The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-25
RALEIGH. III. g.

the public faith; encouragement of agri-
culture, and of commerce as its hand
maid; the diffuSng information and the
arraignment OF all abuses at the bar OF
public reasons; freedom of religion; free
dom of the press; freedom of persons un-
der the protection of the habeas corpus,
and trial by juries imrartially selected"
The first important act of Mr.. Jeffer-
sons administration was to dispatch
three trigateS and one sloop Of our small
navy to the Mediterranean, for the pur-
pose of overawing the Algerine pirates
and terminating their daring attacks
upon American commerce..
When Minister TO France, he had
been annoyed and irritdte1 by the fact
that the United States and other nations
We're compelled to pay tribute to these
buccaneers. One bill sent to Mr. JEFF
ferS0n for the ransom Of an American
crew was az follows:
For three captains. $4,000 each SIS
600: for two mates, $1,000 each. $4,000;
for two passengers, $1,000 each, $1,000:
for fourteen seamen, 81 400 each. $40
| 600: total $4,000
Jefferson was determined that this ma-
tional disgrace should be obIiterated and
the gallant Decatur carried out the in
structions of his chief
Inc most splendid achievement of JEFF
Persons administration. however, was
the acquisition by purchase from Ma
poleon of the Louisiana Territory, which
extended our limits from ocean to ocean
and gave us the mouth of the Mississippi.
When the treaty was signed at Paris,
Mr.. Livingstone, one Of the Commission
ers, said:
i, eve have lived long. but this is the
noblest work of our whole lives. The
treaty which we have just signed has
not been obtained by art nor dictated by
force. 1t will change vast solitudes into
fourishing districts. and from this day
| the United States take their place among
the powers of the first rank The
instruments which we have just signed
will cause no tears to be shed They
prepare ages Of happiness for innumer-
able generations of human creatures.
The Mississippi and Missouri will see
them succeed one another and multiply.
! truly worthy of the regard and care Of
Providence. in the bosom OF equality, I'M
der just laws freed from the errors of
superstituton and bad government"
IF to the dead it be permitted to care
for the things of this world" with what
satisfaction must the spirit of jefferson
to-day look down upon this vast domain
acquired by his patriotic foresight: Il
land of plenty. filled with happy homes,
and temples devoted to education, science
and art, such as this in which we now
assembled
After acquiring Louisiana including
the vast region stretching to the Pacific,
Mr.. Jefferson's next object was to ascer-
tain the nature and resources of these
possessions. and for this purpose the, OK
ncditian Of Lewis and Clark left St.
Louis in 1909 came up the Missouri, and
for two years. fonr months and ten days
wns lost to civilization. and exposed TO
danger and hardships. the recital of
which EQUALS the stories of .'omance.
Not many months after the acquisition
Of Louisiana, intelligence reached the
President of the reasonable design
| Of Aaron Burr to seize upon the
mouth of the Mississippi, invade