The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1899-03-10
FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 1899
JEFFERSON THE EXPAN-
SIONIST.
Kansas City Journal.

the Democratic party was the
/ annexation of Louisiana. In
deed the whole structure of Democ'
racy stands today on Thomas JET
ferson, and the greatest deed evel
performed by Jefferson was the an
nexation of Louisiana. Therefore,
the democratic party was born ar
expansionist party, and in its atti'
tude today it is violating the prin-
ciples and traditions.
In one of his many utterances
against ratification Of the Paris treaty
Senator Vest grudgingly admitted
that Jefferson had been an expan
sionist, not in principle, but be-
cause he was suddenly confronted
with an opportunity which came like
a flash and which promised SO much
for his country that he was led to
lay aside his settled convictions fol-
the moment. That this is a false
statement of the position of Jeffer-
son must be known to every reader
of American history. That il
should be made by senator of the
United States can only be account
ed for in the fact that from the be-
ginning of the Philippines contro-
versy the whole Democratic party
has been engaged in belying its own
history and performances, and nat
urally campaign of deceit has led
on to more and more of falsehood.
Jefferson was not surprised by the
opportunity to annex Louisiana. For
years he had been laboring to bring
about this opportunity. So essen
tial did he deem the annexation of
the vast domain that he was ready
to plunge his country into bloody
war if need be to attain it. When
secretary of state in 1890, thirteen
years before the date of annexation,
at time when there appeared to be
some danger of Great Britain seiz
ing New Orleans, Jefferson wrote
to Washington that "rather than see
Louisiana and Florida added to the
the British possessions, the United
States should brave the risk of Join
ing i'll the general war which seems
now impending" In the same let
ter, too, he served notice on France
that this American territory must
be let alone, as its inevitable des-
tiny made it the property of the
American republic. Again in 1902
when there was talk of Louisiana be-
ing coded to France, Jefferson
wrote Livingston saying that Louis
lana must become the property of
the United States, and from this let
ter we quote as follows: "The day
that France takes possession of New
Orleans fixes the sentence which is
to restrain her forever within her low
water mark. 1t seals the union of
two nations, who, in conjunction,
can maintain exclusive possession
of the ocean. From that moment
we must marry ourselves to the
British fleet and nation; We must
turn all our attention to maritime
force, for which our resources place
us on very high ground; and hav,
ing formed and connected together
a power which may render reinfor-
cements of her settlements here i'm
possible to France, make the first
cannon which shall be fired in Eur
ope the signal for tearing up any
settlement she may have made, and
for holding the two continents of
in sequestration for the
common purposes of the united |
British aud American nations"
And this is the man who is alleged |
to have become an expansionist
through the accident of a moment
Here we find him advocating,
while president of the United
States, that not only should we ex-
pard over all the North American
continent. but also over the South
continent as well, and at
the same time declaring for a |
British alliance that would enable
us to rule the oceans of the world.
If there is socalled "imperialist' of
the present day who has gone quiet
so far as the father of. the demo
Garlic party, we cannot now call
him to mind.
The manner in which Jefferson
made the Louisiana purchase is in
itself sufficient to show the entirety
with which he believed in a policy
of expansion. Himself close con-
and a great believer in
staying close to the people, he new
defed public sentiment, set
aside the constitution, and far ex-
ceeded the authority lodged in him
by congress. He was authorized by
to negotiate for the pur-
chase of New Orleans along. In
stead he negotiated for the purchase