Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-12-01


seven years war John Adams. Ben.
janln Franklin. John Jay and Henry
Laurcns are all there. Thomas Jeffer
son was also appointed Il commission
or. but he never served on this com
mission. What are your instructions
w American representatives. "Why."
says John JAY the most important per
sonality on that commission. congress
has confused these instructions. II has
sent us over here to perfect terms Of
peace. Then IL has tied us hand and
foot with these instructions: You are
to make the most candid and confiden
tial communications upon all subjects
to the ministers of our generous ally
the king Of France: to undertake moth
ing IN the negotiations for peace OF
treaty without their knowledge and
concurrence and ultimately to govern
yourself by their advice and opinion.
Did you ever hear such nonscnsica In
structions as that
But. Mr.. Jay. why are you bitter at
those instructionsf Is not France our
friendi Does she not wish TO help US
In every wayi NO, emphatically no"
answers John Jay France has never
been our friend. France joined us AZ
Yorktown not because she loved US.
but because she wanted to humiliate
her national foe. France Is not only
opposed TO our interests. but she wants
all this land west OF the Ohio river TO
stay under British control. Why, only
the other day the Count d Arnnda sug.
gested that our western boundary line
should be the Ohio river and the Mis-
sissIppi river" but. Mr.. Jay, what
right have you TO that land of the
northwest: What right Indignantly
cries the great American diplomat.
"By the right of conquest. Have you
not read how George Rogers Clark led
his troops through that region and
compelled the British general at DE
troit 10 surrender to him." Well. Mr.
Jay. what do you intend to do? IL In
tend TO thwart the hostile machina-
tons OF the French king. ! shall first
sign a treaty with the English com
missoners without consulting the
French ministers. Then | shall take
that treaty TO the French kings hire
llngs and say: Sign. You must sign or
be branded as our nations enemies. !"
And this Is what John jay, the great
American diplomat. induced the Amer
lean commissioners 10 do. Thus we
find that the great treaty OF Paris OF
1888 WAS principally the direct work
of two great American heroes-George
Rogers Clark the back woods dreamer.
and John Jay. the astute diplomat.
who dared 10 defy the direct orders OF
the continental congress and who dar-
ed to thwart the plans of the French
minister Nergennes.
My friends. on this glorious Thanks
giving Sabbath let us think for mo-
ment what our government would have
been had not these two American he
roes set forward the northwestern
boundary from the Ohio river to the
great lakes. Did You ever stop TO
think what this government would be
II we had been compelled to erect
frowning fortresses at Buffalo and
Pittsburg and Cincinnati and Louisville
and Natchez and custom house officials
had been set TO patrol the eastern
shores of the Ohio to keep the goods of
cur western country from entering
New York and Philadelphia duty freeF
The Louisiana Purchase.
We must hurry In the discussion OF
this interesting Thanksgiving theme.
The next great geographical expansion
to which would call your attention
Is the Louisiana purchase. The in
direct cause of this purchase is almost
unknown TO the majority of American
citizens. And In order To give the his
tOrical setting to this transaction !
shall first introduce TO you us strange
and ms weird a personality as George
Rogers Clark. This man is not a white
man. but a full blooded negro. He IL
not living In France or Spain or in the
United States but in the island of
Santo Domingo. And yet this negro,
this ex-slave. named Toussalnt r0u-
venture. whom Napoleon betrayed by
false promises aud brutally starved to
death In the French dungeon of st
Joux. had as much TO do with the
Louisiana purchase as Robert Living.
ston or Thomas jefferson. the pres-
dent
Santo Domingo san island of the West
Indies northeast OF South America. 1t
Is more commonly known as Haiti or
the ''Island OF the Mountains" In geo
graphical area il is about the size OF
South Carolina. II is an island so
beautiful that 1t seems as though the
goddess Flora had come there and
planted her most beautiful treasures
aud that the garden of Eden had lift.
ed itself out OF the green seas to he
kissed by the azure of the blue skies
Here II was IN the days Of Robespierre
and Marat and Danton. led on by this
modern Spartacus called Toussalnt
rOuverture that the slaves of that
island rose In their might and fought
for the honor of their manhood aud
womanhood and won their inicpend
ence and called their brave leader.
Toussaint r0uverture. their national
ahfnf Tint usuC Ia tNnI ItnIuw