Jackson County, Missouri - Chapter 1: Louisiana Purchase, 1920

FRENCH TERRITORY BY DISCOVERY - ACQUIRED BY SPAIN IN 1763 - CEDED TO P'RANCE IN 1800 - PURCHASED P'ROM NAPOLEON BY THE UNITED STATES IN 1805, FOR $15,000,000.00 - LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION - THEIR LOCA¬ TION OP P"T. CLARK.

The territory now included in the boundaries of Jackson County, was part of what is known in history as the "Louisiana Purchase." In order to acquaint the reader with the meaning of that purchase, it will be neces¬ sary to go back to almost ancient history. Prior to the year A. D. 1805, the territory in which Jackson County is located, was claimed and con¬ trolled by Louis XV, King of France, as was so recognized by all nations, although his claims were based on the plea of his by "Right of discovery".

Previous to 1773, the entire continent of North America, was divided between France, England, Spain and Russia. France held all that part west of the Mississippi, except Texas, and the territory that we had ob¬ tained from Mexico and the territory acquired from Russia, while under the control of France, it was known as "Province of Louisiana" and em¬ braced along with a great deal of other territory the present State of Missouri.

This war was really waged between them for the possession of the entire American continent. The French were in possession of Canada and Louisiana , at the close of this war, France gave up her share of the conti¬ nent, and Spain came into possession of the territory west of the Missis¬ sippi River, while Great Britain retained Canada and the regions north¬ ward, having obtained that territory by conquest, in the war with France. For about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years, the territory now embraced within the limits of Missouri, remained as a part of the possession of Spain and then went back to France by treaty, October 1, 1800. The star of the great Napoleon had risen like some great planet and was spreadingalarm and disaster to almost all of the countries of the old world. He was not only one of the greatest organizers the world had seen, up to that time, but was among the greatest generals. He had a scheme on the one hand, for penetrating to India, on the other hand for regaining and restor¬ ing the magnificent New France in America, to which had come to Louis XV such catastrophe, and to this we must look.

Spain, to whom Louisiana had been ceded in 1762 was at the close of the century sinking more and more into bankruptcy, which had been so long coming on. Napoleon, now First Consul, having been made eager and confident, through the success of his mighty plans, determined to take back from her the great province in North America, which had been taken from France in the davs of her adversity. Acting according to his usual manner with weaker nations, he proceeded to carry out his plans with very little ceremony. Giving to Spain a small Italian possession he took in exchange, Louisiana, and prepared as fast as possible a fleet and army to confirm his hold against all comers. Victor, soon to be one of his most brilliant marshals, was to be the leader. The United States was to be treated as Spain had already been. New France was to be restored with all the promise it had had before the death of Montcalm. There were delays that even with Napoleon's energy and force could not hurry. Spam, though weak, found ways to prolong matters with diplomacy. San Domingo, where the blacks had revolted, must be subdued, as a prelim¬ inary. By the hand of the negroes, assisted by their terrible ally, the yelow fever, many thousands perished, though they had before been vic¬ torious m Egypt and at Marengo.

W en at last all was ready, the European skies were darkened with impending war. In the meantime, trouble was brewing in America. Spain con rolled both banks of the Mississippi, at New Orleans, and claimed the right to close the river to all commerce except the Spanish. The settlers of Kentuck}'', Tennessee and other parts of the Mississippi valley, were demanding an open outlet through New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico and the rest of the world wherever they wished to trade. This controversy was serious. Could Napoleon, with all of his power and resources, afford in an altercation with America, when every resource might soon be de¬ manded at home? A weaker man might have felt that he was committed to the American trade and pushed it through, let the cost be what it might ; but Napoleon measured the crisis accurately, gave up the plan so long wished and worked for and entered at once upon a new scheme. He determined, that if he could not rule two continents, he would at lease be the master of Europe.

When Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States was inaugurated in A. D. 1801, he was confronted with more difficulties than any of his predecessors, among them was the necessity of placating the South and West sections that had rendered him such powerful aid in his election, which were exasperated, almost beyond endurance, because their outlet to the sea was blocked by the Spaniards. When it became known that Louisiana had been retroceded by Spain to France, the excitement increased, for it was thought that the more vigorous policy upon which Spain had entered had been inspired by France, which expected soon to be in possession and would certainly embarrass the United States.

Mr. Jefferson was a man of peace, wise, humane and of good moral courage. The very air was full of war talk. Congress, under Federalist influence, considered a plan for appropriating $5,000,000.00 and enlisting an armj'' of 50,000 men to seize the mouth of the Mississippi before the French could get possession of the country. Mr. Jefferson had loved the French and could not believe they had any animosity toward America. That confidence, and his desire that the peaceful relations then existing between France and America should be maintained, caused him to try to reach another way out of the trouble, rather than appeal to the Court of Arms.

