LOUISIANA PURCHASE -- Thomas Jefferson A Stan Klos Website
LOUISIANA PURCHASE
Thomas Jefferson had been elected President in 1800 and in 1803, he sent
James Monroe to France to help Robert R. Livingston complete the negotiations
for the acquisition of New Orleans and West Florida. The French Emperor,
Napoleon I, offered to sell instead the entire Louisiana colony and although the
Americans were not authorized to make such a large purchase, they began
negotiations.
James Monroe was successful and the Louisiana Purchase has been described as the greatest real estate
deal in history. On April 30th, 1803 the United States contracted to pay France $11.25
million plus a cancellation of debts for $3.75 million or $15 million for 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River known as
the Louisiana Territory. The final cost after the 6% interest payments to France
was approximately $23.5 million dollars (see Art: 2 below).
The lands acquired stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains
(including Denver)
and from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border. Thirteen states were carved
from the Louisiana Territory. The Louisiana Purchase nearly doubled the size of
the United States, making it one of the largest nations in the world.
The Louisiana Purchase consists of three separate agreements between the United
States and France: a treaty of cession and two agreements providing for the
exchange of monies in the transaction. -- this
text and photo courtesy of the National
Archives
In a secret message to Congress dated January 18, 1803,
President Thomas Jefferson asked for $2,500 to explore lands west to the
Pacific. Jefferson worked closely with Lewis, co-commander of the expedition, to
ensure that he was well-prepared to anticipate the party's needs. While the
party ran out of such luxuries as whiskey, tobacco, and salt, they had plenty of
rifles, powder, paper, and ink. - Courtesy
of the US National Archives
List of Indian Presents Purchased by Meriwether Lewis in
Preparation for the Expedition to the West.Click
Here - Courtesy of the US National
Archives
Receipt for 130 Rolls of Pigtail Tobacco Purchased by
Meriwether Lewis for the Expedition to the West - Click
Here - Courtesy of the US National
Archives
Receipt for Wine and Kegs Purchased by Meriwether Lewis for
the Expedition to the West. -- Click
Here - Courtesy of the US National
Archives
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE
TREATY BETWEEN
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AND THE FRENCH REPUBLIC
The President
of the United States of America and the First Consul of the French Republic
in the name of the French People desiring to remove all Source of
misunderstanding relative to objects of discussion mentioned in the Second and
fifth articles o f the Convention of the 8th Vendé miaire an 9/30 September
1800 relative to the rights claimed by the United States in virtue of the Treaty
concluded at Madrid the 27 of October 1795, between His Catholic Majesty &
the Said United States, & willing to Strengthen the union and friendship
which at the time of the Said Convention was happily reestablished between the
two nations have respectively named their Plenipotentiaries to wit The President
of the United States, by and with the advice and consent o f the Senate of the
Said States; Robert R. Livingston Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States
and James Monroe
Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy extraordinary of the Said States near the
Government of the French Republic; And the First Consul in the name of the
French people, Citizen Francis Barbé Marbois Minister of the public treasury
who after having respectively exchanged their full powers have agreed to the
following Articles.
Article I
Whereas by the Article the third of the Treaty concluded at St Ildefonso the 9th
Vendé miaire an 9/1st October 1800 between the First Consul of the French
Republic and his Catholic Majesty it was agreed as follows:
"His Catholic Majesty promises and engages on his part to cede to the
French Republic six months after the full and entire execution of the conditions
and Stipulations herein relative to his Royal Highness the Duke of Parma, the
Colony or Province of Louisiana with the Same extent that it now has in the hand
of Spain, & that it had when France possessed it; and Such as it Should be
after the Treaties subsequently entered into between Spain and other
States."
And whereas in pursuance of the Treaty and particularly of the third article the
French Republic has an incontestable title to the domain and to the possession
of the said Territory--The First Consul of the French Republic desiring to give
to the Unit ed States a strong proof of his friendship doth hereby cede to the
United States in the name of the French Republic for ever and in full
Sovereignty the said territory with all its rights and appurtenances as fully
and in the Same manner as they have bee n acquired by the French Republic in
virtue of the above mentioned Treaty concluded with his Catholic Majesty.
