The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-12-25


tie Of New Orleans
dent Arkansas, the second of the IS states to
be made in whole or in part from the Louisiana
Purchase, had just been admitted to the Union.
One day in 1886 one of the callers at the White
House was William Allen congressman from
Ohio. Jackson and Allen discussing the
admission of Arkansas. Their conversation is
reported in Aliens writings as follows:
do you know, Mr.. Allen, that this new state
which has just become part of our vast Repub-
lie is one of the first substantially large fruits of
my victory at New Orleans?' asked the Presi-
dent.
Allen was surprised and said so, remarkng
that the Treaty of Client was signed 10 days be-
fore the battle was fought and adding:
General. ! am familiar with that treaty and 1t
provided for the restoration of all territory,
places and possessions taken by either nation
during the war, with certain unimportant eX-
ceptions"
Technically you are quite correct" replied
General Jackson and his smile was more trium-
plant and proud than before But my dear
Allen" said the old hero, 'those very words
would have been used to defeat the purpose of
the American commissioners at Client, because
the Battle of New Orleans was fought after the
war; 10 days after the war technically ceased
by treaty If General Pakenham with his TO- 600
veterans could have annihilated my little army
and captured New Orleans and all the cOntigu-
Gus territory technically after the war, Great
Britain would have held that territory, abrcgated
that treaty. and utterly ignored Thomas Jeffer-
sons great deal in real estate with Napoleon.
Moreover" he continued, "Great Britain had
other cards up her sleeve
"Here are the transcripts from the Department
of State concerning the famous treaty of Client.
80 h. 6fnh
were kept by Mr.. Gallatin. who records:
"The British commissioners emphatically de-
clared: 1--WE do not admit Bonapartes construc-
ton of the laws of the nations. We cannot &C
cept it in relation to apy matter before u.s.
"At that moment not one of our American COM
missioners comprehended the awfully deep sig
niicance of those few words. But every one Of
the commissioners of Great Britain knew that
General Pakenham the way to New Or
leans with upward Of 10000 veteran soldiers. In
their judgment-and it was wise judgment. too
10000 British soldiers should, and would, clean
up and wipe out army which America could
muster for the Pakenham invasion was to be a
triumphant military coup and surprise.
Now I can tell you, Mr. Allen, that did not
know and my boys behind those bales did not
know. what a prize the British were after nor
what service were rendering our country.
We were simply typical American soldiers. fight
ing for our country as American soldiers always
do: ready and willing to dare do and die.
"But since have been President have ascer-
tanned from diplomatic sources of unquestionable
authority that the British ministry did not intend
to permit the treaty of Client to apply to the
Louisiana Purchase at all. The whole body Lord
Liverpool, the Duke Of Portland. Greenville
Percival and Castlereagh. all Of them. utterly
and emphatically denied the right Of Napoleon
to sell Louisiana. Therefore their commission
ers declared we cannot accept Napoeon's in
terpretations of international law in relation to
any matter before u.s.
"Now. you see, Mr.. Allen" said the proud old
hero 1.-The British ministry in London held most
vehemently that this country had no right to that
immense territory-no right at all. They in
tended to hold that it was entirely extraneous to
the terms of the treaty of Client. And. If Gen.
eral Pakenham had been successful at New Or
leans-as under all of the ordinary rules Of war
he ought to have been. with his tremendously
overwhelming force of veterans-if he had de-
feated my little. thin line Of riflemen. if he had
killed or captured me- if he had won that battle
Great Britain had ever reason to expect Of
him. he would have held his ground. Moreover
he would have fortified his positions. and Great
Britain would have sent other veterans enough
to forever hold that great prize, the Louisiana
Purchase.
But my dear sir, British diplomacy and Brit
ish military power combined knew nothing of
my Tennessee and Kentucky ri1emen. The will
of the enemy was strong and intelligent; but the
will of God was far above 1t ALL Providence
willed that this nation should live grow and be
the cradle Of the liberty of the world" Then
General Jackson quoted a wel-known hymn:
"God moves in mysterious way. his wonders
to PERFORM" and concluded his narration:
1.-THE astute diplomats. the trained commits
sioners of Great Britain, cheerfuly found it easy
to throw sand into the eyes of our honest COM
missioners at Client: but Allen, they could not
ward off the cold lead which my rough and ready
rfemen sprinkled into the faces of their red
coated veterans at New Orleans All of the tan
gled web that British diplomacy and English cum
ming could weave about our inexperienced com.
missioners was torn to pieces and soaked in
blood in half an hour by the never-missng rifles
of my squirrel-shooting pioneers of the noun
tains as they carefully took their aim from be-
hind those invulnerable bales Of cotton"
"a by Western Newspaper Union)
Interview Didn't Count
While. Lynde NJ Walter, first editor Of the