Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-05-08
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Especial Washington letter.
#NN the Both Of April, 1903, was
consummated the largest trans
action in real estate ever pro-
posed since the devil took the
Saviour up TO the top of a high noun
tain and offered him the dominion Of
the world to fall down and worship
him. On that day Napoleon sold to
jefferson the Louisiana purchase. The
effects Of that trade upon the poll
tics, commerce and destiny Of nations
have been incalculable. It is not put
ting 1t too strong to say that 1t changed
not only the map of the world, but its
history also. Satan had no title to the
earth which he offered as a bride to 4
the Naxarene, and the first consul's title
to his American possessions was what
the law books call inchoate. On paper
he claimed it under the treaty OF II De
fonso, forced upon the feeble power of
Spain. Really he held 1t by the strong
grip of the lions paw. The actual
transfer of this vast domain did not
take place till March 10, 1904 so slow
" did things move in that ante steam
and ante electric period. Captain Amos
stoddard of the United States army
acted as the French agent in delivering
the new empire into the hands Of the
United States. This memorable act in
the great drama of civilization was
performed in the city of st. Louis be-
fore an audience In whose bosoms fear
and grief commended with hope and joy
for the mastery, for the French and
Spaniards sorrowed for the foreign
sovereignty forever banished from this
western Eden, and the adventurous
American pioneers hailed the unfurling
OF the stars and stripes west of the Fa-s
Their Of Waters us the promise Of bet
ter day and Of increasing glory and
honor to their country. The name of
Captain Stoddard is fixed in the his
tory Of Missouri by Stoddard county,
Stoddard's addition ito the city of st.
Louis and Stoddard's school. The.
names of the great president and his
faithful agents in this splendid bar
gain Livingston and Monroe-are also
permanently established on our map
as well as in the hearts OF a grateful
people.
Thirteen Great States.
Napoleon's necessity was in this case.
the great Virginian's golden opportuni-
ty. The pressing need for ready mon
ey whereby to prepare the sinews for
an impending war and the certainty
that England would seize the French
American territories drove the martial
Corsican to sell for song the richest
portion Of the globe. Upon the land he
was inyincible, but his power ceased
at low water mark, ard 80 he SORROW
fully signed the title deeds. His only
consolation was that by SO doing he
was helping to- create rival upon the
seas for Great Britain, his inyeterate
j enemy and his preds 1tined conqueror.
From the Louisiana purchase have
been carved the sovereign states Of
I4alisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa,
Minnesota, the two Dakotas, Kansas,
Nebraska, Ge!srada Idaho. Montana
and the Indian Territory. Of these
Missouri Is easily the chief, f j. writ
ten by the finger of fate on the scrpll
i Of destiny that her fortunate situation
and her immeasurable resources will
4 finally make her the foremost state Of
4 the American Union.
His Greatest Aet,
Even Thomas Jefferson himsele who
i; divides with King Solomon and LORD
Bacon the honor OF being the wisest
man that eyer lived, had no adequate
conception OF tiAs vast importance and
far reaching inAuence s4 human at
fairs Of the wondrous bargain Ia rsa
4 estate which he secured from the mar
ttal CefsioaH, One Of the st1anges
i omissions In literature was made BY
him. Having sounded all the shoal.
and depths OF honor, he failed to Fefe'
in any way to the great purchase II
the famous epitaph which he prepared
for his own monument and which runs
in this wise:
::'Here is buried Thomas Jefferson
author OF the American Declaration OF
Independence. Of the statute of vir.
ginia for religious freedom, and father
OF the University OF Virginia.
These We're magnificent deeds, In.
mortal achievements, each one ample
to give him imperishable renown and
Tor which we are all his debtors for.
ever and forever. But II he could
have comprehendsd the full and mar.
Il velous effects OF his unequaled trade
I with the first consul he would hays
. added to that epitaph q fourth CLAIM