Peoria County, Illinois - Chapter 4: The Louisiana Purchase, 1880

Discovery of the Moulh of the Mississippi - Founding of New Orlean^ - French Grant - John Law - The "Mississippi Bubble" - Territory West of the Mississippi - France CedestoSpain - Spain Cedes Back to France - France Cedes to the United States - Right to Navigate the Mississippi - Particulars of the Negotiations With France - Extent of the Territory - Possession Taken by the United States - Division of the Territory.

That vast region of territory once known as Louisiana, came under the jurisdiction of civilized men by the right of discovery - a right whicii has long been known and recognized among civilized nations, though often necessarily followed by conquest to render it effective. For two centuries the Spaniards had navigated the Gulf of Mexico, so far as we know, ignorant of the fact that it received the waters of one of the largest rivers of the world. About the year 1600 the French, who had re-established themselves in Canada, received some information of this great river, but did not discover its mouth until 1691, when, according to some authorities. La Salle succeeded in reaching it. Iberville founded his first colony in 1699, but it did not assume importance until 1717, when the city of New Orleans was founded. In 1712 Louis XIV of France granted to M. Crozart a charter to the whole territory of Louisiana, which was so named in honor of the king. Under the leadership of John Law, in 1716, a company was formed in 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. Sjjain then having jurisdiction also over the Floridas east of the great river, and that river for several hundred miles flowing wholly through the Spanish diminions, 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 militar}- 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 ot trouble and disaffection, and led to a threatening state of afi'airs 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 authorities. 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, Sj)ain had ceded Louisiana to France. At this time Mr. Livingston was the United States Minister to France, ;ind 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 otiier matters which had been in dispute between the L^nited 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 a 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 jiolicy 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 plenipotentiary to France to act in conjunction with Mr. Livingston. Mr. 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 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 fii-st consul, and France was on the eve of a war with England. He supposed the American ministers were authorized to enter into more extended stipulations than they really were. Marquis de Marbois was directed to negotiate with the American ministers. Said the first consul to his minister, as recorded by the latter :

" Irresolution and deliberation are no longer in season. I renounce Louisiana. It is not only New Orleans that I will cede ; it is the whole colon}-, 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 cibject 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 wmdd 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 ; I 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 whicii goes infinitely beyond any thing tiiat 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 liour, 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 pos-sessions. Hut he also admits that the cession of Louisiana is not a dismemberment of France. Keep him informed of the progress of this affair."

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 bj' American citizens for prizes made by the French during peace, but so far, without result further than vafue answers. Mr. Livingston had become distrustful of tlie 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 neo-otiations, for both sides had an interest in hastening the matter. Mr. Monroe was surprised to hear the first overtures made so frankly by the French minister, when he proposed to cede to the United States so vast a region of country, with the largest rivers in 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 wiiich 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 maritime 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 twentyfour 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 carrj-ing the treaty into effect was sustained by the House 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 Januari", 1S03, he had recommended an appropriation for that purpose. The ap-

Eropriation was made, and the enterprise was placed under the direction of Captains .ewis 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 countn.- and the world some more accurate knowledge respecting this vast region of country, of which ci^'ilization 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, bj' authority of Congress, was, on the firet 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 oflBcers of the then Indiana Territory. It so remained until July 4, 1805, when the District of Louisiana was given a territorial government of it* own. In 1812, the Territory of New Orleans became the State of Louisiana, and the Territory of Louisiana became 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 or^ranized as the Stale 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 4, 1836, when Wisconsin Territory was oreanized. This embraced within its limits the present States of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. An act of Congress, approved June 12, 1838. created the Territory of Iowa, embracing not only the present State of Iowa, but the greater part of the present State of Minnesota, and extending northward to the British possessions.