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plomacy, steered the ship of State free of danger. Though the future seemed lowering, the present he augured propitious.— France suffering from a long and disastrous war with England and an impoverished treasury, was in no condition to resist a determined overture from the United States for the possession of Louisiana. Jefferson, accordingly, dispatched instructions to the United States Minister at Paris, to represent to the First Consul that the occupation of New Orleans by France would endanger the friendly relations between the two nations, and, perhaps, even oblige the United States to make common cause with England; as the possession of this city by the former, by giving her the command of the Mississippi, the only outlet to the produce of the Western States, and also the Gulf of Mexico, so important to American commerce, would render it almost certain that the conflicting interests of the two nations would lead to an open rupture. Mr. Livingston, the Minister, was instructed to negotiate not only for the free navigation of the Mississippi, but for the acquisition of New Orleans and the territory itself.

Bonaparte, on receiving these representations from the Minister of the United States, summoned a conference with two of his ministers who had resided in Louisiana, and opened it with these words: "I am fully sensible of the value of Louisiana, and it is my wish to repair the error of the French diplomatists, who abandoned it in 1763. I have scarcely recovered it, before I run the risk of losing it; but, if I am obliged to give it up, it shall hereafter cost more to those who force me to part with it, than to those to whom I yield it. The English have despoiled France of all her northern possessions, and now they covet those of the south. I am determined that they shall not have the Mississippi. Although Louisiana is but a trifle compared with their vast possessions in other parts of the globe, yet, judging from the vexation which they have manifested on seeing it return to the power of France, I am certain that their first object will be to gain possession of it. They will probably commence war in that quarter. They have twenty vessels in the Gulf of Mexico, and affairs in St. Domingo are daily getting worse since the

death of Le Clerc. The conquest of Louisiana might be easily made, and I have not a moment to lose in putting it out of their reach. I am not sure but that they have already begun the attack upon it. Such a measure would be in accordance with their habits, and in their place, I should not wait. I am inclined in order to deprive them of all prospects of ever possessing it, to cede it to the United States. Indeed, I cannot say I cede it, for I hardly possess it; and if I wait but a short time, my enemies will leave me nothing but an empty title to grant to the republic I wish to conciliate. They only ask for the city of Louisiana, but I consider the whole colony lost; and I believe in the hands of this rising power, it will be more useful to the political, and even the commercial interest of France, than if I should attempt to retain it."

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After inquiring from both for their opinions on the subject and debating the matter for a long time, he dismissed the conference without making known his determination. On the following day, calling his chief minister, he said: "The season for deliberation is over; I have determined to renounce not only New Orleans, but the whole colony. I commission you, therefore, to negotiate this affair with the envoys of the United States. Do not wait for the arrival of Mr. Monroe; but go this very day and confer with Mr. Livingston. Remember, however, I want ample funds for carrying on the war, and I do not want to commence it by levying new taxes. For the last century France and Spain have incurred great expenses in the improvement of Louisiana, for which her trade has never indemnified us. Large sums have been advanced to different companies which have never returned to the treasury. It is fair that I should require payment for these. Were I to regulate my demands by the importance of this territory to the United States, they would be unbounded; but, being obliged to part with it, I shall be moderate in my terms. Still remember, I must have fifty millions of franes and will not consent to take less. I would rather make some desperate effort to preserve this fine country." After some considerable correspondence between the ministers

of the two republics, and quibbling about the price, the purchase was effected by the United States for sixteen million dollars, four millions of which was to be paid to American merchants to indemnify them for losses from French privateers. The treaty was signed on the 3d of May, 1803, and ratified by Congress on the twentieth of the following October; the most essential provisions of which, bearing upon our subject, are here inscribed:

