The National tribune., 1903-05-14

make him eager to embark on n scheme
which, when he had thought it over in cold
blood, he was equally eager to abandon.
For some time he seemed obstinately bent
on taking possession of Louisiana, heed
less of the attitude which this might cause
the Americans to assume. He designated
as commander of his army of occupation,
Victor, General as capable and brave
as he was insolent, who took no pains TO
conceal from the American representatives
ms intention to treat their people with n
high hand.
Jefferson took various means, official
ana unofficial, of impresSing upon Ma
po!eon the strength of the feeling in the
United States over the matter; and his,
utterances came as near menace as his
pacific nature would permit. To the great
French Conqueror, however accustomed
10 violence and To the strife of giants, JEFF
fersons $ somewhat yacillating attitude did
not seem impressive; and the one course
which would have impressed NAPOLEON
was not followed by the American Prcsi-
deht. jefferson refused to countenaucc
any proposal to take prompt possession of
Louisiana by force or to assemble an
army which could act with immediate
yIgor in time Of need; and as he was the
IDOL of the Southwcsterncrs, who were bit
terly Antifederalists in sympathy, he was
able TO prevent any violent action on their
part until events rendered this violence I'M
necessary. At the same time, jefferson
himself never for moment ceased to feel
the strong pressure of Southern and West
ern public sentiment; and so he continued
resoiute in his purpose to obtain Louis
lana.
1T was no argument of Jefferson's or
OF the American diplomats, but the inevita-
bic trend of events that finally brought
about change in Napoleon's mind. The
army he sent to IIayti wasted away by
disease and in combat with the blacks. and
thereby not only diminished the forces he
intended to throw into Louisiana, but also
gave him Il terrible object lesson as to
what the fate of these forces was certain
ultimately to be. The attitude of Eng
land and Austria grew steadily more hos
tile, and his most trustworthy advisers i'm
pressed on Napoleon's mind the steady
growth of the Western-American COM
munities, and the implacable hostility with
which they We're certain to regard any
power that seized or attempted to hold
New Orleans. Napoleon could not afford
to hamper himself with the difficult de-
fense of distant province, and to incur
the hostility of new foe. at the very mo-
ment when he was entering on another
struggle with his old European enemies.
Moreover, he needed money in order to
carry on the struggle. To be sure he had
promised Spain not to turn over Louisiana
to another power: but he was quite as in
capable as any Spanish statesman, or as
Talleyrand himself, of so much as consid-
ering the question of breach of faith or
loss of honor. if he could gain any adyan-
taSe by sacrificing either. Livingston was
astOnished to find that Napoleon had sud
denly changed front, and that there was
every prospect of gaining what for months
had seemed impossible. For some time
there was hagglins over the terms. Ma
polcon at first demanded an exorbitant
sum: but having once made up his mind to
part with Louisiana his impatient disposi-
ton made him anxious to conclude the bar
gain. He rapidly abated his demands,
and the cession was finally made for S15,-
00O,O00