USA > Arkansas > A pictorial history of Arkansas, from earliest times to the year 1890. A full and complete account, embracing the Indian tribes occupying the country; the early French and Spanish explorers and governors; the colonial period; the Louisiana purchase; the periods of the territory, the state, the civil war, and the subsequent period. Also, an extended history of each county in the order of formation, and of the principal cities and towns; together with biographical notices of distinguished and prominent citizens > Part 9
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Dating from the first cession, as made by the King in 1762, when their technical ownership began, the country was under Spanish rule for thirty-eight years, or until 1800, in which year, by a secret treaty, made on the Ist day of October, at St. Ildefonso, between Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of France, and the King of Spain, the country was retro-ceded to France by Spain, and thus passed back to its original owners.
CHAPTER IV.
1800 TO 1804 .- THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE.
THE treaty of St. Ildefonso, by which France re-acquired Louisiana, was a prospective treaty, and as we have seen, was a secret treaty. It was prospective in this, that one clause provided that it should be in force and effect "six months after the full and entire execution of the conditions and stipulations therein relating to his Royal Highness, the Duke of Parma." These conditions and stipulations were the granting in perpetual succession of the Duchy of Tuscany, to the Duke of Parma, a Spanish prince, son-in-law of the King of Spain. These conditions were fulfilled and complied with in a treaty ratified at Madrid of date March, 21st, 1801, so that only from September 2Ist, 1801, did the cession really take place. In the second place, it was a secret treaty, for the reason that the relations between England and France at that time were very turbulent, and a collision be- tween the two was imminent. Large preparations for war were being made on both sides. It was, therefore, to the in- terest of France, that her possession of the Province should not be known, if possible, to prevent its being wrested from her by her adversary. For a long time, therefore, it was kept secret. Even the Spanish Governor in Louisiana, de Casa Calvo, was not at first informed, but it only became generally known as late as 1802.
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1800 TO 1804.
The possession of the country by France was a subject of great uneasiness and alarm to the Americans. France, under Bonaparte, was considered a worse neighbor than Spain. The possession of the country by any foreign power, and the consequent divided ownership of the right of navigation in the Mississippi river, was a subject which had for a long time given trouble. As early as the time of the American Revolu- tion, propositions had been made looking to a cession of the right of navigation to some foreign power, for a pecuniary consideration, to raise means to help on the war. It was contemplated to offer it to Spain, and the American Minister at Madrid recommended to Congress that it be done, with a view to procuring recognition from that country. A resolu- tion to that effect was passed, and an act of Congress followed, giving the Minister full power to treat for its cession on the above conditions. This being bitterly opposed, Mr. Jay, Secretary of State, was called before Congress to give his views, and he expressed himself as favoring a treaty of com- merce with Spain, giving her the right-of navigation of the river for twenty-five years.
Agitation of the subject continued until 1795, when, on the 27th of October, a treaty was made between Spain and the United States, by which it was agreed that the navigation of the Mississippi should be enjoyed by these two nations only, for the present; and that the citizens of the United States should have the use of the port of New Orleans, in which to deposit their merchandise and effects, for the space of three years, without paying any duty, except a fair price for the hire of stores ; and at the expiration of the time, if it had not proved prejudicial to the interest of Spain, the time would be extended or else another port on the river would be assigned for the pupose.
This treaty did not produce all the harmony that was de- sired. There was constant trouble between Spain and the United States from 1795 to 1800. Threats were made, and
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
fears were excited, of closing the Mississippi and preventing the transportation of American produce to the sea.
This dreaded contingency actually came to pass once, and remained for a short while, greatly to the annoyance of the Americans. On the 16th day of October, 1802, Don Juan Ventura Morales, the Spanish Intendant of Lower Louisiana, at New Orleans, issued his proclamation, prohibiting the further use by the United States of the City of New Orleans as a place of deposit, as guaranteed by the treaty of 1795, without designating any other port on the river for the pur- pose in its stead. Great excitement arose in consequence. The Legislature of Kentucky remonstrated, and public meet- ings for the same purpose were held. The western States declared : "The Mississippi is ours by the law of nature. It is our streams and rivers that swell it and make it so mighty, and we are resolved that no power in this world shall deprive us of this right." Congress also protested, and so much ex- citement arose that the right to use the city as before was re- stored, and the proclamation countermanded.
