The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-02

nor Canada. nor anything. But she had
never intended it. She won friend. and
| such a friend is better than any Province.
she was happy. having exactly fulfilled
| without change. bargain or eXienua;ion. the
task she had mapped out for herself in 117s.
when she declared in the alliance treaty
that the direct and essential objec: of the
same was efficaciously to maintain the free
dom. sovereignty and absolute and un'im-
tied independence Of the United States
THE joy was such in Paris at the news
of American independence that perform
auces in the theaters were interrupted; the
great event was announced. and audiences
rose to their feet to cheer the newborn
Republic Festivities were given and col
ored prints were scattered all over France
for the benefit of those who could not be
present Such souvenirs were proudly kept
i'll families. One such came to the remote
house of my own parents in the mountains
and it was carefully preserved, and l pos
sess it at this day.
France followed he- destinies. In 1900
Louisiana was French again. Three years
later. on the spontaneous proposal of the
French Republic, not New Orleans alone.
country became forever American.
'The treaty signed 1C0 years and day
ago had little precedents in history. 1t dealt
with territories larger than the Empire OF
Alexander; it followed no war; 1t was pre-
ceded by no shedding of human blood: the
new possessors got hundred times more
than they even thought of demanding. and
the negotiations were SO simple, the good
t,it nd frieni1stin nhyOylS TINT
all was concluded in fortnight.
The simplest protocol on postal or sani-
tary questions takes nowadays more time.
Each party found its interest in the trans
action. but something more than interest
led the affair to speedy conclusion. and
that was the deep-rooted sympathy of the
French and American nations.
FRANCE REALIZED
WHAT SHE GAVE UP.
''Add again that the value of Louisiana
was much better understood than it had
been before. I know the worth OF what
give up said Bonaparte; and the French
Government knew 1t indeed. They acted
with open eyes. for they had taken care,
from the year Of 1900. to gather all avail
able information.
Il do not think that there is another
example in the history OF the world of
cession of such vast territories thus OBJ
tained by the representatives of one OF the
parties, to the applause and with the
heartfelt consent of the representative OF
the other.
THE treaty giving away in full possess
sion and forever Louisiana to the United
States; allowing them to spread without
meeting any foreign neighbors from one
ocean to the other: of adding fourteen
States to the original thirteen, was signed
one hundred years ago, 'au nom du peuple
Francais.' in the year NJ of the French
Republic.
The results have passed the most san
sune hopes. but they have not gone beyond
the extent of our friendly wishes for the
sister Republic of America
1.-The representative of France comes to
this spot that was French in former times,
with a feeling of admiration for what you
have done, and no feeling of regret. he
sees splendid development, arts, sciences.
trade and agriculture. equally prosperous;
he applauds your success and expresses
from mis- heart his good wishes for your
grand exhibition OF next year.
LAS for his own country. if she no longer
holds these immense domains. she has, on
the other hand. found other territories for
the peaceful employment of her ineXhausti-
BILE energy. with results which will forever
rebound to the praise of the Government OF
the Republic. And as for Louisiana itself.
France rests satisfied with remembering
that she could not have more friendly nor
more sympathetic intentions. She reInem-
bers also. not without pride. that her sons
first discovered and titled the soil: first de
scribed it and first drew a map of it: that
ONE of her most famous writer's first re.
veaIed to the world the springs OF poetry
that lay concealed as much under the fir
trees of the Mississippi Valley as under the
plane trees of Tempe: the diplomat and
literary artist who made all those who had
a mind and heart weep for the fate of
Atala."
SPAIN'S MINISTER'S
GRACIOUS GREETINGS
The Spanish Ambassador was not so well
understood by his audience as NJ. Jusseraud.
His speech. in part follows:
Il greatly regret my inability to respond
to the very flattering recognition of the
part played by Spain in the early history
of this territory. I wish 1 were endowed
with the same eloquence displayed by previ-
Gus orators, which it has been our privilege
to listen to and admire.
still. had not the national glories OF
Spain been SO brilliantly alluded to. were /
able to recall them now with colors as
glowing as the warmth their memory
brings to my Spanish heart, feel could
not raise to them a loftier or more eloquent
monument than has been raised by those
immortal works of Washington Irving.
Prescott. Lowell and Ticknor. which have
made Spanish tradition familiar to this
nation.
'If ever the engrossing consciousness Of
your wonderful. actual prosperity. the In
tensity Of your life. made one Of your