LOUISIANA PURCHASE. The purchase by the United States from France in 1803 of the .Province of Louisiana.' In the spring of 1802 news reached the United Stales that Spain, by the secret Treaty of San Ildefonso, concluded in October, 1800, had retroceded Louisiana to France, and the uneasiness caused thereby was soon increased by the announcement that the Spanish Intendant had withdrawn the right of deposit secured to the inhabitants of the United States by the treaty of 1795, and that Louisiana was to he delivered to France at an early date. President Jefferson was alarmed at the prospect of danger arising from the proposed transfer to France, and declared that the day she took pos session the ancient friendship between the United States and France would be at an end, and the United States must henceforth ally itself with the British nation. The President expressed this belief to Congress in his annual message, and at the same time wrote to the American Minisler at Paris. Robert R. Livingston, that. if France con sidered Louisiana indispensable to her interests she might still cede to the United States the island of New Orleans and the Floridas, and thus remove, to some extent, the causes of the irrita tion. Believing that this end could be best ac complished by sending a man direct from the United States, he selected, in January. 1803, James Monroe to acl as minister plenipotentiary with Livingston. The Serrate confirmed the nomi nation, and placed the sum of $2,000.000 at their disposal to accomplish the object of the mission. The war between France and England had just been renewed, and Napoleon. realizing the invin cibility of England on the sea, doubted the abil ity of France to hold Louisiana against such a power. To the astonishment of the commission crs, therefore, Napoleon, through Talleyrand, proposed to sell the entire Province of Louisiana, and asked for an offer. The Marquis de Slarbuis, -Minister of the Treasury, was then selected by Napoleon to conduct the negotiations. In the
meantime Monroe arrived (April 12), and the negotiations began in earnest. Marbois insisted on 100,000,000 francs and the assumption of Louisiana's debts by the United States, but finally agreed to take 80,000,000 francs, includ ing 20,000,000 for the debts which the United States was to assume, and on this basis the sale was effected, April 30, 1803. President Jefferson (lid not think that the Constitution warranted the annexation of Louisiana, and considered that an amendment would he necessary—an "act of in demnity," as he expressed it ; hut there was such general acquiescence by the people that the mat ter was dropped. and Jefferson advised Congress that the less said about the constitutional diffi culty the better. The treaty was ratified by the Senate on October 20th by a vote of 24 to 7, and was laid before both Honses, that they might provide for its execution. The treaty provided that the inhabitants of Louisiana should be in corporated into the Union and admitted to the full enjoyment of all the rights and immunities of citizens of the tinted States as soon as possi ble; that meanwhile they should be protected in the enjoyment of liberty. property, and worship; and that the ships of both France and Spain should for twelve years enjoy special privileges of entry at New Orleans. Accompanying the treaty were two conventions providing for the manlier of payment, and for the settlement of the debt. Up to June 20, 1880, the total cost of Louisiana, principal, interest, and debts assumed, was $27,267,621 (McMaster). The area pur chased exceeded 1,000.000 square miles. The pop ulation did not exceed 90,000, including French, Spanish ereoles, Americans, English, and Ger mans, and about 40,000 slaves. Consult: Hosmer, The History of the Louisiana Purchase (New York, 1902) ; and Howard, of the Loui siana Purchase (Chicago, 19021. See UNITED STATES, EXTENSION OF THE TERRITORY OF TIIE.