Yet, uncomfortable as had been our relations with Spain on the subject, when it became known that the country had passed to France, the uneasiness of the public grew greater. Bonaparte's methods of acquiring territory made him unde- sirable as a neighbor. Besides, there was no very good state of feeling between the two countries, and had not been for several years, beginning with the refusal of the French Direc- tory to receive Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, of South Caro- lina, as our Minister, December 9th, 1796, unless a large sum ($50,000) was paid to each Director, by way of a bribe, to secure international negotiations. This was followed by acts to protect the commerce of the United States, of dates May 28th and July 9th, 1798; February 9th, 1799, and the Act of July 27th, 1800, to suspend commercial intercourse with France. And while there had been no open declaration of war between the two countries, yet the war feeling was so
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1800 TO 1804.
great that there had actually occurred a naval conflict off the West India Islands, between the American ship "Constel- lation," under Captain Truxton, and the French frigate "L'Insurgeante," in which the French vessel struck her colors in an hour, with 70 killed and wounded, against three wounded in the American ship, and one man killed, and he was killed by his lieutenant for skulking his gun. In return French · vessels had preyed upon American commerce to a disastrous extent.
As soon as Mr. Jefferson was inaugurated President, which occurred March 4th, 1801, he began diligently to ascertain the character of the country embraced in the Province of Louisiana, and as soon as it became known that the country belonged to France, which was in 1802, he began to consider the necessity of attaining at least a free right-of-way and use of the Mississippi, or the purchase of a port of deposit in some portion of the Province.
In a letter to Robert R. Livingston, United States Minis- ter at Paris, of date April 18th, 1802, he said : "There is on the globe one single spot, the possessor of which is our natural and habitual enemy. It is New Orleans, through which the produce of three eights' of our territory must pass to market." He deprecated the transfer to France, whom he considered a vastly more dangerous neighbor than Spain. As long as France held New Orleans, he considered that the. growth of the United States would be impeded. Accord- ingly, when Don Morales shut up the port of New Orleans with his proclamation, the crisis had arrived. It was evi- dent that the possession of that city was a necessity. Mr. Jefferson at once forwarded to Mr. Livingston, instructions to open negotiations with France, for the purchase of the city of New Orleans, and the so-called island, on which it is situ- ated, and the Peninsula of Florida. Mr. Livingston did so, but found Bonaparte averse to selling, he entertaining quite a different scheme with relation to it, which was to send the
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
French fleet, which was then lying at San Domingo, to oc- cupy and hold the Province, of which he intended to make Bernadotte Governor-he who was afterwards King of Swe- den. Bonaparte's project was in such a forward state of preparation, that the troops to be used in the occupation, a force of 3,000 men under General Victor, were under march- ing orders, a large number of workmen had been gathered, settlers or colonists, to settle the country, the fleet was in readiness, the necessary stores had been carried aboard, and the time for sailing was appointed.
Mr. Livingston communicated this to President Jefferson in a letter in November of that year ; and shortly after its receipt, to-wit: December 15th, 1802, Mr. Jefferson communicated to Congress the action of Don Morales in closing the Port of New Orleans, and asked to have James Monroe, of Virginia, sent to France as Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extra- ordinary, for the purpose of negotiating the purchase of the city. Great excitement arose in Congress over the matter, but finally the nomination was confirmed, and an appropriation of $2,000,000 was made to carry out the mission. Mr. Mon- roe set sail for France, and arrived there April 12th, 1803.
