the leadership of John Law, in 1716, a company was formed at Paris and incorporated as the "Mississippi Company," which purchased Louisiana from the crown. The financial disasters in France caused by Law brought about the failure of his Mississippi scheme, and the explosion of what is known in history as the "Mississippi bubble." Louisiana was then resumed by the crown, and the commerce of the Mississippi was declared free. The French retained possession until 1762, when they ceded it to Spain, including the whole country to the head waters of the great river and west to the Rocky Mountains. The jurisdiction of France, which had continued for nearly a century, thus ended, until in 1800 Bonaparte, then first consul, induced the Spanish government to cede it back to France. During the time that Louisiana remained a Spanish dependency, that government claimed the exclusive right of navigating the Mississippi river. The free navigation of that river was essential to the prosperity and commerce of the United States. Spain then having jurisdiction also over the Floridas east of the great river, and that river for several hundred miles flowing wholly through the Spanish dominions, the question of its navigation south of the southern boundary of the United States became a serious one to our government and people. The people in the western part of the United States especially demanded the free navigation of the river as a right. But Spanish military posts enforced the collection of duties on imports by way of the river for the upper region. Boats descending were forced to submit to revenue exactions by Spanish authorities. These exactions were a constant source of trouble and disaffection, and led to a threatening state of affairs between the United States and Spain. Spain, however, by the treaty of Madrid, October 20, 1795, conceded to the United States the free navigation of the river from its source to the Gulf, and also the free use of the port of New Orleans for three years as a port of deposit.

The treaty of Madrid, however, did not quiet all troubles between the United States and Spain. In 1802, during the administration of President Jefferson, there was some apprehension of a war growing out of the continued disputes respecting the southwestern boundary. These disputes had led to

many difficulties between the people of the United States and the Spanish anthorities. These affairs, however, assumed a new aspect, when in the spring of 1802 the government of the United States received intelligence that, by a secret treaty made in October, 1800, Spain had ceded Louisiana to France. At this time Mr. Livingston was the United States Minister to France, and President Jefferson, soon after learning of the Spanish cession to France, wrote to Mr. Livingston in reference to acquiring the right to deposit at the port of New Orleans, and other matters which had been in dispute between the United States and Spain. In his annual message to Congress, in December of the same year, the President alluded to the subject of the Spanish cession to France. Congress passed resolutions asserting the right of navigating the Mississippi, and insisting upon the right to the use of a port or place of deposit. At that time it was understood in the United States that the Spanish cession to France included the Floridas, which, however, was not the case. The policy of the President was to enter into a treaty with France for the purchase of New Orleans and the Floridas, and with this view, on the 10th of January, 1803, he appointed James Monroe minister lenipotentiary to France to act in conjunction with Mr. Livingston. Monroe's nomination was confirmed by the senate. The instructions to the American ministers only asked for the cession of the city of New Orleans

Mr.

and the Floridas, together with the free navigation of the Mississippi. The cession at this time of the entire Territory of Louisiana was not a subject of discussion. Mr. Monroe sailed from New York, March 8, 1803, and arrived in Paris April 1.

Bonaparte was then first consul, and France was on England. He supposed the American ministers were into more extended stipulations than they really were. was directed to negotiate with the American ministers. sul to his minister, as recorded by the latter:

