The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-09-07
CHAPTER XIV.

OF Mr.. Jefferson's range of vision as
statesman, is the Importance which h
attached to the west while it was still
q wilderness. He was quick to encourage
reorge Rogers Clarke when he offered T.
invade the vast Illinois country. Wher
governor of Virginia he pushed tbs
frontier of his state to the banks of the
mississippi, and held it there with fort
nile minister to France he had urged
Ledyard to go across Europe to Kamchat
ka. pass the strait. and from the shores OF
the Pacific explore the country back tC
the settlements in the east
When Spain had demanded full control
OF the Mississippi. and John Jay had pro-
posed to yield to the Spanish demands for
the closure of the river. Jefferson and
Madison both realized what Jay and
Washington did not-the vast Importance
of the Mississippi to the American people.
Professor John Fiske, in his Critical
Period of American History. holds up
George McDuffie. 1.-The very able senator
from South Carolina m the scorn Of
posterity because Mr.. McDuffie failed 10
fnresee the value of the unpeopled wilder
ness in the northwestern part of the re-
public. This was very shOrtsighted IN
Mr. McDuffie, and serves to lower him as
a statesman. But South Carolina was not
the only state which had a very able
senator" Massachusetts had one-DanIei
Webster-a very able SENATOR indeed
The value of the northwestern lands
was passed upon by him as well as by
McDuffie, and Professor John Fiske. OF
New England fails to cite the opinion OF
Mr.. Webster
The very able Senator from Massa-
chusetts expressed himself in these
words:
What do we want with this vast
worthless area? This region of savages
and wild beasts of deserts Of shifting
sands and whirlwinds of dust, of cactus
and prairie-dogs? To what use could
we ever hope to put these great deserts,
or those endless mountain ranges, i'm
penetrablc and covered to their base with
eternal snow? What can we ever hope
to do with the western coast, coast
of three thousand miles rock bound,
cheerless, uninviting. and not u harbor
on it? What use have we for this
country?
Thus Daniel Webster. "the very able
senator from Massachusetts, All Of
which merely goes 10 show that neither
George McDuffie nor paniel Webster had
the farSeeing vision OF craftsmanship
which Thomas jefferson and Napoleon
Bonaparte possessed For each Of these
marvellous men fully realized the vast
possibilities of the western wilderness
just as the much-revied John Law had
foreseen 1t. One of the first fruits Of
victory which Napoleon snatched at was
Louisiana. The bestial impotent Bour-
bons had lost it; he, the upstart Corsi
can. would have it back. And in 1900 he
got 1.-THE imperial domain ont of which
has been carved some fourteen Of the
best% states and territories OF the union
Mr.. jefferson had cas-; longing eyes upon
this glorious region. and had drea med OF
the day when it would be ours. To
every movement of the Spaniards on the
Mississippi he vas acutely sensitive
When they Withdrew our right of de
post at New Orleans he was prompt In
having II restored-doing it by patient
diplomacy bloodessly when the federal
lists in congress were striving to force
him into war
On the instant that it became known
In this country that Napoleon had Sc
cured the huge prize and meant to de-
velop colonial empire between the great
river and the Pacific ocean Mr.. Jeffer-
sons peace talk gave way to sterner
language. He said as plainly as words
could make it that France would not ne
allowed to establish a colonial empire
here. thus throwing into the face Of Ma
pcleon Bonaparte the first declaration OF
something which resembed the Monroe
doctrine"
But peace was always better than war,
and Mr.. Jefferson. while making threats.
offered to trade. Let France sell us New
Orleans and part Of Florida.
That Napoleon was swerved one hairs
breadth from his course by anything Mr.
jefferson said or did no student can al
lege
Nor is it true that the revolt of the ne
groes in san Domingo had anything to
do with it. Had not England broken the
peace Of Amiens. Napoleon would have
made the attempt TO hold Louisiana in
spite of jefferson, in spite Of Livingston
and Monroe. and in spite OF the negroes of
San Domingo
The expedition which General Victor
was to have led TO Louisiana was al
ready prepared, and sailing orders had
been issued. when it suddenly appeared
that there would be another struggle 10
the death with Great Britain. This, and
this only. changed Napoleons purpose. In
just as he afterwards changed his plan
against England to the plans against
Austria-whieh carried him to AusterlItz
and made William Pitt roll mp the map
OF the world and turn his tired face to
the wall
Livingston had made no Roadway in his
efforts to buy a portion Of the Louisiana
country. nor would James Monroe. whom
Jefferson n1lrried acroce NTH soora+ l.;
structions have had any better success.
But Napole0n's circumstances changed.
his mind changed. and from sullen Nay"
he shifted his tone to eager Yea" That
is all there IS Of it. He said to his min
lister; ~ know the value of what I sell
I regret its loss deeply But am power
less to hold it. England will seize it.
Offer 1t to the United States-sell the
whole Of Louisiana. Do this at once"
Absolutely he flung TO us. almost in spite
of ourselves. what we had not asked for
and what ne would have kept but for The
certainty that Great Britain would get It,
Z he only questions Livingston and Mon
roe had to settle We're a. whether they
should take the responsibility In buying
the whole country and 90 what price they
would pay They decided wisely to ac-
cept the entire property and they agreed
to pay what amounted to Sl5.0oo000
Had Jefferson not been prompt. had
our ministers not been men of nerve. had
Napoleon not been capable Of rapid de-
cision. Louisiana would doubtless been
the nrst prize of the British feet in the
war which Broke out twelve days later
Had England got her clutches upon that
Immense region. who can say that we
ever could have loosed them? The power