Seven months later Jefferson learned that the Spanish officials at New Orleans had suspended the right of deposit. Immediately western farmers protested. Many demanded immediate action. Others pressed for a declaration of war. The Federalists in the East who opposed Jefferson sided with those who wished to declare war, in order to split the ranks of his followers. In January 1803, Congress appropriated two million dollars to defray expenses to help improve relations between the United States and foreign nations. Jefferson asked James Monroe to sail for France to resolve the difficulty. Monroe was instructed to negotiate for the purchase of New Orleans and Florida. He was permitted to offer 50,000,000 francs for this concession of territory. If this offer were refused, then an alternative offer of 37,500,000 francs was to be made for New Orleans alone. A third alternative to be used in the negotiation was to insist upon the permanent right of deposit at New Orleans and navigation along the lower Mississippi. If all three offers were rejected by Napoleon, Monroe and Livingston were instructed to negotiate an alliance with the British Government not to make any peace with France.
Why Napoleon Sold Louisiana Events favored the United States. Napoleon had transported 35,000 troops to wipe out the rebellion in Santo Domingo, but yellow fever and the rebels did away with most of the French troops. With this disaster Napoleons visions of expanding in the mainland at New Orleans vanished. He also recognized he inevitability of a conflict with Great Britain. How could he hope to keep Louisiana, thousands of miles away across the Atlantic, as long as Britain was Empress of the Seas? The revenue that the sale of Louisiana would bring to France was a temptation to Napoleon, whose treasury was almost depleted . Confronted with so many problems Napoleon quickly arrived at a decision.On April 11, 1803, even before the arrival of Monroe in Paris, Talleyrand proposed that the United States purchase all of the Louisiana territory.Livingstons first offer for this bargain was 20, 000, 000 francs, but Talleyrand countered with a demand for 125,000,000. In a brief negotiation both finally compromised on 80,000,000 francs, equivalent to $ 15,000,000 in American money. On April 30, 1803, Louisiana became the possession of the United States. Three-fourths of the sum went to France, the balance was reserved to pay the claims of American citizens against France.
【英语六级暑期复习必备阅读训练题(2)】相关文章:
最新
2016-10-18
2016-10-11
2016-10-11
2016-10-08
2016-09-30
2016-09-30