The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-22
The Louisiana Purchase:


pense of Great Britain He had rather
the American Union would grow strong
and great than should his most danger
Gus rival. A few genuine Napoleonic ut
terances must suffice TO support the pre-
ceding propositions. The most remarka-
BILE of these is found on page Go of His
toire Generate des Traites de Paix by
lie Comte de Garden: objection may be
made that the Americans will prove to
be too powerful for Europe in two or
three centuries but my plans do not take
into account these remote contingencies
They Ghe Americans) will have to give
attention in the future to conflicts among
the states of the Union Considerations
which call themselves perpetual last only
so long as the contracting parties find
it to their interest not to break them, and
it is to other present dangers to which
we are exposed, from the colossal power
of England, that 1 propose to apply a
remedy This is both authentic and
prophetic.
A translation from a passage on the
same page shows that we paid for the
Louisiana region something more than
Bonaparte would have taken: eff l should
regulate my terms by what these vast
territories are worth to the United States
the indemnity would have no limit
Will be moderate. for the reason that am
obliged TO sell. But, keep this to yourself
Ito Marbos), [ want 100000 francs and
Tor less than that L will not treat;
would rather make a desperate effort to
hold those fine regions" On page IS Of
same authoritative source, we find this
Characteristic utterance by Napoleon;
When told by Barbe-MaIfoois that there
was more uncertainty and obscuritv in
one article of the treaty, he replied shat
II obscurity was not there, it would
perhaps be good policy to put it there"
Lhese and numerous other quotations
nave been transferred bodily without
credit, to what is known as Marbois' His
tory OF Louisiana. which was probably
written by William Beach Lawrence in
the apparent interest of James Monroe
and other political friends The kindly
Marbois, at the feeble age of eighty
three, doubtless lent the use of his name
10 the inaccurate book which first APP
Peared in Paris in 1928. The History of
Peace Treaties, of which Gardens great
work is a continuation, was first publish
ed prior to this date.
Returning to the highest sources Of his
torlcaI informa ton on this side Of the
oced1Llhe archives of the government
ana the American state papers-it NAV
pe dHrmed that the writer's of Louisiana
treaty history have apparently shunneo
these hrst sources Of historic facts as if
lhey We're poisoned springs
AS proof of the strange faulty Of the
chlet officers of the administration. the
secretary Of state writes from Washing
Ton 10 James Monroe. on April 20. 1873:
NS-44A II - ltIdI the hearts and homes
OF the Western people are strongly fix
ed on the Mississippi for the future bolIn-
uafy; 1t is even a doubt with some
OF the best judges whether the deposit
aIo Q would not be waived for a while,
father than it should be the Immediate
England" win
,, Inns letter was written just ten days
before the great treaty was actually
signed, and one week after if Was v;rfIi,
ally agreed upon. What had ALREADY he
come the central transcontinental canal
or broad Tree highway from mountain to
sd Sea ol the greater republic Madison
would make its fixed future BOUNDARY
On May l, he addressed Monroe. ?.vva
nave Just received the message Of he
81 DIlt "a majesty, which is represented
Sue a. rde ,signal OF a certain rupture with
rance. He adds Such an event SCENE
kcarce avoidable" A runtnre .5i+Is
france whose ruler has just given rs for
d song an empire larger than his own
diplomacy? "4uil
In a dispatch of May 2S, one month less
Two Gays AFTER the purchase treaty was
S SI5lle and IN effect ratified, in Paris
ulPlonacy IN the dark. He instructs I,lv-
lngston and Monroe: THE nresident
lhlnkS that it will be Ineligible. under
SGch circumstances, that any convention
Whatever on the subject should be en-
tered into, that will not secure to the
Cn1ted states the jurisdiction of rea~
s0haple district on some convenient part
oil dhe bank an Of the Mississippi" 1t is
trlct related to the lower Mississippi
where we required place of TRANSMIT
ment, not to those vast regions already
1911 G;quIred Iylng along the great western
u1Dutarles of the upper Mississippi.
Three copies of the Louisiana treatv
were transmitted to the United States by
three separate agencies, but Mr. Hughes
aIliTed hrst on July A. and delivered the
w
washington. That Jefferson and Madi
sen We're surprised is to put it with mild
ness Ihey were in point of fact dazed
at the audacity of their agents. the M
menslty of the sum paid and the Aa0r
nous magnitude of the whole transac-
uCn. After taking two weeks to recover
t 1neir equ!hprlum, the secretary of state
instead OF overwhelming one of Americas
greatest benefactorS with grateful thanks
llnds fault with Livingston in a personal
letter addressed to Monroe.
me president at first declares that he
cannot approve Of the treaty because If
ne does he viii make waste Daner of +he
constitution. He keeps repeating .'waste
paper OF the constitution but finding at
tSngth that everybody was in favor of the
treaty, except few Hartford convention
r eCerahsts, who had ceased to be Ma
Iicnahsts, he reverses the TEACHINGS of
HIeume and reluctantly approves of the
49, ITlton VI ms agents. Mr. Jefferson had
long been teaching that the strict con
srucuon OF the constitution permitted
nothing TO be done under it except what
was was expressly authorized. There was
ltnce no authority in express termc fo,.
the nation to grow in size to enlarge its
boundaries, to add new territory. Ohio
mad been admitted into the Union thai
very year with his approval, but this was
carved out of an acquisition gained hI,
another peaceable or peace treaty''NwitS
Ergard-made before the constitution he
came operative. The new organic law
according to this expounder hindered
growth, development, progress exnanA
SION Instead of frankly admitting that
MS CONSTITUTIONAL thories We're wrong.