"ARTICLE 1.-Whereas, by the article the third of the treaty concluded at St. Ildefonso, the 9th Vendimiaire, an 9, (October 1, 1800,) between the First Consul of the French Republic and his Catholic Majesty, it is agreed as follows: His Catholic Majesty promises and engages on his part to retrocede to the French republic, six months after the full and entire execution of the conditions and stipulations herein to his royal highness, the Duke of Parma, the colony or province of Louisiana, with the same extent it now has in the hands of Spain, and that it had when France possessed it, and such as it should be after the treaties entered into between Spain and other States; And, Whereas, in pursuance of the treaty, and especially the third article, the French Republic has an incontestable title to the domain and possession of said territory: The First Consul of the French Republic, desiring to give to the United States a strong proof of his friendship, doth hereby cede to the United States, in the name of the French Republic, forever, and in full sovereignty, the said territory and all its appurtenances, as fully and in the same manner as they have been acquired by the French Republic, in virtue of the above mentioned treaty concluded with his Catholic Majesty.

"ARTICLE 3. The inhabitants of the ceded territory shall be incorporated into the Union of the United States, and admitted, as soon as possible, to all the rights, advantages and immunities of the citizens of the United States; and, in the meantime, they shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty, property, and the religion which they prefer."

Immediately after the accession of Louisiana, the President dispatched Generals Wilkinson and Claiborne to take possession of it in behalf of the United States. On their arrival at

New Orleans the star-spangled banner supplanted the tri-colored flag of France. By an act of Congress the same year, it was divided into two unequal parts: the one extending from the thirty-third degree of latitude to the Gulf of Mexico, under the name of the Territory of Orleans; the other embraced the remaining portion of the cession, and was called the District of Louisiana.

The following year the Territory of Orleans passed under the second grade of government. In those days there were two distinct conditions which organized territory could occupy. In the first they were governed by a governor, judges and secretary, appointed by the President; in the second, besides these officers, they had a council appointed by the President and Senate of the United States, and a House of Representatives, chosen and elected by the people. In 1811 the Territory of Orleans having complied with the necessary requisitions, was constituted a State in the Federal Union, under the name of Louisiana. The Territory of Louisiana was under the jurisdiction of the Governor and judges of Indiana Territory the first year, but in 1805 was admitted to the first grade of government; in 1811 to the second, under the name of Missouri, and in 1820 it was made one of the United States of America.

The narrow skirt of coast along the Gulf of Mexico, below the thirty-first degree of latitude, was ceded to the United States by Spain in 1818, and was annexed to the States immediately above it.

The territories of Texas, Arkansas, Iowa and Minnesota were in turn next organized, formed, and, in the usual way, admitted to the dignity, rights and privileges of independent States.

In 1854, by an act of Congress, the territories of Kansas and Nebraska were organized, a detailed account of which I will give in a subsequent chapter. Before I enter upon this branch of my subject, I desire to disclose the gathering of the storm that burst upon the virgin soil of Kansas; but which, by discreet council, strong arms and brave hearts, was turned back to vent its fury on the nation.

CHAPTER III.

INTRODUCTION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF AFRICAN SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES AGAINST THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE.

African slavery has always met with a spirited, yet compromising opposition from the American people. From the time it first began to attract attention in the English colonies, the earnest prayer and efforts of the inhabitants have been to prevent its extension, and provide for its ultimate extinction. But the history of this foul institution will show that whenever by its growth the bonds of legislation have become too tight, it has broken them; that whenever the patriotic and freedom-loving people of this country have met its advance with a determined resistance, it has, by menacing the existence of the General Government, or brandishing aloft the sword of disunion, compelled them in order to avert the threatened danger, to acquiesce in its demands; that thus it ruled the founders of our Republic and the Congress of the United States, until it challenged a contest with Freedom at the ballot-box in the distant field of Kansas; that here, discarding its chosen weapon, and trampling under foot the sanctity of the ballot-box-the palladium of American liberty-it sought to attain its ends by its usual tactics,-intimidation, force and fraud; that here, Freedom, driven to the very door of her temple, comprehending the real character of the monster with which she had to grapple, fought with the valor and prowess of an angel, combatting Satan and his demons in their approach upon the battlements of Heaven; that, its loathsome and blighting presence driven back from the sacred soil of Kansas, smarting from defeat, with its ungovernable spirit enraged by

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