The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-05-05

ton. he insisted that an amend
mentseto the constitution was neces-
sary TO authorize such acquisition.
This was absurd and III took his
friends a long while to convince him
Of the fact. ersai7g
Senator w. G. Nicholas. of .Vir,
ginia,j devoted friend of the Presi-
dent, Whole that he had examined the |
constitution with much care and had |
reached the conclusion that the pow
er to acquire and incorporate foreign
territory into the Union was given
as broadly as it could be made. Mr..
Jefferson replied to this letter on the
7th of September, more than four
months after the treaty had been
concluded, saving to Mr.. Nicholas:
'I am aware of the force of the
observations you make on the power
given by the constitution to Congress
to admit new states into the Union
without restraining the subject to the
territory then constituting the Uni
ted States. But when I consider that
the limits Of the United States are
precisely fixed by the treaty of 1888,
that the constitution expressly de-
clares itself to be made for the Uni
ted States, I cannot help believing
that the intention was to permit Con-
gress to admit into the Union new
states which should be formed out
of the territory for which and under
whose authority alone they were then
acting. I do not believe it was meant
that they might receive England, Ire
land, Holland. etc, into it, which
would be the ease under your con-
struction. When an instrument adj
mits Of two constructions, the one
safe, the other dangerous. the one
precise, the other indefinite, I prefer
that which is safe and precise. had
rather ask an enlargement Of power
from the nation where it is fvun1 nee
essary than to assume it by con-
struction which would make our pow
ers boundless.'
But Mr.. jefferson had in the mean
time been weakening in his opposition
to the treaty His conscience still
urged him to resist. but the voice of
the people demanded his consent. AS
the voice of the people grew stronger
his conscience grew weaker, until at
length it weakened altogether He
wrote to Madison: "The less we say
about the constitutional difficulties
respecting Louisiana the better, and
what is necessary for surmounting
them must be done Sub Silentio. -
What was to be done in the ratifica-
ferson was thin-skinned and he dread
ed to have his inconsistencies COM
mented upon in public debate. Only
one day was allowed the senator's for
discussion, but the treaty was fHti-
; fed by large majority. Jefferson
had convened Congress on the 18th
of October to ratify the treaty. to
provide for the stipulated price to be
paid and to arrange for receiving and
governing the acquired province. Ev-
ervthing went smoothly after Con
gress convened. An act providing for
the reception of Louisiana was pass
ed and commissioners appointed tc
receive it on behalf of the United
States. When the commissioners ar
rived at New Orleans, the Spanish
commissioners had just hauled dowr
the flag of their country, and the
: flag of France had been flying for &
day. The next day, on the Goth Of
IDeeember, 1S03,- the French flag was
Powered and the American flag was
at once raised to the top Of the same
staff. On that day Louisiana became
United States soil and its people mem
!; bers of the great Republic. -.
Mr.. Jefferson's contest with hi
conscience, in approving the Louisi
ana purchase, was a severe one, bu
he conquered, it never afterward trou
bled him, in that connection. Hi
government of the new territory wa
in violation of every precept of gov
eminent he had ever taught. He9tool
no thought for the consent of the gov
erned: he gave the people no voice il
d the management of their own affairs
S did not make effort to protect then
= in their lives, their liberty or thei
g property. He assumed all the author
S ity of the Spanish monarch and rule
, them as despot. Full authority ha
S been given him by Congress and h
= made his authority felt to the ut