The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1899-09-29

expression of opinion concerning ex-
pansion and anti-expansion. People
talk of it and write of it as though the
subject had all the newness and fresh
ness of novelty, but it is old as the hills.
Expansion began on April 30, 1903, when
France, in three separate treaties, ceded
to this republic the territory of Louis
lana, and that event has become Known
in history as ''The Louisiana Purchase -
The story of this historic occurrence
forms one of the most important and
interesting chapters in our national his
tory.
It is very extensively treated of in
that remarkable book, ''The Public Do
| MAN," published under the authority
| OF the United States, and compiled by
Thomas Donaldson, man of marvellous
research. He devotes many pages to
an exhaustive history of the buying
from France of the vast province of
| Louisiana. He epitomizes the events
progressively leading to the colonial
ton of that part of the province which
is now the city of New Orleans as fol-
lows:
In 1541 De Soto reached the Mississippi
pi river.
In 1873 Father Marquette descended
| the Mississippi to it's mouth.
In 1880 La Sale descended the Missis-
sippi river and took possession of the
country adjacent to it in the name of
Louis XIV. of France, and called it
''Louisiana."
In 1899 Lemoine d'Iberville founded
the first colony at Biloxi, but d lying soon
after, Henille took command.
In 1706 thes colonists made new To-
cation on the site of what is now the
| city of New Orleans:
In 1712, September IA, Louis ". made
a grant to Antoine de Crozat, a mer-
chant of Paris, who had amassed for
tune of 40,0O0,000 livres in the Indian
trade, the grant being for trading priv
ileges.
President Jefferson, December IS,
1902, notified the congress of the ces-
sion of Louis lana to France, and of the
| action of the Spanish authorities at
New Orleans. Excitement ensued in
the congress, but finally President JET
ferson obtained the consent of the SEN
ate to the confirmation of Mr.. Monroe
| EARNED with an appropriation of So ,OOO,-
| OO0) to proceed to France and, in con-
nection with Mr.. Livingston, minister
of the United States at Paris, to treat
| with France for the cession of New Or
leans and the island of New Orleans and
| Florida.
Mr.. Livingston held to the opinion at
that time that the United States would
never be able to acquire New Orleans
|:by treaty or purchase, and that it ought
toSbe, taken, at ONCE, by force. Mr.. Mon
roe. upon arrival in France, found
Bonaparte meditating on and in danger
of a rupture with Great Britain. Just
before his arrival M. Talleyrand had
| requested Mr.. Livingston to make an Of
fer on behalf of the United States for
the province of Louisiana entire. This
was an authority he did not possess.
The intention of the United States, as
he understood, was to purchase only
New Orleans island, and the Floridas,
or the western part of them. These
negotiations were conducted under the
personal supervision of the first consul.
He said he wanted money for war, that
he would cede the whole province of
Louisiana, and that he wanted 100000
of francs for it. Secrecy was to be OBJ
served. Mr.. Livingston refused to offer
more than 30,00O,000 francs, and assert
ed that he had no power to treat for the
cession of the entire province.
It was supposed at that time that in
structions were issued to our ministers
that the treaty Of cession by Spa1n to
France included the entire province of
Louisiana and the Floridas, but it was
found shortly afterward that it ceded
Louisiana only. If France declined to
sell. our ministers were to open nego-