article, the question of indemnities was referred to a subsequent negotiation; and though the provisions of the treaties of '78 were modified by the convention, no opinion was expressed upon the claim of right. We have, already, said that the United States required that this article should be expunged. The article, in itself, was perfectly harmless as it respected the American government; for it did not contain a positive stipulation of any kind; but the government did not choose any doubt should remain of the firm resolution it had adopted, of never consenting to the renewal of the treaty of '78. The first opportunity was taken of getting rid of a most embarrassing obligation, it was never in a condition to fulfil. We can, in this manner, account for the readiness with which the First Consul accepted the modification of the President. It is not a common proceeding in diplomacy; but, in reality, the guarantee had become altogether illusory. France could never expect to derive any benefit from it. The First Consul coupled his acceptance of the modification with this condition: "provided that by this retrenchment the two states renounce the respective pretensions which are the object of the said article ;" that is, the Americans renounced their claims for indemnities, and the French the fulfilment of the guarantee. The French government gave public notice in this manner, that they would hereafter pay no attention to the demands of Americans for property, illegally taken by their cruisers previous to the treaty. The treaty was finally ratified by the United States, February 18, 1801, and by France, by the Corps Legislatif, in December of the same year. This delay in the ratification by France was supposed to proceed from a wish to observe the effect produced in the United States by the additional clause.

This convention was in every respect favourable to the United States. The time was very auspicious for negotiation. Napoleon, at his first accession to the consulate, sought for peace with all the world. France truly needed it. She was

exhausted by the bloody wars of Germany, Italy, and the low countries, and by the internal commotions of the Vendeans and Chouans. He proposed peace to England and to the enemies of France on the continent. But America was the only country with whom a treaty was at that time concluded.

CHAPTER IV.

CESSION OF LOUISIANA.

Purchase, a good one-Necessary for Western country-French possessions in North America extinguished by treaties of '62 and '63. —Louisiana secretly ceded to France-Great uneasiness in America -France prepares to take possession of it-Prevented by renewal of war-Ceded to United States-Terms-Made a "territory" and then a state-Letter of British officer on Louisiana.

THE next treaty made with France was one, by which Louisiana was ceded to the United States. Time has already proved this measure to have been judicious on the part of the American government, and the purchase in every respect exceeding cheap. The United States had at the time a vast territory of fruitful soil, greatly beyond the wants of the population; and separate from the novelty of the sight of a youthful government, like America, entering into treaties with the ancient European states for the cession of extensive tracts of country, it did not appear, at first blush, a discreet arrangement to bring such a vast quantity of excellent land into the market. But without a permanent and unmolested entrance to the Gulph of Mexico, the soil, west of the Alleghany, was despoiled of one half its value. The boundary of the Mississippi to the west, and the free navigation of that river to its mouth; were, at the time of this treaty, indispensable to

the proper independence and the full enjoyment of the great water communications of the western country.

The period of the discovery of the Mississippi, and the persons by whom the discovery was made, have been matters of controversy. But we shall not enter into that subject. The country, now called Louisiana, originally belonged to France, but by a secret compact, concluded between France and Spain in '62, and by the treaties of '63 between France, Spain, and England, the French dominion was extinguished on all the continent of North America. And by the treaty between this country and England in '83, the Mississippi was made the western boundary of the United States from its source to the 31st degree of north latitude, and thence on the same parallel to the St. Mary's. We shall have occasion to speak more particularly of this boundary of the United States in treating of our foreign relations with Spain. A right of deposit at New Orleans for the produce of the west was secured by the treaty of '95 with Spain; but this treaty was not carried into effect for three years. Great obstacles were thrown in the way of the navigation of the Mississippi, and a serious attempt was made to bring about a separation of the western country. Towards the close of the administration of Mr. Adams, measures even were adopted to take forcible possession of New Orleans, but the difficulties with Spain in that direction having been overcome for that time, the scheme was abandoned. Nevertheless, great uneasiness still existed in the west; Spain had the control of the Mississippi, and it was impossible that an extreme anxiety should not always be felt concerning the navigation of that river. These fears were greatly augmented when the article of the secret treaty of St. Ildefonso, ceding Louisiana to France, was known in the United States. This treaty was in reality, concluded in October 1800, but it was not promulgated till the beginning of 1802. The article of cession is in these words:

"His catholic majesty engages to retrocede to the French re public, six months after the full and entire execution of the condi

tions and stipulations above recited, relative to his Royal Highness the Duke of Parma, the colony or province of Louisiana, with the same extent that it already has in the hands of Spain, and that it had when France possessed it, and such as it should be, after the treaties passed subsequently between Spain and other powers."

Every thing was to be apprehended from the activity and intelligence of the French in a country of such vast richness and resources. Speedily, we should have seen them closing the navigation of the Mississippi to the Americans, and securing the whole commerce of the Gulph of Mexico and the West Indies. These considerations awakened great and just alarm in the United States. It appeared necessary to resort to force to prevent the entrance of the French into Louisiana, and a disposition gradually developed itself to enter into an alliance with England. It is not probable that the government would ever have allowed France to take possession of Louisiana, although it was undoubtedly the intention of the First Consul to effect that object. An armament was, indeed, prepared in the French ports, and the secret article of the treaty of St. Ildefonso was immediately produced on the rati fication of the treaty of Amiens of 1802. On the part of France, it was a magnificent operation. Peace having been made with England, no impediment existed to the transportation of troops and every description of stores. With the occupation of Louisiana, the conquest of St. Domingo, where the French, though in the outset altogether triumphant, were beginning to experience cruel reverses, would have followed; and ultimately the principal control of the commerce of the neighbouring seas. Louisiana originally formed part of the vast French dominions in North America, and traces of the solidity of their works, and of the enterprize and intelligence of that nation, now remain in that country, as, indeed, they do in most of those regions, from which they have been excluded by the Americans or the British. Before the disastrous peace of '63, France surpassed all the civilized people of Europe in the extent and value of her commerce, colonies