatches
from London that moment arrived. which GER
tainly Swallowed war. as the English were max
ing military and naval preparations with extra
ordinary rapidity. After reading the dis
| patches the first consul said: Irresolution
and deliberation are no longer in season.
VIII renounce Louisiana. 1t is not only New
Orleans will cede; it is the whole colony with
| out any reservation. know the value Of what
abandon. | renounce 1t with the greatest re-
greet To attempt obstinstely to retain it would
be folly. / direct you to negotiate the affair
with the envoy of the United States Do not
wait the arrival Of Mr.. Monroe. Have an inter
view with Mr.. Livingston. But I re-
qulre great deal OF money for this war 8
l will be moderate. | want fifty millions
for Louisiana. The minister who had op-
posed the sale interposed in subsequent in
tervlew, some observations upon what the Ger
mans call souls, as to whether they could be
the subject of a contract of sale. Bonaparte
replied, with undisguised sarcasm: You are
giving me the theory of the law OF nature but
require money to make war on the richest
| nation i'll the world. Send your maxims to
London. | am sure thev will be greatly adj
mlred there. The first consul subsequently
added: Perhaps it will be objected to the
Americans that they will be found too powerful
FOR Europe in two or three centuries: but nv
foresight does not embrace such remote fears.
Besides. we may hereafter expect revolutions
among the members Of the Union. The con-
federation, which is perpetual, only lasts till
one OF the contracting parties finds it to his in
terest to break them.
ME-. MONROE TOOK THE RESPONSIBILITY.
Two days after this conversation Mr. Monroe
opportunely arrived and on the 3Oth of Anril
the treaty ceding Louisiana 10 the United States
was formally concluded. Mr.. Monroe and Mr..
Livingston had no authority to negotiate for so
vast an extent of territory. but the former was
fully possessed of Mr.. Jefferson's views and felt
assured that his instructions would have been
ample If the condition of France had been fore
seen when he sailed from America. Communi-
cation with Washington WAS impossible I'm
der the most favorable circumstances AN an
swer could not be expected in less than three
months. and by that time the British ships
would probably hold the mouth of the Missis-
sippi and the flag of Saint George be waving
over New Orleans Messrs. Monroe and Liv.
inSston realized that hesitation would be atal
and they boldly took the responsibility of pur-
chasing territory of unknown but prodi-
gious extent and Of pledging the credit of the
government for sum which, rated by the abilit-
to pay, was larger than similar pledge of today
OF S5OoOOO 900. The amount agreed upon to be
paid to France was Sll $50 600. in per cent
bonds. the interest of which was PAYABLE in
London, Amsterdam and Paris the principal
at the treasury i'll Washington. in sums OF
e3,OOO.0OO a year. beginning fifteen years after
the bonds were issued. The balance of the
amount agreed upon, something over $1,000
OCO. was to be employed in paying the claim
ants against France, and for which they have
been clamorlng all these years. Thus the total
cost of Louisiana was 80,000, 900 francs or
Sl5, 000. 900.
JEFFERSON ABUSED FOR THE PURCHASE
Mr.. Blaine, in speaking of this acquisition of
territory, says: 1T seems hardly creditable
that the acquisition of Louisiana by Jefferson
was denounced with a bitterness SURPRISING
the partisan rancor with which later genera
tions have been familiar. No abuse was too
malignant. no epithet too coarse, no impreca-
ton too savage to be employed by the assail-
ants OF the great and philosophic statesman
who laid so broad and deep the foundat ions of
his countrys greatness" And again he says
in his admirable work: 1.-The President of a
feeble republic, contending for prize which
was held by the greatest military power in
Europe, and whose possession was coveted by
the greatest naval power in the world-Mr.
Jefferson--through his chosen and trusted
agents, so conducted his important negotia-
lions that the ambition of the United States
was successfully interposed between the neces-
stiles Of the one and the greedy designs of the
othpr Tho Dra,;.la.,k