The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-11
NAPOLEON GAVE / AWAY
INTERESTING PAPER READ AT
HISTORICAL SOCIETY's MEETING
ABOUT LOUISIANA PURCHASE
DID NOT KNOW IT'S WORTH
The Great French Warrior Was
Afraid Great Britain Would
Steal 1t From Him, and
Therefore Sold It,

The executive council of the Minnesota
Historical society was entertained last
night at the capitol building with an In
terestiHg and instructive paper read by
DR.. James K. Hosmer, Minneapolis, enti-
tied How Napoleon Sold Louisiana and
Fought Great Battle About 1t which
History Has Neglected"
This subject was in continual ton of
previous papers read before the society
by Hon. N, P. Langford, of st. Paul, and
Samuel NJ Davis, of Minneapolis, who
had treated quite freely the American
side-of the negotiation of the Louisiana
purchase in 1903 Additional informa ton
concerning this most important event
in the development of the United States
has been obtained by DR.. Hosrner from
memoirs published in France and little
known by American historians.
1t was shown that Louisiana was real
ly bestowed on the United States by Ma
poleon, who, on the brink of renewal of
war with England, preferred that this
vast fertile province, with all it's grand
possibilities, should be ceded to our re-
public rather than that it should be wrest-
ed from france by the powerful navy OF
England. Monroe and Livingston had
endeavored to purchase New Orleans and
the mouth of the Mississippi, but during
long and tedious negotiations had re
ceived little encouragement of success.
Suddenly, and Unexpectedly to the Amer
lean negotiators, Napoleon decided that
We must purchase the whole province,
stretching from the Gulf of Mexico TO
the British boundary at the ferty-ninth
parallel, and from the west bank of the
Mississippi to the Rocky mountains, JEFF
ferson and his ENJOYS We're at first great
ly embarrassed, not feeling sure that
the purchase of this vast region would
receive the approval Of congress.
Why Napoleon, after being very anx-
ious to obtain and keep Louisiana, thus
suddenly changed his mind and became
anxious instead to sell it to the United
States, was narrated and clearly account
ed fer by DR.. Hosmer, who stated that the
first consul OF France encountered great
opposition against his decision to sell
Louisiana, and how he met that oppesi-
ton. Public sentiment in France and the
feelings of his own family We're strongly
against the alienation of SO fine a prov
ince His brothers then possessed great
influence, ard they withstood him stoutly.
Napoleon, however, insisted upon having
his own way for the first thine assuming
autocratic power; and it is impossible to
adequately estimate the effect of this de-
cision upon the destiny of our country.
This was the first accession of new terri
tory to the United States. 1t met, in
deed, with strenuous opposition by patri-
otie statesmen in congress; but a majority
approved and ratified the treaty.
The New York Independent, said DIR.
Iosmer, suggests that a statue of Napo-
leon be inaugurated in ST. Louis, i'll con-
nection with the centennial celebration of
the Louisiana purchase IN 1903. Such
statue in that central city of our coun-
try, the largest city in the vast tract that
was called Louisiana, would be appropri-
ate, the speaker thought, in view of the
grand benefits accruing to the United
States from territorial expansion by the
Louisiana purchase, which came to US
from Napoleon, unexpected and unsouglls.A
After the reading of the paper by Dr..
Hosmer, business of routine nature was
transacted The severe Illness of D. L.
Kingsbury, announced at the meeting,
who had been librarian of the society for
seven years, was the occasion OF express
sions of hope for quick recovery, and
resolutions were drawn up expressing
sympathy for him in his illness.
The following people, all of Minneapolis,
were made life members of the society:
S. A. Martin, c. J Martin. A. T. Rand.
F. H. Peavey, F. B. Sample; Ross Clark,
of ST Paul, was also made a life member
The three following We're given annual
membership: Hon. F. T. Wilder. Red
Wing; Wilbur F. Decker, Minneapolis and
William B. Darr, st. Paul.
One of John Catlin's famous Indian pic
lures was presented to the society last
night by Fred Catlin, a nephew Of the
painter Fred Catlin will seen be in st.
Paul, and viii be able to give considera-
BILE interesting information about the pic
lures painted by his uncle.
The society has recently loaned, through
Maj. John Espy, who has been cor
responding with daughter, now at Paris,
Of the dead nainter that all of his naint-