History of the United States of America During the First Administration Of
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CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY FROM -* ( The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924092892631 .L UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 1924 092 892 631 THE FIRST ADMINISTRATION OP THOMAS JEFFEKSOI^ 1801—1805 — HISTORY OP THE UNITED STATES. HENRY ADAMS. Vols. I. and II. The First Administration of Jefferson. 1801-1805. Vols. III. and IV.—The Second Administration OF Jefferson. 1806-1809. Vols. V. and VI.—The First Administration op Madison. 1809-1813. Vols. VII., Vllt., and IX.—The Second Adminis- tration OP Madison. 1813-1817. With an INDEZ TO the ISNTIBE WOBK. HISTORY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DURING THE FIRST ADMINISTRATION OP THOMAS JEFFERSON By henry ADAMS Vol. II. NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1891 Copyright, 1889, By Chakles Sckibner's Sons. John Wilson and Son, Cambiudqe. CONTENTS OF VOL. II. CHAPTER PAGE I. Rupture of the Peace of Amiens 1 II. The Louisiana Treaty . 25 III. Claim to West Florida . 51 IV. Constitutional Difficulties.. 74 V. The Louisiana Debate . 94 Legislation . 116 VI. , Louisiana VII. Impeachments . 135 VIII. Conspiracy 160 IX. The Yazoo Claims 192 X. Tki.\l op Justice Chase 218 XL Quarrel with Yrujo . 245 XII. Pinckney's Diplomacy 264 XIII. Monroe and Talleyrand . 288 XIV. Relations with England 316 XV. Cordiality with England . 842 XVI. Anthony Merky .... 360 XVII. Jefferson's Enemie.-^ . 389 XVIII. England and Tripoli . 410 4.^9 Index to Vols. I. and II. ; HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. CHAPTER I. Congress expired ; Monroe set sail March 8, 1803 Washington relapsed into silence ; and the President and his Cabinet waited alone in the empty village, triumphing for the moment over their difficulties. Although a French prefect was actually in New Or- leans, and the delivery of Louisiana to Bonaparte might from day to day be expected, not an addi- tional soldier stood on the banks of the Mississippi, and the States of Kentucky and Tennessee were as quiet as though their flat-boats still floated down to New Orleans. A month passed before Madison or Jefferson again moved. Then the President asked his Cabinet ^ what Monroe should do in case Prance, as he expressed it, " refused our rights." He proposed an alliance with England, and suggested three in- ducements which might be offered to Great Britain : " 1. Not to make a separate peace. 2. To let her ; * Cabinet Memoranda of Mr. Jeflferson, April 8, 1803 ; Jefferson MSS. VOL. II. — 1 2 HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. Ch. 1. take Louisiana. 3. Commercial privileges." The Cabinet unanimously rejected the second and third concessions, but Dearborn and Lincoln were alone in opposing the first ; and a majority agreed to instruct Monroe and Livingston, " as soon as they find that no arrangements can be made with Prance, to use all possible procrastination with them, and in the mean time enter into conferences with the British govern- ment, through their ambassador at Paris, to fix prin- ciples of alliance, and leave us in peace till Congress meets ; and prevent war till next spring." Madison wrote the instructions. If the French gov- lernment, he said,^ should meditate hostilities against (the United States, or force a war by closing the /Mississippi, the two envoys were to invite England to an alliance, and were to negotiate a treat}' stipulating that neither party should make peace or truce without consent of the other. Should France deny the right of deposit without disputing the navigation, the envoys were to make no positive engagement, but should let Congress decide between immediate war or further procrastination. At no time in Talleyrand's negotiations had the idea of war against the United States been suggested. Of his intentions in this respect alone he had given positive assurances.^ Above all things both he and the First Consul feared a war with the United States. 1 Madison to Liviugston and Monroe, April 18 and 20, 1803; State Papers, ii. 555. ''' Livingston to Madison, Nov. 11, 1802; State Papers, ii. 526. They had nothing to gain by it. Madison's instruc- tions therefore rested on an idea which had no foundation, and which in face of the latest news from Europe was not worth considering ; yet even if intended only for use at home, the instructions were startling enough to warrant Virginians in doubting their authenticity. The late Administration, British in feeling as it was supposed to be, had never thought an alliance with England necessary even during actual hostilities with France, and had not hesitated to risk the chances of independent action. Had either of^ Jeiferson's predecessors instructed American minis- ters abroad, in case of war with Prance, to bind the