The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-03-06

war. England soon gave France to I'M
| derstand that she would not abandon
Malta.
When Napoleon had a battle to fight
he went at it and figured it out as a
mathematical problem, fully as coldly
and precisely: then he forced the fight,
hurting his armies into it like a thun-
derbolt. So when England's policy
was revealed to him, he SAY in a flash
all the mighty struggle to come.
the desperate situation confronting
him, with all Europe to be united to
destroy him. He lost not an instant
in vain regrets that the era Of peace
he longed for could neve be realized.
He saw that once more England was
forcing France to forego forever a
bright dream of colonial grandeur.
Those of his %counselors to whom he
still listened demonstrated against the
sale of Louisiana, but he saw better
than they how grave was the danger
of E%ngland's capturing it, What ever
might happen, he would take particular
p%recaution to prevent his arch-enemy
beyond the channel from profiting too
greatly by his possible downfall.
For many months a representative of
the United States had been Emporium
ing the government of France to sell
to the young republic such part of
Louisiana as lay east of the Missis-
sippi including the shipping port of
New Orleans. OF course while France
entertained the hope of great colonial
establishments, the idea of parting
with any territory was most unpopu-
lar, and the emissary of the United
States met with no encouragement.
The traffic from the settlements was
growing to be vastly important, and
the restrictions which were imposed
on this trade were becoming unbear-
able. Jefferson had great difficulty in
restraining the settlers from organi-
zing and taking the desired territory
by force of arms. They were assured
that they would Soon have by peacea-
BILE purchase that small portion Of
Louisiana, including the shipping port
of New Orleans, which lay east Of the
river. And 70 they waited, impatient
ly, and with much murmuring at the
long delay In Paris.
Such was the situation in the val
ley of the Mississippi when on a day
in the latter part of May a most start
ling thing occurred in far away Paris,
an event Of such stupendous impor-
lance that one equaling it seldom oc.
ours in the history of a nation. On
that May day a man who had never
seen or never was to see the land
of the new republic that was to become
the greatest world power on the globe,
did an act by the exercise of his own
autocratic will which contributed di-
rectly more to the future greatness Of
the American nation than any other
man ever had or perhaps ever can
have it in his power to contribute.
Napoleon saw that three things
could be accomplished by the selling
of Louisiana to the United States,
namely: Funds could be secured for
carving on the var that doomed in
evitable before him; the ceding Of
this vast territory to the United States
would SO strengthen the young nation
as to make it for ever safe from the
power Of England, which still watched
with crafty longing to see the COM
pact that held the states together fall
to pieces and they become, an easy
prey; and the third, that if the worst
should betide France the land of
Louisiana would be so disposed of that.
it should not be a portion of an in
solent victor's booty. In whatever
phase of the subject that came to his
view he saw his ever present enemy,
and of curse he was mainly actuated
by hatred of England and to humiliate
her he would have given not only
Louisiana but his life.
The time was come to act and when
that time came things had to move
quickly. He called the American minis
ter and Informed him that the object
he had so long and so p%ersistently
sought should be granted. He could
not only have New Orleans, which he
came to negotiate for, but the entire
territory of Louisiana. Livingston, the
minister. was appalled,. This
was more than he hoped for, more than
his instructions authorized him to pur-
chase. The responsibility was too ire
mendous, and he begged a few days de-
until Monroe could arrive. The i'm
petuous nature of Napoleon when Mon
roe came, soon bore down all opposi-
ton and the representatives Of Ameri-
ca resolved to shoulder the RESPONSE
bility of taking vastly more for the
money than they were authorized to
than they cared to take. When
Nar0l0o~ Lna :-.- L.. 49, $500. j