Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-03

with France and denied them by Jefferson,
were granted by other statesmen. The set
tlement and admission to statehood of COM
munities carved from the Louisiana pur-
chase have no retroactive effect to change
the character of their acquisition and the
imperialistic principles and acts of the
President who held them as a colony and
opposed their settlement and statehood
The flag was in Louisiana many years be-
fore it was followed by full constitutional
privileges and in Jeffersons term and I'M
der Jeffersons own theory the Constitu-
ton failed to follow the flag there at ALL
The delusion concerning the real char
acter of the acquisition and early govern
ment OF Louisiana arises from the fact that
we do not place ourselves in the shoes of
Jefferson and the forefathers but look
upon the territory contained in the Louis
lana purchase if it always existed as it
appears today, or if, at least, its POSSIBLE
tiles and potentialities We're always fully
recognized. Not only was there no desire
for new states west of the Mississippi at
the beginning of the century, but there was
no enthusiastic hope that the vast
stretches of wild land east of the Misss-
slppl would for centuries be settled Since
the center of population and the political
balance of power now lie in the Mississippi
valley we forget that when acquired Lou
lsiana was more remote In time from the
Union of States than the Philippines today;
that Its population, not of one race or
speaking one language, was hostile in SEN
tlment toward us, and without regard to
color of skin was distrusted and to a GER
tain degree despised by the people of the
republic.
Senator White did not voice his individual
sentiment alone when he said:
nave ever been in favor of the complete
ami uninterrupted navigation of the Missis-
sippi; think it essential to the peace of the
United States and to the prosperity of our
western country. But as to Louisiana, this
new, immense, unbeunded world if it
should ever be incorporated into this Union,
which l have no idea can be done but by
altering the Constitution, l believe it will
De the greatest curse that could at present
Detail US; 1t may be productive of innumer-.
able evils. and especially of that l
fear even to look upon. Gentlemen on all
Sides with very few exceptions agree that
the settlement of this country will be highly
injurious and. dangerous to the United
States Louisiana must. and will be-
come settled If We hold it, and with the
very population that would otherwise oc-
cupy part of our present territory Thus
our citizens will be removed to the immense
distance of two or three thousand miles
from the capital of the Union where they
will scarcely ever feel the rays of the gen
eral government; their affections will be-
come alienated; they will gradually begin
to view US as strangers; they will form
other commercial connections and our in
terests will become distinct These, with
other causes that human wisdom may not
now foresee. T2il in time effect a separa-
ton, and 1 fel our bounds will be fixed
nearer to our houses than the waters Of
the Mississippi We have already territory
enough, and when 1 contemplate the evils
that may arise to these states from this
intended inrnrnnra
the Union, 1 would rather see it given to
France, to Spain, or to any other nation of
the earth, upon the mere condition that no
citizen of the United States should ever
settle within its limits, than to see the ter
rltory sold for a hundred millions of dollars
and we retain the sovereignty"