The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-01-11
H IS + 0I}Y.
Jefferson's Great Louisiana Purchase.
st. Louis Republic.

Cranes and for less than thab sum [
will uOt treat; [ would rather make u
desperate attempt to keep these fine
countries. To morrow you shall have
full powers.
The new plenipotentiary then made
some genera observations on the
cession of the rights of sovereignty,
aud upon the abandonment of what
the Germans called the souls, as to
whether they could be subject Of a
Contract of sale OF exchange Bonaparte
replied:
"You are giving NE in all its per-
frction be ideology Of the law Of
natious. But require money to
make war GU the richest nation of the
world. Seud your maxiuls to the
London market; am sure that they
will be greatly admired there, aud yet
no great attention is paid to them
when the question is the occupation
! of the finest regions Of Asia.
"Perhaps it will also be objected to
me that the Americans may be found
too powerful fur Europe in two or
three centuries; but my foresight
does not embrace such remote fears.
1t is seen, therefore: that Napoleon
had determined to sell Louisiana, and,
indeed, was anxious to sell. The
negotiations came to rapid close in
spite Of the by play aud diplomatic
reserves Of Marbois and Tallyrand.
After the treaty had been signed,
Mr.. Livingstone said: eve have
lived long, but this is the nohlest
work of our whole lives. The treaty
which We have just signed has not
been obtained by art or dictated by
force; equally advantageous TO the
two contracting parties, it will change
vast solitudes into dourishing dis
tricts. From this day the United
States take their place among the
powers Of the first rank i
The instruments which we have just
signed will cause no tears to be shed;
they prepare ages of happiness for in
Vulnerable generations Of human crea
lures. The Mississippi and the Mis-
souri, will see them succeed one
another, and multiply, truly worthy of
the regard aud care Of Providence, in
, the bosom Of equality, under just
laws, freed from the errors Of super
stition and the scourges of bad gov
erument.
The first Consul remarked when in
formed that the treaty bad been con-
cluded: ''This accession of territory
strengthens forever the power Of the
United States; and l have just given
to England maritime rival that will
sooner or later humble her pride.
This treaty was not ratified by the
Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States without minated
debate. The Northern, or New Eug-
land States, opposed the incorpora-
tion Of Louisiana into the United
States. Their representatives declar-
ed that the session Of 50 large terri
tory in the South and West would be
to the advantage of the South, politi-
cally and commercially, at the expense
of New England.
1t seems that Jefferson conceded
the point raised that the Constitution
did not warrant the acquisition of
foreign territory still less its incor-
incorporation into the Union. He
wrote to Senator Breckenridge of Ken
lucky, August IL, 1903: "But | sup
pose they (both houses Of Congress)
must then appeal to the nation for an
additional article to the Constitution,
approving and confirming an act
which the natioa had not previously
authorized. The Constitution has
made no provision for our holding
foreign territory, still less for incor-
porating foreign nations into our
Union The executive, in seiziDg the
fugitive occurrence which somuch ad-
vances the good Of their country, have
done an act beyond the Constitution.
The Legislature, in casing behind
them metaphysical subtleties, and
risking themselves, like faithful SER
wants, must ratify and pay for it and
throw themselves on their country for
doing for them unauthorized what we
know they would have done for them
selves had they been in situation to
do it.
All objections to the possession of
Louisiana by the United States, were
met by decided vote in favor of the
treaty Thus the Louisiana purchase
so fr;,ught with meaning to America
and TO the world. was ratified, and the