Des Moines County IA Archives History - Books .....Chapter II The Louisiana Purchase 1915
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 August 11, 2008, 4:53 pm

Book Title: History Of Des Moines County Iowa

CHAPTER II
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE

   The region west of the Mississippi was first explored to a certain extent by
white men in 1512, but no settlement was made until in 1699, when two French
gentlemen, Iberville and Bienville, during the reign of Louis XIV founded a
colony in Louisiana. In 1712 the French king granted a charter to M. Crozot
which included the then Province of Louisiana. At the termination of the French
and Indian war, and the treaty in 1768, the British power was extended from the
Atlantic to the main channel of the Mississippi; a tide of emigration began to
pour into this country. The Ohio River was the means by which its occupation was
greatly facilitated from the northern portions of the country; while from the
Carolinas and Virginia the Cumberland Gap permitted a passage to the southern
portion of the country. By the hardy pioneers the wilderness was being subdued,
and the foundation of an empire laid. But no means of communication existed by
which to reach the outside world, except down the Mississippi, and through its
mouth into the Gulf of Mexico. These people were hemmed in, and conditions were
such that it was impossible to have communications with their own countrymen on
the Atlantic seaboard. Spain controlled the mouth of the Mississippi on both
sides, and laid an embargo on every parcel of merchandise which passed into the
Gulf of Mexico. These pioneers were men not to be fooled with, and let it be
known to the authorities at Washington what they wanted. In 1788 Spain proffered
to grant them the free navigation of the river on condition they would separate
themselves from the United States and establish a government of their own, which
proposition was rejected. Thomas Jefferson had been elected President, and was a
strict constructionist of the Constitution, when a strict construction was
necessary, and a loose constructionist when such in his opinion was necessary.
He was a great politician but a poor lawyer. At this time the New England States
were not overzealous for the free navigation of the Mississippi, for it would
bring into competition with them things which they produced. Conditions were
such, something had to be done to satisfy the West. When it was learned Spain
had been compelled to cede to France all her domain west of the Mississippi, was
Jefferson's opportunity to gain by diplomacy what must in the end be gained by
war, if diplomacy failed. In 1788 Congress in a resolution had declared "The
free navigation of the Mississippi to be a clear and essential right of the
United States and ought to be enforced." A more foolish resolution was never put
on paper, because Spain, at the time, owned and held both banks of the river and
New Orleans was a port of entry. When Spain had control, the American minister
at Madrid proposed, if Spain would cede to the United States what she held east
of the Mississippi and New Orleans, the United States would enter into a treaty
that in no event would it claim any of the territory west of that river. Hut
Spain would not agree to the proposition. On January 11, 1803. Jefferson sent a
message to the Senate in which he says: "The cession of the Spanish Province of
Louisiana to France, and the suspension of our right of deposit at New Orleans
are events of primary interest to the United States." Then he states: "Measures
have been taken to prevent further causes of disquietude. The object of these
measures was to obtain territory on the left bank of the Mississippi, and
eastward, if practicable, on conditions to which the proper authorities of our
country could agree, or at least to prevent any changes which might lessen the
secure exercise of our right." Mr. Livingston at this time was minister to
France. Also in the above message Mr. Jefferson nominated Mr. Livingston
minister plenipotentiary, and James Monroe minister extraordinary and
plenipotentiary, with full powers to enter into a treaty with the First Consul
of France for the purpose of enlarging and more effectually securing our rights
and interests in the River Mississippi, and the tributaries eastward thereof."
It will be seen from the above, it never was the intention of Mr. Jefferson to
acquire any territory west of the Mississippi. Above all things else, history
wants to be reliable so as to give credit where it belongs. On the 16th of July,
1803, Mr. Jefferson issued a call for the convening of Congress on the 17th of
October following, and in his message on its convening said: "We have not been
unaware of the danger to which our peace would be exposed with so important a
key to our commerce, if the western country remained under foreign control.
Propositions had been authorized for obtaining on fair conditions the
sovereignty of New Orleans, and other possessions in that quarter interesting to
our quiet, to such an extent as was deemed practicable, and an appropriation of
$2,000,000 to be applied. The intelligent government of France saw with just
discernment the importance to both nations such liberal arrangements as might
best permanently promote the peace and interest of both, and the property and
sovereignty of all of Louisiana be transferred to the United States." Then Mr.
Jefferson in his message tells Congress "if it can constitutionally earn' out
the bargain to do so." The making of the bargain in the first instance belongs
to Mr. Livingston, for Mr. Monroe did not reach Paris until after the bargain
had been completed. At the special session called the Senate ratified the
treaty. Thus for a bagatelle ($15,000,000) the United States acquired the whole
of Louisiana. But the strange part of the transaction is, that it had to be
shown to the administration at Washington by the First Consul, it was to our
interest to obtain the whole instead of that small strip of land east of the
Mississippi in which New Orleans was situated. What influenced Napoleon was not
that he needed the money so badly, that he would cede away an empire twice as
large as Europe, but of his inability to hold it against England and the
Continent leagued against him.


Additional Comments:
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY IOWA AND ITS PEOPLE

By AUGUSTINE M. ANTROBUS

ILLUSTRATED
 VOLUME I
CHICAGO
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 
1915 

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