In the meanwhile Bonaparte had altered his plans about the occupancy of the Province. The probability of war with England was growing greater every day, and seemed so near at hand that he had need of the fleet he intended to send, for home defense. The English papers having now learned that France possessed the country, were loud in their demands that it should be wrested away from her. It was rumored that a large fleet of English ships was on its way for the purpose of making a descent upon the country. In this crisis Talleyrand advised Bonaparte to sell the country to the United States, and Bonaparte, convinced of his inability to hold it against Eng- land if she attempted to seize it, had about made up his mind to do so. Before coming to any conclusion, however, as to the best method of resigning the acquisition, the only one he
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1800 TO 1804.
had not accomplished sword in hand, and it being the fruit of his own negotiation, he deemed it proper to obtain the opinion of two Ministers, one of whom was Francis Barbé Marbois, the Treasurer of the French Republic, who had been Secre- tary of the French Legation in America, and had been the Administrator of affairs of the Island of San Domingo with dis- tinction and success, and both of whom were familiar with the - American countries. Accordingly, on the 10th of April, 1803, Easter Sunday, after the necessary time had been devoted to the solemnities of the day, he called them into his presence, and addressing them with all the vehemence and passion which he especially manifested in political matters, said :
"I know the full value of Louisiana, and I have desired to repair the fault of the French negotiator who abandoned it in 1763. It has been restored to me in consequence of a few lines of a treaty, but scarcely have I recovered it when its loss again seems inevitable. But, if I must yield its posses- sion, it shall cost those less, into whose hands I wish to re- sign it, than those who impel me to give it up. The English have successively deprived France of Canada, Isle-Royale, Newfoundland, Acadia and the richest portion of Asia. They are laboring to agitate St. Domingo. They shall not have. the Mississippi which they covet. Louisiana is nothing as compared with their aggrandizements throughout the entire globe ; and, nevertheless, the jealousy they experience, on ac- count of the subjection of that colony again to France, ren- ders it palpable to me that they desire to obtain possession of it, and that an attempt at its conquest will be the beginning of the war. They have twenty vessels in the Gulf of Mexico and rule in those seas with sovereign sway, whilst our affairs in St. Domingo are every day assuming a darker aspect since the death of Leclerc. If they will only take the trouble to make a descent upon Louisiana, its conquest will be easy. There is not a moment to be lost in putting that out of their
8
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
grasp. For aught I know they may be there now. This would not becontrary to theircustom. As for me, in their place, I would not have delayed. I wish, if time yet remains, to de- prive them of the remotest idea of ever possessing that colony. I am thinking about ceding it to the United States. Scarcely, indeed will I be able to say that I cede it to them, for it is not yet in our possession. I will transmit merely an empty title to those republicans whose friendship I seek to gain. They ask me for only one city of Louisiana-New Orleans- but I consider the colony as already entirely lost, and it ap- pears to me that in the hands of that growing power it will be productive of more utility to the policy, and even to the commerce of France, than if I endeavor to retain it. Give me both your opinions."
Marbois advised the sale of the Province, but the other Minister advised against it. Bonaparte concluded the confer- ence without disclosing his positive intention; but the next morning, at day-break, he sent for Marbois and showed him some despatches just received from the French ambassador at London, which announced that extraordinary preparations for war were being made both by land and by sea.
"Uncertainty and deliberation are now altogether unseason- able," said he. "I renounce Louisiana. It is not only New Orleans I wish to cede, but the entire colony without reserve. I am well acquainted with the value of what I abandon, and I have sufficiently evinced the importance it has in my eyes, since my first diplomatic act with Spain had its recovery in view. I renounce it, therefore, with lively regret, but to per- severe in its retention would be the excess of folly. I charge you to negotiate this affair with the envoys of Congress. Do not wait even for the arrival of Mr. Monroe. Open the sub- ject this very day to Mr. Livingston. But I am in need of large sums of money for the prosecution of this war, and I would not be willing to commence it with new contributions. For a hundred years past France and Spain have incurred
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1800 TO 1804.
heavy expenses in order to ameliorate the condition of Louisi- ana, for which they have never received any indemnity from its commerce. Money has been lent to the companies, and to the agriculturists, which will never be repaid into the Treasury. We are certainly entitled to a recompense for all this. Were I to regulate my condition in accordance with the value these vast territories will be to the United States, the indemnity would be without bounds. But I will be mod- erate on account of the obligation to dispose of them under which I lie. Bear this, however, well in mind, I must have fifty million of francs, and unless this sum be conceded I will not treat. Otherwise I would rather make some desper- ate attempt to preserve those beautiful regions. To-morrow you will be invested with full powers."