United States to make no peace without Eng- land's consent, the consequence would have been an impeachment of the President, or direct steps by Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina, as in 1798, tending to a dissolution of the Union. Such an) alliance, offensive and defensive, w'ith England con4 tradicted every principle established by President! Washington in power or professed by Jefferson inj- opposition. If it was not finesse, it was an act such as the Republicans of 1798 would have charged as a crime. While Madison was writing these instructions, he was interrupted by the Marquis of Casa Yrujo,^ who came in triumph to say that his Government had sent out a brigantine especially to tell the President that the right of deposit would be restored and contin- 1 State Papers, ii. 556. 4 HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. Ch. 1. ued till another agreement or equivalent place could be fixed upon.^ Yrujo was instructed to thank the President for his friendly, prudent, and moderate con- duct during the excitement. He sent to New Orleans the positive order of King Charles IV. to the Intend- ant Morales, that the right of deposit should be im- mediately restored ; the western people were told that their produce might go down the river as before, and thus the last vestige of anxiety was removed. In face of this action by Godoy, and of the war evi- dently at hand between France and England, the success of the peace policy was assured. These events in some degree explained the extraordinary nature of the new instructions of April, 1803. Monroe was then already at Paris. In order to make clear the situation in which he found him- self, the sequence of events in Europe needs to be understood. Bonaparte's expedition to Louisiana was to have sailed at the end of September, 1802.^ A general of division, three generals of brigade, five battalions of infantry, two companies of artillery, sixteen pieces of cannon, and three thousand muskets were to be collected at Dunkirk for shipment ; but as fast as regiments could be named they were consumed by the fiery furnace of St. Domingo. Nevertheless, all 1 Yrujo to Madison, Notes of April 19 and 20, 1803; MSS. State Department Archives. ^ Bonaparte to Deorfes, 6 Fructidor, An x. (Aug. 24, 1802); Correspondance, viii. 4. the orders and arrangements were gradually mad Victor was to command the forces in Louisiani Laussat was to be prefect, charged with the ch administration. Both received elaborate written i structions ; and although Victor could not sail wit out ships or troops, Laussat was sent on his way. These instructions, which were never publishe had extreme value for the decision of disputes whic were to perturb American politics for the next twen' years. Although Victor was forced to wait in Hollar for the expedition he commanded, a copy of his instru tions was given to Laussat, and served to regula his conduct as long as he remained in office. Decrfe the Minister of Marine, was the author of this pape which unfolded the purpose that had guided Fran( in recovering, and was to control her in administe ing, this vast possession. Nothing could be simple clearer, or more consistent with French policy tha this document, which embodied so large a part i Talleyrand's political system. The instructions began, as was natural, by a car ful definition of the new province. After reciting tl terms of the retrocession according to the Third Ari cle of Berthier's Treaty, Decrfes fixed the boundaric of the territory which Victor, on the part of tl French republic, was to receive from the Marquis i Somoruelos, the Captain-General of Cuba.^ 1 Instructions secretes pour le Capitaine-Gdn^ral de la Lo isiaiie, approuvees par le Premier Consul le 5 Frimaire, An 3 (Nov. 26, 1802) ; Archives de la Marine, MSS. 6 HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. Ch. 1. "The extent of Louisiana," he. said, "is well deter- mined on the south by the Gulf of Mexico. But bounded on the west by the river called Rio Bravo from its mouth to about the 30° parallel, the line of demarcation stops after reaching this point, and there seems never to have been any agreement in regard to this part of the fron- tier. The farther we go northward, the more undecided is the boundary. This part of America contains little more than uninhabited forests or Indian tribes, and the necessity of fixing a boundary has never yet been felt there. There also exists none between Louisiana and Canada." In this state of things the captain-general would have to relieve the most remote Spanish garrisons, in order to establish possession ; in other respects he would be guided only by political and military inter- ests. The western and northern boundary was of less consequence than the little strip which separated New Orleans from Mobile ; and to this point the instruc- tions specially called Victor's attention.