Soon after his inauguration, he sent Livingston to Paris, with instruc¬ tions to arrange, if possible, a settlement of all controversies upon a friendly basis. In the meantime, the turmoil increased and besides, Mr. Livingston, he sent Mr. James Monroe, giving him $2,000,000.00 cash in hand and giving him full power to contract for the purchase of New Orleans and Florida. He had no thought of purchasing the great country West of the Mississippi, River. He had in mind, however, a plan to make explorations of it, although it was nominally Spanish territory. That part of the country was almost as little known at that time, as the antarctic regions are today. Mr. Jefferson's private secretary, at that time was Captain Meriwether Lewis, of the regular army. Captain Lewis was a finely educated man, very enterprising, and filled with all the ambition that young officers usually have. He and Mr. Jefferson had discussed plans for an expedition into the untracked desert. Mr. Jefferson's appointee, Mr. Livingston, had worked on his mission for many months in vain. When his co-laborer, Mr. Monroe, arrived in Paris, they were met with a much larger proposition than either of them had ever considered, or dreamed of. The policy of the French government had been completely changed.

The old friend of the negotiation, Barbe Marbois, Minister of the Treasury, who had lived in America, came to them from Napoleon demand¬ ing that they should buy, not simply New Orleans and the mouth of the river, but the vast Louisiana Territory; that the purchase price should not be $2,000,000 but $15,000,000 and that the bargain should be signed and sealed at once. While they had no specific instructions to make such a purchase, they yielded to the will of Napoleon, assumed the risk and con¬ summated the deal. As soon as the deal was closed, Napoleon knowing that the Louisiana Territory would never fall into the hands of England, began to threaten them, as well as Austria.

^ In due time news reached Mr. Jefferson of what had been done. He believed fully that the Constitution gave the President no authority to make such purchase. He, along with a great many other Americans, be¬ lieved what had been bought was worthless. The administration was sick at heart over the situation. The opposition was furious and raised a great roar of denunciation and objection.

On April 30th, A. D. 1805, France deeded it to the United States for and in consideration of the agreed amount to-wit: $15,000,000.00. The payments were made as follows: $11,250,000 cash, the remainder,

^ The great financial needs of Napoleon gave the government of the nited States the chance to acquire another vast part of North America to 1 se f. As months passed by the confusion and anger that the purchase a caused subsided. It made no difference how much the Eastern people saved and served, the South and West were well pleased with the result.

The mouth of the Mississippi River was opened to commerce to and from the whole world, and the great West was opened to whosoever wished to enter therein.

The vast stretch of wilderness, an unknown country, lying west of the great river, where the foot of white men had scarcely been set. Its re¬ sources and boundaries were only to be known from explorations and ob¬ servations. When Congress met in October, A. D. 1803, a great majority sustained the purchase, and on the 31st day of that month, authorized the President to take possession of it and provide a temporary government for the same. As soon as all matters had been finally arranged Mr. Jeffer¬ son, commissioned Captain Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to organize a party, and explore the country from the Mississippi River to. the Pacific. These two young men were Virginians and had descended from the hardy pioneers that had conquered the wilderness of their native state. They had not been raised in the lap of luxury and idleness, but had grown up with the idea installed into them that when called upon for duty, they must respond and carry into their work every ounce of force and energy of which they were capable.

Immediately after their appointment, or detail was ordered, they began their preparation for the long, arduous and unknown duty. They selected a force of about forty young, strong, healthy men and swore them into the service of the United States army. On the 14th day of May, A. D. 1804, they set out from St. Louis to cross the continent. They had a boat 55 feet long rowed by 22 oars. It was so made, that by raising the sides built up in the center, it could be made into a kind of stockade for protection in case of an attack from the Indians.

The party started from what is known as the mouth of Wood River, a small stream that empties into the Mississippi River, just opposite the mouth of the Missouri River. Captain Lewis followed his instructions to the letter and kept a diary of every day's trails, together with a report of what he saw. On the 23rd day of June, we find the following: "The winds were against us this morning and became so violent that we made only three and one-half miles and were obliged to lie to during the day at a small island. This is separated from the northern side of the narrow channel which can not be passed by boats, being choked by trees and drift wood. Directly opposite on the south is a high commanding position, more than seventy feet above high water mark and overlooking the river, which is here of but little width. This spot has many advantages for a fort and trading house with the Indians."

This is the spot where the government located Fort Clark, the name of which was afterward changed to Fort Osage, in the j^ear A. D. 1808. When Fort Osage was built it was the furtherest west of any military establishment in North America.

During all the time that England, France and Spain were claiming to own all of Louisiana, there were another set of claimants that had to be dealt with, that is, the Indians. They based their claims upon the grounds of "discovery and possession". When Columbus discovered America he found them in this country and in absolute possession of it, and by all laws of fairness and justice, it was theirs.