So, according to Bonaparte's directions, Marbois sought an interview with Mr. Livingston that very day and opened up the subject with reference to the transfer of the entire Prov- ince. Mr. Livingston did not consider that he was authorized to purchase so much, as his instructions related only to the purchase of the city of New Orleans and the island on which it is situated, together with the peninsula of Florida ; but of- fered to purchase these parcels for 30,000,000 francs. This was declined, and Marbois communicated Bonaparte's ultima- tum of all or none. Mr. Livingston then suggested that the arrival of Mr. Monroe was hourly expected and that farther ne- gotiations await his coming ; and so nothing further of import- ance was done at that time. Fortunately Mr. Monroe arrived the next day, the 12th of April, and from that time the negotia- tions progressed with animation. Marbois renewed the confer- ence on the very next day after Mr. Monroe's arrival, to-wit : the 13th. On consultation, and in view of the ultimatum which had been announced, the American Ministers resolved to entertain the idea of the purchase of the entire province if a suitable price could be agreed upon, and they accordingly offered 50,- 000,000 francs first. Notwithstanding Bonaparte had an-
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
nounced that he was willing to sell for this amount, Marbois, thinking the price too small, on his own motion stated the price at 80,000,000 francs. The Americans at first objected to this sum. Mr. Livingston said : "Our fellow citizens en- tertain a great aversion to public debts ; how then shall we, without incurring their displeasure, impose upon them the enormous contribution of fifteen millions of dollars?" But Marbois met their objections with arguments as to the great value of the territory and of the importance of its possession to the United States. The Americans then proposed that twenty million francs should be taken off of the eighty million and ap- plied to the payment of claims held by citizens of the United States against France for spoliation and illegal siezures of their commerce in the recent season of unfriendliness between the two countries, commonly called French spoliation claims, estimated to amount to' from twenty to twenty-five mil- lion francs, leaving 60,000,000 to be paid to France. To this Marbois made no opposition, and so the agreement was definitely concluded. Other subjects relating to boundaries, times of payment, and the payment of claims were afterwards considered until, step by step, the gigantic affair was arranged in every part. It was concluded in three conventions or treaties ; first, relating to the cession ; second, to the price and terms of payment ; third, as to the payment of claims of Amer- icans. The United States agreed to create a stock of $11,- 250,000.00 in bonds, bearing six per cent. interest, the first installment of the principal, $3,000,000.00, being payable at the treasury of the United States in fifteen years, and $3,000,- 000.00 annually thereafter until all should be paid ; the inter- est to be paid semi-annually, at the rate of $337,500.00 per half year at either Paris, Amsterdam or London, as might beselected for the purpose. The French bankers declining to handle the matter, Messrs. Hope and Laboucheré of Amsterdam and the Barings, of London, became the financial agents of France in the matter ; and the amount was promptly paid by the United
II7
1800 TO 1804.
States through them, both in principal and interest. In this convention, commonly called the treaty of cession, the com- pact recites that Bonaparte made the cession, because he "de- sired to give the United States a strong proof of his friend- ship." The country is described as being "of the same extent which it had while in the hands of Spain, and which it still has in the hands of France."
The method of arranging the payment of the spoliation claims was provided for in the third convention, but in point of fact, these claims have never yet been fully paid. The amount of them estimated in American money, was $3,750,- 000.00. Of this amount, the sum $3,738,268.00 had been paid to June 30th, 1883, but with interest added, the unpaid balance would still amount to several million dollars. The subject of the amount due has been before Congress innumer- able times, upwards of fifty reports affirming their justice and validity have been made to Congress, but yet they have never been paid. Histories usually state that the United States paid France $15,000,000.00 for Louisiana. This is a mistake ; she paid France 60,000,000 francs, or $11,250,- 000.00, and agreed to pay American citizens 20,000,000 francs or $3,750,000.00, the whole aggregating 80,000,000 francs or $15,000,000.00. The 60,000,000 francs or $II, 250,000.00 alone is all that was paid to France, the re- mainder not having been paid to any of her citizens. On . the basis, as stated in histories, that the principal sum and all interest was promptly paid by the United States at maturity, the following computation will show :
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
AMOUNT PAID BY THE UNITED STATES TO FRANCE FOR THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE.