the eve of a war with authorized to enter Marquis de Marbois Said the first con

I renounce

"Irresolution and deliberation are no longer in season. Louisiana. It is not only New Orleans that I will cede; it is the whole colony, without any reservation. I know the price of what I abandon, and I have sufficiently proved the importance that I attach to this province, since my first diplomatic act with Spain had for its object the recovery of it. I renounce it with the greatest regret. To attempt to retain it would be folly. I direct you to negotiate this affair with the envoys of the United States. Do not even await the arrival of Mr. Monroe; have an interview this day with Mr. Livingston. But I require a great deal of money for this war, and I would not like to commence with new contributions. If I should regulate my terms, according to the value of these vast regions to the United States, the indemnity would have no limits. I will be moderate, in consideration of the necessity in which I am of making a sale. But keep this to yourself. I want fifty millions francs, and for less than that sum I will not treat; 1 would rather make a desperate attempt to keep those fine countries. Tomorrow you shall have full powers. Mr. Monroe is on the point of arriving. To this minister the President must have given secret instructions, more extensive than the ostensible authorization of Congress, for the stipulation of the payments to be made. Neither this minister nor his colleague is prepared for a decision which goes infinitely beyond anything that they are about to ask of us. Begin by making them the overture without any subterfuge. You will acquaint me, day by day, hour by hour, of your progress. The cabinet of London'is informed of the measures adopted at Washington, but it can have no suspicion of those which I am now taking. Observe the greatest secrecy, and recommend it to the American ministers; they have not a less interest than yourself in conforming to this counsel. You will correspond with M. de Talleyrand, who alone knows my intentions. If I attended to his advice, France would confine her ambition to the left bank of the Rhine, and would only make war to protect any dismemberment of her possessions. But he also admits that the cession of Louisiana is not a dismemberment of France. Keep him informed of the progress of this affair."

Mr.

On the same day that Napoleon thus confided to Marbois his determination, conferences began between the latter and Mr. Livingston. The American minister had been in Paris about two years, endeavoring to obtain indemnities claimed by American citizens for prizes inade by the French during peace, but so far, without result further than vague answers. Livingston had become distrustful of the French government, and feared the Louisiana overtures were but an artifice to gain still further time. Soon After these preliminary discussions were entered upon, Mr. Monroe arrived in Paris, and the next day began his conferences with Marbois. Rapid progress was made in the negotiations, for both sides had an interest in hastening the matter. Mr. Monroe was surprised to hear the first overtures made

30 frankly by the French minister, when he proposed to cede to the United States so vast a region of country, with the largest rivers of the world, instead of merely a town and an inconsiderable extent of territory. The offer embraced infinitely more than the American ministers were empowered to ask for, or accept. Their powers only extended to an arrangement respecting the left bank of the Mississippi, including New Orleans. But the moment was a critical one with France, hostilities being about to commence with England. There was not time for further instructions from the government of the United States before the opportunity would pass, perhaps forever. The American ministers therefore assumed the responsibility of treating for the purchase of the entire colony, or territory of Louisiana-an extent of country sufficient in itself for an empire. The terms were soon agreed upon. The United States was to pay for this vast acquisition the sum of fifteen millions of dollars. In the treaty of October 1, 1800, between France and Spain, the latter had reserved the right of preference in case France should cede this territory to another power; but here again France could not afford to wait. The treaty was concluded and subsequently submitted to the Spanish cabinet. They complained that no regard had been paid to their reserved right, and for almost a year that court delayed its approbation of the treaty. On the 10th of February, 1804, however, Don Pedro Cavallos, the Spanish minister, wrote to Mr. Pinckney, the American minister, that "His Catholic Majesty had thought fit to renounce his opposition to the alienation of Louisiana made by France, notwithstanding the solid reasons on which it is founded, thereby giving a new proof of his benevolence and friendship to the United States. The important treaty that gave to the United States this vast region, with all its wonderful resources, was concluded on the 30th of April, 1803, and four days later the instruments, in French and English, were signed by the ministers. After affixing their signatures, the ministers rose and shook hands, each expressing his satisfaction with the result. Mr. Livingston said: "We have lived long, but this is the noblest work of our whole lives. The treaty which we have just signed has not been obtained by art, or dictated by force; equally advantageous to the two contracting parties, it will change vast solitudes into flourishing districts. From this day the United States take their place among the powers of the first rank; the English lose all exclusive influence in the affairs of America."

