Arizona republican., 1913-03-17
Inside Story of Louisiana Purchase
tFrom James C. Blaine's Twenty Years of
 

Congress')
 At the time of the Louisiana Purchase, Robert R. Livingston was minister at Paris. To help hm settle some irritating territorial questions be- tween the United States France President Jefferson sent out James Monroe a special envoy Tn the spring of 1903. The instructions of James Madison who then secretary of state show that nothing more expected by transactions with Bonaparte, First Consul O France than the acquisition Of New Orleans and the Foridas.
 But events beyond the ocean were working more rapidly for the interest United States than any influences which the government itself could exert Before MT. Monroe reached France in the spring of 1S03 another war cloud of DOT tentous magnitude hanging over Europe The treaty Of Amiens had proved only truce. AWkWardly constructed, misconsrued and violated broken.
 Neither of the plenpotentiaries signed the treaty was skilled in diplomacy. Joseph Bonaparte acted for his brother; England was represented by Lord CornWals who twenty years before had surrendered the British army at Yorktown. The wits of London described him afterwards as d general who could neither conduct conclude a peace
 Fearing that, in the threatened conflict England by her superior naval force would deprive him of his newly acquired colonial empire. greatly enhance her own prestige by securing all the American possessions which France has owned prior to l763. Bonaparte, by d dash in diplomacy as quick and as brilliant his tactics the field of battle, placed Louisiana beyond the reach of British power. returning the re- Hgious services of Easter Sunday, April 1o 1So3 he called two of his trusted advisers and in tone vehemence and passion said
 T know the full value of Louisiana. have been desrous of repairing the fault of the French negotiators who lost it in 1763. A few lines of d treaty have restored it to me, and now must expect lose it The English wish to take possession it. is thus they will begin the They have already twenty ships the line the Gulf Mexico The conquest Louisiana would be easy. l have lose in putting it their reach The English have successiVely taken from France the Canadas Cape Breton, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia the richest portions of Asia But they shall have the Mississippi. which they covet"
 The discussion far into the night The ministers differed in the advice which they the first consul; in favro of holding prudent cession rather than inevitable loss by They both remained St. Cloud for the night At daybreak the minister who advised the cessiOn summoned by Bonaparte to read dispatches from London. that received, which certainly foreshadoWed war the English were making military and naval preparations with extraordinary rapidity After reading the dispatches the first consul said:
 "Irresolution and deliberation longer in l renOunce Louisiana. It is only New Orleans that l will cede, it is the whole colony without reservation. l know the value of what I abandon l renounce with the gravest regret l direct you t6 negotiate this affair with the envoy of the United States. Do not wait for the arrival of MT. Monroe. Have interview this very day with Mr. Livingston. But 1 require a deal of money for this l will be mod crate. l 50 millions Tor Louisiana
 The minister. who opposed to the sale. inter- posed in subsequent interview, some observa-