Art: II
In the cession made by the preceding article are included the adjacent Islands
belonging to Louisiana all public lots and Squares, vacant lands and all public
buildings, fortifications, barracks and other edifices which are not private
property.--The Archives, papers & documents relative to the domain and
Sovereignty of Louisiana and its dependences will be left in the possession of
the Commissaries of the United States, and copies will be afterwards given in
due form to the Magistrates and Municipal officers of such of the said papers
and documents as may be necessary to them.
Art: III
The inhabitants of the ceded territory shall be incorporated in the Union of the
United States and admitted as soon as possible according to the principles of
the federal Constitution to the enjoyment of all these rights, advantages and
immunities of citizens of the United States, and in the mean time they shall be
maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty, property and
the Religion which they profess.
Art: IV
There Shall be Sent by the Government of France a Commissary to Louisiana to the
end that he do every act necessary as well to receive from the Officers of his
Catholic Majesty the Said country and its dependences in the name of the French
Republic if it has not been already done as to transmit it in the name of the
French Republic to the Commissary or agent of the United States.
Art: V
Immediately after the ratification of the present Treaty by the President of the
United States and in case that of the first Consul's shall have been previously
obtained, the commissary of the French Republic shall remit all military posts
of New Orleans and other parts of the ceded territory to the Commissary or
Commissaries named by the President to take possession--the troops whether of
France or Spain who may be there shall cease to occupy any military post from
the time of taking possession and shall be embarked as soon as possible in the
course of three months after the ratification of this treaty.
Art: VI
The United States promise to execute Such treaties and articles as may have been
agreed between Spain and the tribes and nations of Indians until by mutual
consent of the United States and the said tribes or nations other Suitable
articles Shall have been agreed upon.
Art: VII
As it is reciprocally advantageous to the commerce of France and the United
States to encourage the communication of both nations for a limited time in the
country ceded by the present treaty until general arrangements relative to
commerce of both nations may be agreed on; it has been agreed between the
contracting parties that the French Ships coming directly from France or any of
her colonies loaded only with the produce and manufactures of France or her Said
Colonies; and the Ships of Spain coming directly from Spain or any of her
colonies loaded only with the produce or manufactures of Spain or her Colonies
shall be admitted during the Space of twelve years in the Port of New-Orleans
and in all other legal ports-of-entry within the ceded territory in the Same
manner as the Ships of the United States coming directly from France or Spain or
any of their Colonies without being Subject to any other or greater duty on
merchandize or other or greater tonnage than that paid by the citizens of the
United. States.
During that Space of time above mentioned no other nation Shall have a right to
the Same privileges in the Ports of the ceded territory--the twelve years Shall
commence three months after the exchange of ratifications if it Shall take place
in France or three months after it Shall have been notified at Paris to the
French Government if it Shall take place in the United States; It is however
well understood that the object of the above article is to favour the
manufactures, Commerce, freight and navigation of France and of Spain So far as
relates to the importations that the French and Spanish Shall make into the Said
Ports of the United States without in any Sort affecting the regulations that
the United States may make concerning the exportation of t he produce and
merchandize of the United States, or any right they may have to make Such
regulations.
Art: VIII
In future and for ever after the expiration of the twelve years, the Ships of
France shall be treated upon the footing of the most favoured nations in the
ports above mentioned.
Art: IX
The particular Convention Signed this day by the respective Ministers, having
for its object to provide for the payment of debts due to the Citizens of the
United States by the French Republic prior to the 30th Sept. 1800 (8th Vendé
miaire an 9) is approved and to have its execution in the Same manner as if it
had been inserted in this present treaty, and it Shall be ratified in the same
form and in the Same time So that the one Shall not be ratified distinct from
the other.
Another particular Convention Signed at the Same date as the present treaty
relative to a definitive rule between the contracting parties is in the like
manner approved and will be ratified in the Same form, and in the Same time and
jointly.
