Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-10-03

erfr1tOry 10 the UnlJSu oIdISS was
negotiated in 1903, the three ministers
the negotiations were Mon
roe and Livingston, representing the
United States, and Barbe-M arbois,
who had been selected by Napoleon 20
France. Marbois' relations
with Napoleon at that time were close
and confidential and the current tradi-
lions of Napoleon's attitude through
out the negotiations is more or less
version of the report made
b, Marbois in his History del Louisiana
written after the Bourbon restoration
and published in Paris by the IDIOTS
in 1929. The original edition, now
rare in the United States, contains one
of the earliest, ifnot the earliest OF the
French maps of ''the territory added
TO the United States by the treaty AMI
it's consequences" but interesting as
this is, it scarcely compares in impof-
lance with the summary Of the situa-
ton then existing as Marbois gives t
and with his report Of Napoleons con
versations and speeches on the sub
ject.
Foreign Affairs in 1908.
The second part of the work which
IS devoted TO the treaty and its effects
on the destinies of the world-which
ne appreciated with surprising fore
sight-opens with valuable summary
of the attitude of the United States
towards France and England. He
shows that the defeated Federalists
were taking advantage of Jefferson :
well-known French sympathies To
press against France and against the
administration in the United States
the dangerous questions which had been
raised by the attitude of the west III
demanding assurance OF the free navi-
CATION of the Mississippi Although
very active faction in congress-" he
writes worked secretly to force
declaration of war against France by
the United States, the chiefs Of the ad-
ministration desired sincerely 10 pre-
serve a good understanding. ON its
side, the Consular government ina
roleon personality seemed to wish to
follow toward the republic a course OPP
posed to that of the directory. War
between France and England seemed
inevitable and the American cabinet
easily understood that. In case it was
declared. the French consul would pc
under the necessity of postponing the
occupation of Louisiana"
He then quotes from the message Of
December 18th. 1902, in which Jeffer-
son called the attention of congress To
the Importance of the possible re-oc-
cupation OF Louisiana by France, and
details the circumstances under which
Monroe was sent 10 France to re-
inforce Livingston who was already In
Paris, attempting TO negotiate for the
city of New Orleans and the territory
which controlled the mouth Of the
mississippi.
First Idea Of Cession.
Marbois defines Lvingston's mental
state at this time as one OF exaspera-
ton. He had been evaded and put of
In what he considered treacherous
manner, until he was ready to square
issues by making demands which no
one thought France would consider -
among others. as Marbois records it,
for the whole OF the vast territory
north Of the Arkansas" This seems
10 be the first presentation of the idea
of the cession as a whole and Marbols
feels certain that Livingston's aggres-
siveness represented his own feeling
rather than those OF the American adj
ministration. To such an extent had
this aggressiveness taken possession
of Livingston. though he does not seem
20 have expected TO have the PROPOSE
ton for the cession of the country
north of the Arkansas entertained,
Marbois records with disapproval, that
when Monroe landed in Paris. Livings-
ton met him with proposal ito take
possession of New Orleans first and
trade afterwards"
This sufficiently suggests Marhois'
understanding of the attitude of the
United States-an administration In
power friendly to France, but urged
against France by a powerful minority,
using the control of the Mississippi ,.s
lever to such effect that the support
ers of the administration were begin
ming TO show signs of breaking away
from control and forcing issues.
To understand the attitude of Ma
poleon, 1t must be recalled that in be-
coming first consul. he had announced
himself as paciflcator OF the world
and after attempting TO conciliate the
powers in the treaty of Amiens. had
continued vigorously the attempt to re-
construct France in accordance with
his own ideas This he considered the
object OF paramount Importance at the
time and whatever plans he had for ex'
tending the empire of France over
Europe, were to be postponed until he
had firmly intrenched himself nj homa
and recognized France completely.
In n great measure, he had carried ont
his plans for doing this. when he saw
hat England was once more about 20
lake the aggressive against him-this
lust ut time when he was preparing
% cease to be First Consul and be-