The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-02-01

| ton. To quote all that is interesting
! Is impossible. To condense Is our only
recourse. From these letters. we learn
| that the decision to sell Louisiana was
| reached on Sunday. April TO- after Ma
| poleon had had Il prolonged conference
with Talleyrand, Marbois and others
The idea originated in the active BRAIN
of Bonaparte. 1t was favored by his
brothers and by Marbois, opposed by
Talleyrand and other chief men. The
subject was broachcd by Talleyrand oil
Monday. introduced by our minister oil
Tuesday who found Talleyrand eva
sive and mendacious, and twice re-
turned to by Marbols OH Wednesday.
On this day, April t3, the serious busi-
ness began; Marbois sought Livings :
ton while the latter was at dinner, re-
turned after dinner, gave an opening
for q free talk, which our minister
improved by beginning with the debts
due. and commenting on the eXtraordi-
nary conversation and conduct of the
foreign minister. Marbois said that
this lead to something important that
had been cursorily mentioned to him
ut st. Cloud, but, as my house was
full of company, he thought ] had
better call upon him any time before
IL that night Livingston was now
too much alive to the prodigious i'm
port of the matter in hand to wait
until II at night. So, soon as Monroe
took leave, he fastened to the house
of MarbOis. After discussing the
equivocations of Talleyrand and the
consul's blunt proposal for us to hand
over hundred million francs, pay our
own claims and take the whole coun-
try Livingston, after a polite dis
avowal of any anxiety to get any
larger expansion of territory, cau-
tously remarked. 1--WE would be ready
to purchase, provided the sum was re-
duced to reasonable limits" Mnrbois
said if we would name sixty millions
and take upon us the American claims,
to the amount of twenty more, he
would try how far this would be ac-
cepted. Our minister declared that
was greatly beyond our means ana
wished Bonaparte reminded that the
whole region was liable to become the
property of England. The minister OF
the public treasury admitted the
weight of all this. But said he. "You
know the temper of a youthful con"
Queror; everything he does is rapid as
him as an opportunity presents itself
perhaps in a crowd when he bears
no contradiction. '"Try then,
if YOU cannot come up to my mark.
Consider the extent of the county, the
exclusive navigation of the river, and
the Importance of having no neighbors
to disrupt you: no war to dread" Our
minister asked him, in case of pur-
chase, whether they would stipulate
that France would never possess the
Floridas and that she would aid us to
procure them. He replied in the af-
iirmative. 1.-The field opened to US is
infinitely larger than our instructions
contemplated" says Livingston, but he
promises to consult Monroe. IN the
dispatch Of April H. he repeats that
the commission c3ntains power only
tc treat for lands on the east side OF
the Missississipp." You will recol-
lect," writes Livingston to Madison
that l have been absolutely without
powers to the present moment, and
that though l have hazarded many
things upon presumption that i
should have them, none have been re-
ceived till now, and now they are
unfortunately too limited"
On the 18th of April, after conferr-
ing with Monroe, Livingston offered
Marbois fifty million francs, plus the
debts, for the whole of Louisiana. This
approached within two millions dol
lars of the price asked. Bonaparte re-
ceived this offer 'coldly," from policy,
of course. Monroe's reception was de-
layed, about which Livingston writes:
"Mr. Monroe having been compelled,
when here GT9D to be well with the
party then uppermost, and who are
now detested by the present ruler 1t
Will be some time before they know
how to estimate his worth, and Talley-
rand has, ] find, imbibed personal pre-
judice against him that will induce
him to throw every possible obstruc-
tion in his way that he can consistent
ly with their own views" Napoleon
went off to FLANDERS and left negotia-
tiations at standstill until our minis
lers wisely agreed to his own favor
able terms. The first announcement
of the grand consummation was sent
to Rufus King, in London, in these
words: I'VE have the honor to in
form you that a treaty (the 3Oth ApriD
has been signed between the minister
y
ment aud ourselves, by which tie
United States have obtained the ful,
right to and sovereignty in ami over
New orleans, and the whole of Louis
lana, as Spain possessed the same"
on the 18th of May, Livingston for-
wards to Washington by a special
and safe massenger"-Mr. Hughes
the great treaty, accompanied by
other papers and two lengthy dis
patches, the second of which is signed
like the treaty, by both American
ministers. We can extract but spar
ingly and only from what is OF gem
cral interest. Livingston writes 10
Madison: Among the most favorite
projects Of the first consul was the
colonization of Louisiana. He saw in
II II new Egypt; he saw in it a colony
that was to counter-balan the east |
ern establishment of Britain; he saw
in it provision for his generals. and |
what was more important on the then |
state of things, he saw in it pretense |
for the ostracism of suspected ene-
mics. TO render the acquisition still |
more agreeable to the people, eXag- |
gerated accounts of its fertility, ETC., |
were sold in every print-shop.' The |
herculean labors and ceaseless tolls OF |
Livingston to force and keep the dark |
and omnious side of this picture before |
The unsusupecting eyes of Bonaparte. |
can never in their all-embracing COM |
be set forth. He per- |
sonally saw and deluged with written !
arguments, which he called memoirs. |
every person with any influence, from |
Napoleon down; his vigilance was al |
most literally sleepless until the acute |
aLnLrn nd nllIinnl nli-i.. ,,..,...