The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

"Irresolution and deliberation are no longer in season." Napoleon said "I re- nounce Louisiana. It is not only New Orleans that I will cede. but the whole colony without any reservation. |. I direct you to negotiate this affair with the envoy of the United States. Do not even await the arrival of MT. Monroe Have an interview this very day with MT Livingston. But require a great deal of money for this war. I will be moderate in consideration of the necessity of making the sale. l want $5O,0oo,000 (nearly s10,0000oO, and for less than that I will not treat
 It was Talleyrand who opened the trade by asking Livingston how he would like to buy all of Louisiana. The American minister replied that he wanted only New Orleans and the gulf shore and that France ought to throw in the northern wilds as a barrier against the British in Canada. Even New Orleans was not worth much, the Yankee trader barren sands and sunken marshes'-"a small town built of wood" !"
 But Talleyrand, who was somewhat of a real estate dealer himself protested that if he sold only New Orleans he would have on his hands a worthless remnant and that he must sell the cn- tire territory. Livingston coolly replied that he had not thought much about it. but inquired in casual tone how s4.000,000 would look to France? Thereat Talleyrand shrugged his shoulders and. saying the bid was too low, asked the American to think 1t over.
 A Real Estate Auction
 That was Monday; on Wednesday Mon- roe drove into Paris While he and Livingston were dining the next day Marbois was seen passing by and was called in to have a cup of coffee. As the treasury minister was leaving he whispered to Livingston to come to his office. There in the department of fi- nance they held midnight auction. Mar bois said nothing of Napoleon having made the selling price s1o0OoOD, but demanded s25. .00o.0Oo. s50o0.o 900 of that sum. however. to be returned to the United States for the payment of the French spoilation claims" arising from depreda- tions by French vessels on American shipping in the little war of 17es.
 After two weeks of chaffering the American bid stood at $14, GOO and the French demand at S25 O01 600, when Mar bois suddenly dropped to s1500O,0o0, and the Americans agreed to that price. s. 70,oo0 of which, however. was not to be paid to France, but withheld for the settlement of the American claims against the French. Napoleon scolded Marbois
 
 when his minister reminded him that he himself had asked less than $10.000,0O0, and was getting more than sl1, 900 900. the first consul heamingly exclaimed, Tt is true, the negotiations leave me nothing to de- sire; 60,0c0,000 tfrancs) for an occupation that perhaps will not last dayi, And he chuckled as he thought of the huge territory he had thrust upon the United States. They asked me for a town and I have given them an empire"
 When the Americans complained that the eastern boundary toward the Floridas was not defined with sufficient ciearness, 1t did not trouble him. ''Tf an obscurity did not exist he said to M Marbois. fit would perhaps be good policy to put one there" For. after all. Spain had not ceded the Floridas with Louisiana in her treaty with France. and that coast re- mained In her possession.
 The very day after Napoleon signed the treaty and on the very day that he for mally ratified 1t. the great war between France and Britian began so closely bound up to the last was the cession of Louisiana with the progress of events in Europe.
 As the American negotiators finished their momentous task and rose from the table where. with a movement of their pens they had just added almost 1,OOo, ,00O square miles to the area of the United States, Livingston exulted. We have