Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-06
Louisiunu Purchase
And the Bose Deal
Swop Of Destroyers for Naval
Sites Differed From Move
In Jefferson's Doy
BIZ Bertrdm Benedict.

By Bertram Benedict.
In his message to Congress announc-
ing the transfer Of so destroyers to
Great Britain in return for naval bases,
President Roosevelt compared the trans
action, both in importance and In nature,
to the Louisiana Purchase. But the
Louisiana Purchase was an analogy
more in the emergency presented than
in the way the emergency was met.
In 1902 the United States found out
that in the secret treaty of San Ildefonso
Of 1900, Napoleon had forced Spain to
cede the Louisiana territory back to
France. The port of New Orleans, all
important to American trade In the
Mississippi Valley. was ordered closed
to American goods. preparatory to being
taken over by France. The population
beyond the Alleghenies prepared to resist
French occupation by force.
President Jefferson opened negoti-
atoms with France to buy New Orleans
and West Florida. Congress had author.
lied $4,000 900, but the President never
theless told his negotiators, Monroe and
Livingston, to go as high as SIC, 900 900
If unable to buy, they were to try TO
get trade rights at New Orleans. If
unsuccessful there also, they were to
await instructions for further, action, pre-
sumably an offer to Great Britain of an
alliance against the dictator who had
brought most Of Europe under his domi-
nation. Jefferson wrote Livingston:
The possessor of Louisiana is our
natural and habitual enemy The
day that France takes possession of New
Orleans 81. seals the union of two ma
tons who in conjunction can maintain
exclusive possession Of the ocean From
that moment we must marry ourselves 20
the British feet and nation"
Napoleon, however. decided 10 go the
whole hog and sell all of Louisiana.
True, the treaty of San Ildefonso pro-
vided that Louisiana might not again
be transferred except to Spain, but
what was treaty to dictator? Spain
protested in vain. The purchase price
for all Louisiana was s11 $50, 900 olus
s3,750,000 to meet American private
claims.
When jefferson learned that his en-
voys had contracted to buy Louisiana,
he was in a quandary. The country
would obviously favor the move, but for
ho kol cicto tr,a
ton Of the Constitution, and he found
nothing in it to sanction the new treaty.
Doubtless the United States could ac-
quire new lands as colonies, but the
treaty with Napoleon provided that the
Louisiana territory was TO be irfCorpo-
rated in the Union and that its in
habitants were to become full American
citizens.
The President suggested to his cabinet
and advisers that an amendment be
added TO the Constitution sanctioning
the Louisiana acquisition, but they de-
INJURED, pointing out that the Senate
might reject the treaty if it knew that
the President himself thought the treaty
unconstitutional. So Jefferson yielded
W Tie OplInOIl against MN. Inc RED
eralists, who had been willing to pile
up large public debt. and also TO in
terpret the Constitution broadly in order
to sanction the Bank of the United
States. now condemned any increase in
the debt and called for strict interpreta-
ton. The opposition centered in the
East, just as now the opposition to aiding
Great Britain against Hitler centers in
the Middle West, but the treaty vas
easily ratified. The House also con-
CURED by voting a new appropriation
to administer the acquisition.
The difference between the purchase
of Louisiana in 1903 and the transfer
OF deStroyerS in 1910 is that in the former
instance the transaction was embodied
in a treaty, which became null and void
unless the Senate approved Perhaps a
closer analogy would be the emanci-
patton of the slaves by executive fiat
instead Of legislative action by Congress
during the Civil War.