PRINCIPAL.
INTEREST.
Principal sum 1803
$11,250,000.00
Interest at 6 per cent. to 1818, 15 years, at $675,000.00 per annum, being amount paid by the United States to that date
$10,125,000.00
Paid on principal then ..
3,000,000.00
Balance of principal due
8,250,000.00
Interest thereon to 1819, 1 year, paid.
495,000.00
Paid on principal.
3,000,000.00
Balance due
5,250,000.00
Interest thereon to 1820, 1 year, paid.
315,000.00
Paid on principal
3,000,000.00
Balance due.
2,250,000.00
Interest to 1821, 1 year, paid
135,000.00
Principal paid ..
2,250,000.00
Total of interest paid.
$11,070,000.00
Total of principal paid.
11,250,000.00
Total of principal and interest paid by the United States to France
$22,320.000.00
When the result of the conference was announced to Bona- parte, who had been kept daily, and even hourly, informed of the progress of the negotiations, and he was informed that the eighty millions demanded by Marbois had been reduced to sixty millions by the offset of the spoliation claims, he pre- tended to be angry, and said with sharpness to Marbois: "I desire that those twenty millions be restored to the treasury ! Who has authorized you to dispose of the funds of the State? . The rights of the claimants should follow ours !" But this little ebullition was speedily calmed by calling his attention to the fact, which he had forgotten, or had pretended to for- get, that he himself had been willing to sell for fifty millions, without any indemnity to the Americans at all, and here the treasury was getting ten millions more than he had demanded, and the indemnity to be paid in addition. "It is true," he replied, "the negotiation leaves me nothing to desire! Sixty millions for a possession which, perhaps, would not last for a day ! It is my wish that France shall enjoy this expected capital, and that she may do so by means and works from
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1800 TO 1804.
which the navy shall derive benefits." And, he added : "This accession has strengthened forever the power of the United States, and I have just given England a maritime rival who, sooner or later, will humble her pride."
He was particularly anxious that the inhabitants of Louisi- ana should know that he parted from them in friendship. He accordingly himself prepared the following declaration, which he caused to be incorporated into the Journal of the days' proceedings : "May the Louisianians know that we separate ourselves from them with regret, and that we stipu- late in their favor all that they can desire, and may they recol- lect that they have been Frenchmen, and that France, in giv- ing them up, has secured for them advantages which they never would have obtained under the government, however kind, of an European mother country. May they cherish for us then sentiments of affection, and may a common origin, parentage, language, as well as common customs, perpetuate our friendship."
The three treaties were drawn up in the French language, and were afterwards translated into English, a work which occupied the greater part of three days. So that, although concluded on the 30th of April, the documents were not signed until May 4th. When all had been concluded, and the precious documents signed and exchanged, the three Ministers rose spontaneously to their feet, and Mr. Livingston said, and truly said :
"We have lived long, but this is the noblest work of our whole lives ! 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 instruments which we have just signed will cause no tears to be shed; they pre- pare ages of happiness for innumerable generations of human creatures, worthy of the regard and care of Providence, in the bosom of equality, under just laws; freed from the errors of superstition and bad government."
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
It was a noble phophecy, worthy of the generous mind that made it, and we who are now alive already see the beginning of its fulfillment. At the time all the world seemed to be pleased with the transfer; Napoleon, because he had given England a rival; England, because so much of Napoleon's project had failed ; and the American people for reasons too obvious to require mention. A handful of Federalists, it is true, held out against the cession, and predicted untold woes from the acquisition of so much territory, but they were too few in number to be of consequence.
Bonaparte affixed his approval to the treaty of cession, May 22d, without waiting for that of the United States, and at once caused it to be forwarded to M. Pinchon, the French chargé d'affaires at Washington. This was done to put the title to the country entirely out of France and into the United States as soon as possible. So that if the English proposed to seize it they would be obliged to contend for it with the Americans and not with him. On this same day, May 22d, 1803, he declared war against England, and hostilities commenced.
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