Art: X
The present treaty Shall be ratified in good and due form and the ratifications
Shall be exchanged in the Space of Six months after the date of the Signature by
the Ministers Plenipotentiary or Sooner if possible.
In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have Signed these articles in
the French and English languages; declaring nevertheless that the present Treaty
was originally agreed to in the French language; and have thereunto affixed
their Seals.
Done at Paris the tenth day of Floreal in the eleventh year of the French
Republic; and the 30th of April 1803.
Robt R Livingston [seal]
Jas. Monroe [seal]
Barbé Marbois [seal]
A CONVENTION BETWEEN
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AND THE FRENCH REPUBLIC
The President of the United States of America and the First Consul of
the French Republic in the name of the French people, in consequence of the
treaty of cession of Louisiana which has been Signed this day; wishing to
regulate definitively every thing which has relation to the Said cession
have authorized to this effect the Plenipotentiaries, that is to say the
President of the United States has, by and with the advice and consent of
the Senate of the Said States, nominated for their Plenipoten tiaries,
Robert R. Livingston, Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States, and
James Monroe, Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy-Extraordinary of the Said
United States, near the Government of the French Republic; and the First
Consul of the French Republic, in the name of the French people, has named
as Pleniopotentiary of the Said Republic the citizen Francis Barbé Marbois:
who, in virtue of their full powers, which have been exchanged this day,
have agreed to the followings articles:
Art: 1
The Government of the United States engages to pay to the French
government in the manner Specified in the following article the sum of Sixty
millions of francs independent of the Sum which Shall be fixed by another
Convention for the payment of the debts due by France to citizens of the
United States.
Art: 2
For the payment of the Sum of Sixty millions of francs mentioned in the
preceding article the United States shall create a Stock of eleven millions,
two hundred and fifty thousand Dollars bearing an interest of Six per cent:
per annum payable half y early in London Amsterdam or Paris amounting by the
half year to three hundred and thirty Seven thousand five hundred Dollars,
according to the proportions which Shall be determined by the French
Government to be paid at either place: The principal of the Said Stock to
be reimbursed at the treasury of the United States in annual payments of not
less than three millions of Dollars each; of which the first payment Shall
commence fifteen years after the date of the exchange of
ratifications:--this Stock Shall be transferred to the government of France
or to Such person or persons as Shall be authorized to receive it in three
months at most after the exchange of ratifications of this treaty and after
Louisiana Shall be taken possession of the name of the Government of the
United States.
It is further agreed that if the French Government Should be desirous
of disposing of the Said Stock to receive the capital in Europe at Shorter
terms that its measures for that purpose Shall be taken So as to favour in
the greatest degree possible the credit of the United States, and to raise
to the highest price the Said Stock.
Art 3
It is agreed that the Dollar of the United States Specified in the
present Convention shall be fixed at five francs 3333/100000 or five livres
eight Sous tournois.
The present Convention Shall be ratified in good and due form, and the
ratifications Shall be exchanged the Space of Six months to date from this
day or Sooner it possible.
In faith of which the respective Plenipotentiaries have Signed the
above articles both in the french and English languages, declaring
nevertheless that the present treaty has been originally agreed on and
written in the French language; to which they have hereunto affixed their
Seals.
Done at Paris the tenth of Floreal eleventh year of the French
Republic/
30th April 1803 ./
Robt R Livingston [seal]
Jas. Monroe [seal]
Barbé Marbois [seal]
CONVENTION BETWEEN
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AND THE FRENCH REPUBLIC
The President of the United States of America and the First Consul of
the French Republic in the name of the French People having by a Treaty of
this date terminated all difficulties relative to Louisiana, and established
on a Solid foundation the friendship which unites the two nations and being
desirous in compliance with the Second and fifth Articles of the Convention
of the 8th Vendé miaire ninth year of the French Republic (30th September
1800) to Secure the payment of the Sums due by France to the citizens of the
United States have respectively nominated as Plenipotentiaries that is to
Say The President of the United States of America by and with the advise and
consent of their Senate Robert R. Livingston Minister Plenipotentiary and
James Monroe Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary of the Said
States near the Government of the French Republic: and the First Consul in
the name of the French People the Citizen Francis Barbé Marbois Minister of
the public treasury; who after having exchanged their full powers have
agreed to the following articles.
