The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-04-26

in 1862, and one OF the results was the
ceding by France of the Louisiana
country east Of the Mississippi, ex-
cept New Orleans, to Great Britain;
and west of the Mississippi, with New
Orleans, to Spain.
That part OF it cast OF the A1issis-
sippi OF course became ours through
the Revolutionary war and the Treaty
OF Peace with Great Britain in 1888.
During the war for independence
settlers in great numbers had crossed
the mountains into Kentucky and
Tennessee. At once it became ques-
ton how these people could find an
avenue OF commerce with the outer
world The natural way was by the
Mississippi rlIer. The east bank OF
the river as far south as Florida,
(Which then included parts OF what
are now the states OF Mississippi, Ala
bama and Georgia. was the property
OF the United States: but the west
bank OF the river with the island Of
New Orleans and Florida on the east
belonging TO Spain. Sc the people OF
the United States could not reach the
Gull OF Mexico without going through
Spanish territory This the Spaniards
would not let them do unless they
paid heavily for the privilege. You
may be sure that the settlers would
not submit to this willingly, and conse-
quently all sorts. of trouble arose,
The story is too long to be told here,
but every American boy should study
for himself the history of these thrill
lingly interesting years from 1885 to
1900. Had, Spain continued the
owner OF Louisiana war with the
United States must have resulted but
in 1901 the territory was receded by
Spain to France.
Thomas Jefferson had become the
president of the United States. He
saw that the change Of owners OF
the Louisiana territory did not and
could not relieve the situation. On
April 18th, 1902, he wrote to our
minister in Paris, Mr.. Livingston
This cession completely reverses all
the political relations of the United
States, and will form new epoch in
our political course. .... -. There is
on the globe one single spot, the pos
SCISSOR of which is our natural and
habitual enemy" Mr.. James Monroe
was sent over to Paris to join Mr..
Livingston in an effort to persuade
France to sell US that spot, which was
the island OF New Orleans.
But Napoleon was now the ruler
OF France, dreaming dreams OF a new
France in America, and seeing Wis
ions OF his own power extending not
only over all Europe but over the
western continent as well.
To carry out his ambitious designs,
he planned to send an army Of $4,000
men into Louisiana and war fleet
ito the Gulf of Mexico to guard the
coast. But you know what often hap
pens to the best laid plans of mice and
men, England and France seemed
about to be engaged in war. The SOL
die7s he intended to send to Amer
ica were in San Domingo, and had
been so weakened by war and sick
ness that on the day that had been ac-
tually fixed for the movement to
Louisiana, not a man was able to go.
So Napoleon suddenly changed his
mind, sent for Mr.. Monroe and Mr..
Livingston and offered to sell them
not only New Orleans but also the
whole Louisiana territory
There was no cable or wireless
telegraph in those days, ard there
was no time to write to Mr.. Jefer-
son for his advice, so Monroe and
Livingston took the matter in their
own hands and signed the contract
whereby Louisiana was transferred
to the United States for a considera-
ton of St5,ooo,ooo.
For history of the great constitu-
tional questions involved, and resulting
therefrom, our older readers are refer