Westward Expansion 

Realizing the importance of American control of New Orleans, Jefferson instructed his minister to France, Robert  Livingston, to offer a proposal to Napoleon.  Jefferson's instructions were to make an initial offer and upon refusal make a more limited request.  First, offer $10 million dollars for New Orleans and Florida.  If the offer is refused, offer $7.5 million solely for the New Orleans area.  If this is not agreed to, request  maritime rights for American traders on the Mississippi.  If none of the previous offers are granted, pose the threat of an alliance with Britain.

When the first offer was presented to Talleyrand, France's spokesman in New Orleans, at first there was no response.  A few weeks later on April 11, 1803  Talleyrand returned and inquired, "What will you give for the whole of Louisiana?"   After the initial shock of this counter-offer, Livingston cemented the deal for $15 million, or $.04 an acre.  Later it became apparent Napoleon was more than willing to part with this land due to his decision to renew war with Britain and discontine any pursuit of an empire in North America.

Finalizing the deal with France had no Constitutional precedent.  No where in the Constitution could Jefferson find mention of the purchase of land from foreign powers.  Jefferson struggled over whether to suggest an amendment or whether to finalize the deal without constitutional approval.  In a letter to Wilson Cary Nicholas in 1803, Jefferson summarizes his internal conflict:

 

When an instrument admits two constructions, the one safe, the other dangerous, the one precise, the other indefinite, I prefer that which is safe & precise. I had rather ask an enlargement of power from the nation where it is found necessary, than to assume it by a construction which would make our powers boundless. Our peculiar security is in possession of a written Constitution. Let us not make it a blank paper by construction. 

 

Eventually, Jefferson was convinced by advisers, including Thomas Paine (Common Sense) that the transaction was not beyond the scope of the Constitution.   Instead, the new American territory would provide the opportunity to expand the "empire for liberty."

 

Lewis and Clark

 

While the deal was being finalized, Jefferson looked for a team to explore the territory from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains.  Jefferson commanded two army officers, Merriweather Lewis and William Clark to explore this vast area. They set out with four primary objectives: chart the ecology of the area, discover a water route to the Pacific Ocean, improve relations with the Indians and claim the Oregon Territory for America. Starting in St. Louis, Missouri, Lewis and Clark commanded three boats

With all this new land acquired for America, who do you think will be forced to work the land?

Animation by Ed Stephan

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