The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1945-07-12
Lewis and Clark
The Great American Odyssey
A Condensed Story Of
the Historic Expedi-
ton of 1906
Copyright 1915 by
Walter MeachaIn
CHAPTER ;


presented an anomalous situation,
for Napoleon had sold something
he had no legal title to, did not
have possession of, and had prom
ised Spain when he traded for
Louisiana that he would not dis
pose of it to any foreign power.
But, the great Napoleon could not
be bothered with promises.
Preparations were made for the
proper formalities to be observed
in making transfer from Spain to
France. On November 80, 1903,
an impressive ceremony took
place in New Orleans In which
the Spanish flag was lowered, the
French colors raised and the ter
ritory declared to belong to
France.
The French flag flew over New
Orleans until December 20, 1903,
when the colors of France were
lowered, to the sorrow Of the
French residents, and the Ameri-
can flag was raised to the top of
the flagstaff to remain for all
time. William G. Claiborne and
General James Wilkinson had
been appointed as United States
Commissioners to accept LOUISE
ana in the name Of the American
republic. The following year Clai-
borne became the first territorial
governor of Louisiana.
The Spanish flag still flew over
st. Louis in Upper Louisiana. st.
Louis was founded in 1764 by Pr
ere Laclede and named in honor
of King Louis the Ninth Of France.
Captain Amos Stoddard was ap-
pointed United States Commits
sioner by President Jefferson to
take over officially that section
of louisiana for the United States.
On March 9, 1904, the first cere-
mony took place amid strange
setting. There were the Spanish
and French soldiers in their flashy
uniforms, the American troops in
their more conservative garb, and
the backwoodsmen in their buck
skin garments. The French and
Spanish residents were all excited
over the unusual event and Ind
ians from many tribes were cur
ious to know what it was all about.
The Spanish flag, which had
flown for a long time over the
frontier town, was slowly hauled
down and the colors Of France
were raised in its place. The
French flag was allowed to fly
for q day out of respect for the
French inhabitants of st. Louis.
On March 10, 1904, the final cere-
monies took place when the flag
of France was lowered and the
Stars and. Stripes was hoisted,
amid the cheers Of the Americans.
Captain Meriwether Lewis was an
interested witness of these cere-
monies. The Louisiana territory
at that time numbered about co.
600 residents.
The various events which trans.
pired before the transfer Of Louis
lana to the United States demon
strateS on what narrow margins
the fate of individuals and Of ma
tons are determined.
Had Napoleon not met defeat in
Santo Domingo and had not been
on the verge Of war with England
he would not have sold Louisiana,
and our central states Of today
might still be a French possession.
With that vast territory under q
foreign power, it is hardly likely
that the United States would have
colonized the Pacific coast, and
England would most likely have
taken possession Of the territory
west of the Rockies.
If Napoleon had not sold Louis
lana to the United States and Eng
land had taken possession with
her gunboats, it would probably
have meant war between the Unit
ed States and England, with the
result in doubt.
Taking all of these eventual
ties into consideration, we can
cav that tho 10lliS.