Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-09
MAP BOUNDARIES CORRECT.
ME-. j. NJ. Lowe Settles Any Doubts Mr.
Greenwood May Have ms to
Louisiana Purchase.

To The Journal.
Observing in The Journal that Professor
Greenwood has decided the new map of the
United States to be incorrect in fixing the
boundaries Of the Louisiana Purchase, per-
nit me to say that the boundaries as shown
are absolutely correct. We purchased Ore
gon from Napoleon in 1905, extending from
latitude ~ deg. to 81 deg, 40 min. N: or
course. England set up a claim to 1t after
warde.by virtue of the pretended Id discSv,
England abandoned the contest and re-
nounced her claim finally in 1876. when she
had to face the American shibboleth Of
Prior to Captain Gray's discovery
Thomas Jefferson, as early as 1!So. while
minister to France. was the real discoverer
speaking to this point. said. THAT man OF
large and unselfish ideas-that statesman
who could conceive measures useful to all
mankind, and in all time to come-waS the
first to propose that commercial
cation (meaning commercial communication
with Asia by way of the wesp and may
the Columbia river. His philosophic mind
told him that where a snow-clad mountain,
like that of the Rocky mountains. shed the
such a. river as the Missouri. there must be
a corresponding shedding and collection Of
waters on the other; and thus he was per-
where the Columbia has since been found
to be. although no navigator had seen its
mouth, and no explorer trod Its banks. His
conviction was complete; but the idea was
too grand and useful to be permitted to
rest in speculation. He was then minister
to France. and the famous traveller. Led
petition Of discovery to the Nile, was pre-
vailed upon by Mr.. Jefferson to enter upon
a fresher and more useful field OF discov-
f tbyate ne fr6 prop t z old ID t a,m the 10 N Saan Wor his
and, proceeding to St. Petersburg upon a
passport he would obtain for him, he should
then obtain permission from the Empress
high Northern latitude to their Eastern eX-
tremity-cross the sea from kamschatka
or at Behring'S strait. and. descending the
upon the river which must head opposite
the head of the Missouri. ascend 1t to its
source In the Rocky mountains. and then
follow the Missouri to the French settle
ments on the upper Mississippi. and thence
home. 1t was n magnificent and a daring
project OF discovery. and on that account
the more captivating to the ardent spirit
of Ledyard. He undertook Invent to st.
Petersburg-received the permission OF the
empress-and had arrived in Siberia when
he was overtaken by a revocation of the
permission and conducted as a spy out of
the country. Mr.. Jefferson was
baked in that. his first attempt, to estab-
But a time was coming for him to under
take it under better auspices. He became
president of the United States: in 1901, made
the Louisiana purchase in 1903. and In that
character projected the expedition OF Lew
is and Clark. obtained the sanction Of con-
gress. and sent them forth to discover the
head and course of the river" -
Speech of Mr.. Benton, made in the SEN
ate in 1890. jefferson was still living at
Monticello when this discussion took place.
chase that we accepted Oregon. The French
explored the Mississippi ito the sea" in
1852. John Lords Mississippi bubble burst
In 1862 France ceded it to Spain. In 1900
1t was coded back again to Franco. and in
1903 to the United States. The region
bought by jefferson included all the coun-
try west of the Mississippi not occupied by
Spain. as far north as British territory. and
a correct idea of the dimensions of the
farm he was acquiring. and England. aft
! er her usual buster and bluff. conceded II,