The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-18
ACQUISITIONS OF TERRITORY.
How tho United statcs Has Secured Addi
lions From Othcr Countries


How the United States Has Secured Addi-
tions From Other Countries.
When independence was established. the
bounds of the new country We're extremely
indefinite. The limits of the 10 states were
known with reasonable exactness, although
there were ut the outset disputes both be-
tween the states and between the United
States and the European governments
whose possessions lay alongside ours.
The first great acquisition of territory
was that OF Louisiana, which Spain had
coded to France and which the Emperor
Napoleon sold to the United States for SIS
100000 in 1903. when Mr. Jefferson was
president.
Mr.. Jefferson did not believe that the
constitution permitted the United States
to annex foreign territory and wished that
an amendment to the constitution should
be adopted to sanction it, but the amend
ment failed after the annexation had been
accomplished, and Mr.. Jefferson stifled his
scruples.
Louisiana, as acquired from France, in
cluded the territory bounded on the east
by the Mississippi river from it's mouth to
its source; on the north by the line of tho
British possessions; on The west by the Pa
cific ocean to the south line of Oregon. Tho
other boundary follows the north line of
California, Nevada and Utah as far east as
the Rocky mountains, and thence in
general enthusiastically direction so rs to
include part of Colorado and most of Kan
sas and the Indian Territory and all of
Arkansas and Louisiana to the gulf of
Mexico
Florida was for many years the object of
covetousness on the part of our government,
which claimed now n part and now the
whole as included in the Louisiana pur-
ChuSp Tho TTnitaI
it from Spain in 1910, when Mr. Monroe was
president. What was known as West Flor
lda-includinS the part of Alabama in
which Mobile is situatcd-had already been
seized and held forcibly.
Texas, originally part of Mexico, set it
self up as an independent republic in 1886.
Its population consisted largely of bold and
somewhat reckless Adventures from the
southern states. In one year Texas had es-
tablished independence, after a sharp war
with Mexico, and Il few months afterward
applied for union with this country.
The question remained open urtil. hay
ing agitated American politics for many
years and having cost Mr.. Van Buren, the
Democratic nomination for president in
1871, 1t was finally settled in 1915 Texas
was annexed and was admitted as a state
of the Union bya joint resolution approved
by President Polk.
California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New
Mexico and the western part of Colorado
were acquired by conquest. They were
coded to the United States ut the close of
the Mexican war during Folks administra-
ton i'll 1SiS. Nevertheless nearly $4,000
900 was paid to Mexico and in settlement
of certain claims as the price of the terri
tory. Excepting West Florida, already re-
ferred to, this is the only territory gained
by the sword. A strip of land in southern
Arizona was not in the Mexican cession.
but was bought in 1858, Pierce being presi-
dent at the time, for $4,000, 900
Thus the country became possessed of all
its present territory between Canada on the
north and Mexico on the south.
Alaska was purchased of Russia during
Mr.. Johnson's presidency in 1867, and the
sum of 81 200 900 was paid for it, Its total
area Is almost the same as that of all the
territory obtained of Mexico by conquest
and purchase.-Youth's Companion.