Art: 1
The debts due by France to citizens of the United States contracted
before the 8th Vendé miaire ninth year of the French Republic/30th
September 1800/ Shall be paid according to the following regulations with
interest at Six per Cent; to commence from the period when the accounts and
vouchers were presented to the French Government.
Art: 2
The debts provided for by the preceding Article are those whose result
is comprised in the conjectural note annexed to the present Convention and
which, with the interest cannot exceed the Sum of twenty millions of Francs.
The claims comprised in the Said note which fall within the exceptions of
the following articles, Shall not be admitted to the benefit of this
provision.
Art: 3
The principal and interests of the Said debts Shall be discharged by
the United States, by orders drawn by their Minister Plenipotentiary on
their treasury, these orders Shall be payable Sixty days after the exchange
of ratifications of the Treaty and the Conventions Signed this day, and
after possession Shall be given of Louisiana by the Commissaries of France
to those of the United States.
Art: 4
It is expressly agreed that the preceding articles Shall comprehend no
debts but Such as are due to citizens of the United States who have been and
are yet creditors of France for Supplies for embargoes and prizes made at
Sea, in which the appeal has been properly lodged within the time mentioned
in the Said Convention 8th Vendé miaire ninth year, /30th Sept 1800/
Art: 5
The preceding Articles Shall apply only, First: to captures of which
the council of prizes Shall have ordered restitution, it being well
understood that the claimant cannot have recourse to the United States
otherwise than he might have had to the Government of the French republic,
and only in case of insufficiency of the captors--2d the debts mentioned in
the Said fifth Article of the Convention contracted before the 8th Vendé
miaire an 9/30th September 1800 the payment of which has been heretof ore
claimed of the actual Government of France and for which the creditors have
a right to the protection of the United States;-- the Said 5th Article does
not comprehend prizes whose condemnation has been or Shall be confirmed: it
is the express intention of the contracting parties not to extend the
benefit of the present Convention to reclamations of American citizens who
Shall have established houses of Commerce in France, England or other
countries than the United States in partnership with foreigner s, and who by
that reason and the nature of their commerce ought to be regarded as
domiciliated in the places where Such house exist.--All agreements and
bargains concerning merchandize, which Shall not be the property of American
citizens, are equally excepted from the benefit of the said Conventions,
Saving however to Such persons their claims in like manner as if this Treaty
had not been made.
Art: 6
And that the different questions which may arise under the preceding
article may be fairly investigated, the Ministers Plenipotentiary of the
United States Shall name three persons, who Shall act from the present and
provisionally, and who shall have full power to examine, without removing
the documents, all the accounts of the different claims already liquidated
by the Bureaus established for this purpose by the French Republic, and to
ascertain whether they belong to the classes designated by the pr esent
Convention and the principles established in it or if they are not in one of
its exceptions and on their Certificate, declaring that the debt is due to
an American Citizen or his representative and that it existed before the 8th
Vendé miaire 9th year/30 September 1800 the debtor shall be entitled to an
order on the Treasury of the United States in the manner prescribed by the
3d Article.
Art: 7
The Same agents Shall likewise have power, without removing the
documents, to examine the claims which are prepared for verification, and to
certify those which ought to be admitted by uniting the necessary
qualifications, and not being comprised in t he exceptions contained in the
present Convention.
Art: 8
The Same agents Shall likewise examine the claims which are not
prepared for liquidation, and certify in writing those which in their
judgment ought to be admitted to liquidation.
Art: 9
In proportion as the debts mentioned in these articles Shall be
admitted they Shall be discharged with interest at Six per Cent: by the
Treasury of the United States.
