The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-13

their minds. Something sensible, there
fore. has become necessary. and indeed our
object Of purchasing New Orleans and the
Floridas is a measure likely to assume SO
many shapes that no instructions could be
squared fG TT them.
Here we observe the first distinct de-
mand on the part of our people. To have
asked more would have been extremely IN
popular at that time. Napoleon. who was
now confronted with the certainty of a
gigantic war with England. well knew that
colonies far distant across the seas must
be protected by sufficient naval forces and
at great cost. England was then great
naval power, while France was far infe-
rior. The recent French losses in Santo
Domingo, with the proximity TO Louisiana
Of the British naval ornaments in that
quarter with we1i-equipped garTisons in
Jamaica and the Windward Islands, re-
quired but little reflection for an astute
! mind like that Of Napoleon to suggest the
most disastrous consequences Of immediate
action by him should be adopted as to Lou
isiana He was not long in arriving al a
conclusion Summoning two Of his counsel
oTs to him. and in very imprisoned man
nef, he disclosed to them his purpose with
regard to Louisiana He said;
They 1.-THE Englighl shall not have The
mississippi, which they covet. The con-
quest would be easy If they only took the
{ ttLU1iS " iEdhE d uESC6Db AaiSEe. nave
not moment to lose in putting it out Of
| their reach. I think OF ceding il to the
/ United States. They only ask Of me one
/ town in Louisiana, but I already consider
the colony as entirely lost, and it appears
i TO nae that in the hands of this growing
power ii viii be more useful TO the policy
/ and even to the commerce of France, than
If should attempt TO hold it,
The two counselors disagreed one
I approving the course proposed and the
I other opposing it. To the first one Ma
poiecn communicated his final resolution
in saying:
1T is not only New Orleans that
! viii eede it is the whole colony. without
reservation To attempt to retain it would
be folly. direct you to negotiate this
offer with the envoys of the United
States I viii be moderate in considera-
tion of the necessity in which ! am of
making sale But keep this 10 your
self
1T was NapoIeon's belief that Monroe
was clothed with instructions more ex-
tensive than the assumed authorizst Il N
of Congress would warrant, both as to
territory and as to price. In this he
was mistaken. The instructions 10 our
ENJOYS were to procure a cession to
the United States of New Orleans and OF
West and East Florida. or as much
thereof as the actual proprietor can be
prevailed on to part with
1t was also required that the navigation
of the river Mississippi in its whole
breadth. and from its source TO the ocean,
and in all its passages to and from the
same, shall be equal free and common
3. tc citizens OF the United States and OF
the French Republic. It was suggested
that if France declined to eede to us the
whole Of the island of Orleans, then a
part should be sought for if no more
! than space enough upon which to estab-
/ lish large commercial town on the banI
of the river, OF If unable to procure q
/ complete jurisdiction over any COW. nj
ent spot whatever, the ENJOYS were in
structed to secure right Of dep sit with
the privilege Of holding real estate fer
commercial purposes