The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1908-10-22
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oughly posted on this question, will
recognize the truth Of what | say a. l
go along. Mr.. Jefferson never dream
ed Of acquiring any Of the territory
west Of the Mississippi save only the
post at New Orleans And he never
dreamed even OF that until the western
settlers, deprived Of treaty rights 81
deposit at New Orleans. drove him 70
1t. 1t was to acquire New Orleans on
" that he sent Monroe to France. Both
he and his secretary Of state, Mr.. Mad
ison, saw nothing but danger In any
acquisition Of territory west OF the
Mississippi. To the French minister
In Washington they explained that the
United States had no interest in ex-
tending its population to the west
bank, since extension would tend to
weaken the state and to slacken the
concentration Of It's forces" In spite
OF af1nities In manner and Language. 2
said his secretary Of state, mo colony
beyond the river could exist under the
same government, but would infallibly
give birth to separate state, having
In It's bosom germs OF collision with
the east. the easier to develop In pro-
portion to the very off1nity between
the two empires"
Mr.. Williams. Mr.. Chairman, may l
ask the gentleman from what he ID
quoting now?
Mr.. Dalzell. am quoting from the
writings Of Jefferson.
But Robert Livingston, our minis
ter to France, awaited himself OF his
opportunity and Of Napoleon's neces-
sity and made the purchase OF the
great territory now constituting %
many glorious states OF the Union.
The purchase took Jefferson by sur-
prise. At 6rst he thought he would
cede a part OF 1t to the Indians in OK
change for their holdings on the east
side of the Mississippi and shut up
all the rest from settlement for ! long
time to come" Then he raised tho
question OF constitutional amend
ment. Il suppose congress must ap-
peal to the nation for an additional ar
ticle to the constitution approving and
confirming an act which the nation
had not previously authorised" he
wrote Senator Breckenridge OF Ken
lucky. THE constitution has made NO
provision for our holding foreign ter
ritory, still less for Incorporating for
eign nations into our Union. Tho ex-
ecutive In seizing the fugitive occur
rence"-make the term, the fugitive
occurrence"-"which 80 much ad-
vances the good of their country, have
done an act beyond the constitution"
When these views reached Livings-
ton In France, he Immediately gave
Jefferson to understand that II the
business were to be done over again
1t never would be done. And thereup-
on Jefferson took alarm and immedi-
ately sent OF another letter to Senator
Breckenridge, In which he said:
Il wrote you on the 18th instant on
the subject OF louisiana and the con-
stitutional provision which might be
necessary for 1t. A letter Just receiv-
ed yesterday shows that nothing must
be said on that subject which may give
q pretext for retreating, but that We
should do sub silentio what shall be
found necessary. Be SO good, there
fore. as to consider that part OF my
letter confidential"
daughter and applause on the Re-
publican side.)
Was there any constitutional amend
ment ever afterwards suggested to in
dorse the Louisiana purchase? Ger
tainly not! No such amendment was
sought. Resort was had to the Ham
ilton doctrine that the constitution
created nation with all the powers
thereof. The dominant statesmen Of
that, day held. as was subsequently
held by the courts, that the United
States was q sovereign nation, having
and entitled to exercise all the powers
OF any sovereign nation. the right to
make war and peace, the right to ac-
quire territory, and, as q necessary
consequence OF that right, the right to
govern 1t without limitation save In
the discretion OF the congress- That Is
the law Of the land today as applied
with respect to our new possessions,
50 that not only was Mr.. Jefferson not
the author Of the Louisiana purchase
in the first instance. but the credit Of
having that great territory that we
have today IL due to the doctrines laid
down by Alexander Hamilton in asser-
ton OF the nations powers under the
constitution. (ApplaAse on the Rspub-
lican side.)
On January 13, 1903. Mr.. Gallatin
wrote to Mr.. Jefferson as to the Louis
ianna purchase:
But does any constitutional objec-
ton really exist? TO me, 1t would ap-
pear first. that the United States as
nation have an inherent right to ac-
Quire territory; second. that whenever
that acquisition Is by treaty, the same
constitutional authorities In whom the
treaty-maktng power IL vested have
the constitutional right to sanction the
acquisition"