The first consul, who had followed the negotiation with a lively interest, acquiesced in the result, and said to Marbois: "It is true, the negotiation does not leave me anything to desire. Sixty millions [francs] for an occupation that will not, perhaps, last for a day! I would that France should enjoy this unexpected capital, and that it may be employed in works beneficial to the marine. This accession of territory strengthens forever the power of the United States; and I have just given to England a maratime rival that will sooner or later humble her pride.'

On the 22d day of May, 1803, England commenced hostilities against France by the capture of some of her merchant vessels, and on the same day Bonaparte gave his formal ratification of the Louisiana treaty of cession. In July, the treaty was received in the United States, and on the 20th of October, 1803, it was ratified by the Senate, by twenty-four against seven votes. The country ceded by this treaty, as estimated at that time, exceeded a million of square miles, all occupied by savages, except a few sparse settlements, aggregating from 80,000 to 90,000 inhabitants, about 40,000 of whom were slaves. The whites were chiefly French, or descendants of French

Congress, a few days after the ratification of the treaty by the Senate, passed an act making provision for the occupation and temporary government of the territory acquired. Eleven millions of dollars were appropriated as payment for the purchase-the remaining four millions being reserved, according to a stipulation in the treaty, to indemnify citizens of the United States who had sustained losses at the hands of the French. The resolution for carrying the treaty into effect was sustained by the IIouse of Representatives by a vote of ninety to twenty-five.

Even before the acquisition of Louisiana, it had been a favorite object of President Jefferson to have an exploring expedition sent across the continent to the Pacific Ocean, and in January, 1803, he had recommended an appropriation for that purpose. The appropriation was made, and the enterprise was placed under the direction of Captains Lewis and Clarke. The treaty with France, however, was ratified before the exploring expedition was ready to start. On the 14th of May, 1804, Captains Lewis and Clarke, with their companions, consisting in all of thirty persons, left the banks of the Mississippi on their long and perilous voyage of two years and three months, to seek out and give to their country and the world some more accurate knowledge respecting this vast region of country, of which civilization at that time knew so little. The expedition was in every way successful, and the report made by Captains Lewis and Clarke enabled the government and people of the United States to form a better judgment of the immense value of the country acquired.

It will be seen that the region acquired by the Louisiana purchase, comprehended not only the present State of Louisiana, but all the vast region between the Mississippi river and the Pacific Ocean, and as far north as the British possessions. The great States of Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, the greater part of Minnesota, and several of our great Territories, are but parts of this purchase.

On the 20th of December, 1803, in pursuance of authority given by act of Congress, Gov. Claiborne and Gen. Wilkinson took possession of the Louisiana purchase, and raised the American flag at New Orleans. The Spanish authorities there objected to the transfer, but early in 1804 they acquiesced and withdrew. The newly acquired territory, by authority of Congress, was, on the first of October, 1804, divided as follows: All south of the 33d parallel of north latitude, was called the Territory of Orleans, and all north of that parallel became the District of Louisiana, and was placed under the authority of the officers of the then Indiana Territory. It so remained until July 4, 1805, when the District of Louisiana was given a territorial government of its own. In 1812, the Territory of New Orleans became the State of Louisiana, and the Territory of Louisiana become the Territory of Missouri. On the 4th of July, 1814, Missouri Territory was divided that part comprising the present State of Arkansas, and the country west, being organized as the Territory of Arkansas. In March, 1821, a part of Missouri Territory was organized as the State of Missouri, and admitted into the Union. On the 28th of June, 1834, the territory west of the Mississippi river and north of Missouri, was made a part of the Territory of Michigan, so remaining until July 4th, 1836, when Wisconsin Territory was organized. This embraced within its limits the present States of Iowa, Wisconsi, and Minnesota. An act of Congress, approved June 12, 1838, created the Territory of Iowa, ambracing not only the present State of Iowa, but the greater part of the present State of Minnesota, and extending northward to the British Possessions.