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

NAPOLEON AND THE
LOUISIANA CESSION.
Il

france ldQ HOpeu 10 UOiu lnc OHiISu
States as a ward under an informal
protectorate and had co-operated with
Spain to that end. To keep the
United States surrounded by French
and Spanish territory was part Of this
plan. When Monroe sailed for France
Napoleon seems to have reached de-
cision, foreshadowed in conversation
at the Tuerilleries, to abandon once
for all the idea of controlling the
United States and by sudden stroke,
to set them loose as first class power
against England. He announced this
decision in a conference at which Mar
bois was present, just before Monroe
landed.
Before calling the conference ne
had denounced the claims of England
to be mistress of the seas" and had
said ito free the world from the com,
mercial tyranny of England it is nee
essary to oppose to her maritime
power which will one day become her
rival II must be the United States.
The English aspire to dispose of all the
riches of the world | will be useful
TO the entire universe if / can prevent
them from dominating America, rs
they dominate Asia"
II appears that after announcing a.
the Tuilleries that the United States
must be thrust forward as a rival for
England, Napoleon brooded over the
matter, as was his habit; and then.
after he had really made up his mind
he called his advisers to him and ad.
dressed them his request for advice in
what was really a demand for their
assent to his plans, made with
vehemence and passion" which did no.
invite argument The first declara-
ton OF his purposes is thus given by
Morbois:
Napoleon's Views.
81 know the worth of Louisiana and
| wish to repair the error of theFrench
negotiator who abandoned IL in 1853
| have recovered il on paper through
some lines in treaty, but | have hard
ly done so when am about to lose IL
again. But il IL escapes me, 1t shall
one day be a dearer cost to those 40
force me to give ii than the cost to
those to whom will surrender it. Tho
English have successfully taken from
France. Canada. the Isle Royal, New
foundland, Acadia and the richest
territories of Asia. They are intrigue
ing and disturbing in San Domingo.
They shall not have the Mississippi,
which they covet. Louisiana Is moth
ing in comparison with their aggran-
dizement in all parts of the globe. but
the jealousy they feel because Of its re-
turn under the dominion of France
warns me that they intend to seize it.
and 1t is thus that they will begin the
war. They have already twenty YES
sells in the Gulf of Mexico-they swag-
ger over those seas as sovereigns and
In San Domingo, since the death OF
Leclerc. our affairs are going from bad
to worse. The conquest of Louisiana
win be easy II they will only take the
trouble to descend upon 1t. have not
a moment to lose In putting it out of
their power. | do not know but what
they are there already. That is their
usual way of doing things, and as for
me. IL was in their place, certain
| ly would not have. waited. | wish to
take away from them even the idea
that they will ever be able to own this
colony. contemplate turning t
over to the United States would
hardly be able to say had ceded II
to them, for we are not yet even In
possession of Il. But even short
delay may leave me nothing but vain
| title to transmit to these republicans.
whose friendship | seek. They are
asking me for but a single city Of
Louisiana but | already consider the
whole colony as lost. and II seems -
me that in the hands of this rising
power IL viii be more useful TO the
politics and even to the commerce Of
France IL attempt to keep it."
Tell me your opinion" said Ma,
poleon in conclusion. and his ministers
made speeches, one for, the other
against, the cession. He listened and
asked questions. II was the next
morning after this that he called them
to him again and announced that Eng
land had broken faith in refusing to
evacuate Malta and that there was NJ
time for further elaboration.
From the current translations of Ma
poleon's second speech preceding the
negotiations with Monroe and Livings-
ton, the opening and closing are gene~-
ally omitted. As Marbois reports Il.
Napoleon, the day after he listened to
the arguments for and against the ces-
sion, called his counsellors together,
told them that he had just received let.
ters from his ambassador in London,
and then proceeded.
THE English demand OF mo
Lampedusa, which does not belong 10
me. and at the same time they wish TO
keep Malta for ten years. That island,
where military genius has put forth its
resources of defense to an extent
which is incredible to those Who
have seen IL. would be another
Gibraltar TO them. To leave il TO
them would be to deliver to them the
commerce of the levant ard to ruin