Art: 10
And that no debt shall not have the qualifications above mentioned and
that no unjust or exorbitant demand may be admitted, the Commercial agent of
the United States at Paris or such other agent as the Minister
Plenipotentiary or the United States Shall think proper to nominate shall
assist at the operations of the Bureaus and cooperate in the examinations of
the claims; and if this agent Shall be of the opinion that any debt is not
completely proved, or if he shall judge that it is not comprised in t he
principles of the fifth article above mentioned, and if notwithstanding his
opinion the Bureaus established by the French Government should think that
it ought to be liquidated, he shall transmit his observations to the board
established by the United States, who, without removing documents, shall
make a complete examination of the debt and vouchers which Support it, and
report the result to the Minister of the United States.--The Minister of the
United States Shall transmit his observations in all Such cases to the
Minister of the treasury of the French Republic, on whose report the French
Government Shall decide definitively in every case.
The rejection of any claim Shall have no other effect than to exempt
the United States from the payment of it, the French Government reserving to
itself, the right to decide definitively on Such claim So far as it concerns
itself.
Art: 11
Every necessary decision Shall be made in the course of a year to
commence from the exchange of ratifications, and no reclamation Shall be
admitted afterwards.
Art: 12
In case of claims for debts contracted by the Government of France with
citizens of the United States Since the 8th Vendé miaire 9th year/30
September 1800 not being comprised in this Convention may be pursued, and
the payment demanded in the Same manner as if it had not been made.
Art: 13
The present convention Shall be ratified in good and due form and the
ratifications Shall be exchanged in Six months from the date of the
Signature of the Ministers Plenipotentiary, or Sooner if possible.
In faith of which, the respective Ministers Plenipotentiary have signed
the above Articles both in the French and English languages, declaring
nevertheless that the present treaty has been originally agreed on and
written in the French language, to which they have hereunto affixed their
Seals.
Done at Paris, the tenth of Floreal, eleventh year of the French
Republic.
30th April 1803.
Louisiana Purchase Treaty; April 30, 1803
... at Paris the tenth day of Floreal in the eleventh year of the French
Republic; and the 30th of April 1803. ...
The Louisiana Purchase Treaty. (Three
documents are included here: the formal ... the tenth of Floreal eleventh
year of the french Republic/30th April 1803/ ...
1909–14. Treaty with France (Louisiana
Purchase). (1803) ... tenth day of Floréal, in the eleventh year of the
French Republic, and the 30th of April, 1803. ...
The Louisiana Purchase added 828000 square
miles of land west of the Mississippi River to ... 30th April 1803. Robt R
Livingston [seal] Jas. Monroe [seal] ...
On the 30th of April 1803, Robert R.
Livingston and James Monroe, of the US, ... 'The purchase of Louisiana in
1803 provided the first severe test of ...
The Louisiana Purchase Treaty, 30th of
April 1803. Treaty Between The United States of America and The French
Republic. Article I. Article II. Article III ...
October 20, 1803. The Senate ratifies the
Louisiana Purchase treaty by a ... of the 30th of April, 1803, between the
United States and the French Republic. ...
[Louisiana Purchase Page]. Note: The three
documents transcribed here are the treaty of cession and ... 30th April 1803
./. Robt R Livingston [seal] Jas. ...
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE The three documents
transcribed below are the treaty of cession and ... 30th April 1803. Robt R
Livingston [seal] Jas. Monroe [seal] ...
Barry, James P. The Louisiana Purchase,
April 30, 1803: Thomas Jefferson doubles the area of the United States. New
York: F. Watts, 1973. [IJ / B279] ...
"The Louisiana Purchase: An International
Perspective" ... Done at Paris the tenth of Floreal eleventh year of the
french Republic/30th April 1803/ ...
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE. TRANSCRIPTIONS.
TREATY BETWEEN. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ... 30th April 1803. Robt R
Livingston [seal] Jas. Monroe [seal] ...
The Louisiana Purchase, 1803. Note: The
three documents transcribed here are the treaty of ... 30th April 1803. Robt
R Livingston [seal] Jas. Monroe [seal] ...
Treaty of Purchase between the United
States and the French Republic1 ... in the 11th year of the French Republic,
and the 30th April, 1803. RR LIVINGSTON, ...
