Significance

1. not accidental
   
2. Jefferson's "empire of Liberty"
   
3. divided Republican party
   

Antecedents

• Jay-Gardoqui talks 1786
  
• George Rogers Clarke vs. Spanish conspiracy 1787
  
• Nootka crisis 1789
  
• Genet and "spontaneous irruption" 1793
  
• Southwest Territory 1790; Pinckney's Treaty 1795
  
• Hamilton's invasion plan of LA. during the Quasi-War 1798
  

Growing empire

• U.S. population grew from 3.9m in 1790 to 5.3m in 1800 to 7.2m in 1810
• Ohio admission Mar.1, 1803
• cotton exports increased to 9.6m lbs by 1802
  
• 158 U.S. ships on the Miss. River 1803
  
• John Ledyard, Andre Michaux
  

Rufus King discovers opportunity

• letter about secret Treaty of San Ildefonso arrived May 29, 1801- France to get LA. conditional on Spain getting Tuscany
  
• letter about 1801 Treaty of Luneville arrived Feb. 18, 1802 - confirmed deal in secret treaty
  
• France was the key - had taken LA. from Spain and posed threat to U.S. in west
  
• letter about 1801 Treaty of Amiens - Napoleon free to send Leclerc
  

Jefferson initiates diplomacy

• Robert Livingston sent to France 1801 - to seek New Orleans and West Florida
  
• Jefferson letter Apr. 18, 1802 carried by Pierre du Pont - to warn off France, not to make alliance with Brit.: "the day France takes possession of New Orleans... we must marry ourselves to the Brit. fleet and nation."
  
• Pierre warned Jefferson to buy LA. or prepare for war
  
• Livinston negotiates with Talleyrand for all Miss. river - plans steamboat company with Robert Fulton
  

Right of Deposit crisis

• Juan Morales closes Miss. River Oct. 16, 1802 - Charles IV signed order July 14 to pressure France to close the Tuscany deal, and to stop smuggling on the river
  
• "west in an uproar" - Congress appropriates $5m for army of 80,000 - 10-week debate
  
• Jefferson warns minister Carlos de Irujo of the danger of western militia
  
• Monroe appointed Jan. 11, Lewis & Clark on Jan. 18, 1803
  
• March 1 - Spain orders Morales to restore right of deposit - done May 17
  
• but Monroe already left for France March 8 with instructions to offer $10m
  

Napoleon's problems

• learns Jan. 7 of death pf Charles Leclerc in Santo Domingo
  
• lack of ships to transport Gen. Claude Victor's army to LA. from Rotterdam
  
• Brit. decided to keep Malta until Napoleon evacuated Netherlands, but Napoleon refused - "I must either have Malta or war"
  
• Brit will declare war on France May 15
  

Napoleon makes offer to sell

• decision made Easter Sunday April 10, 1803 - Tallyrand makes offer to Livingston Apr. 11 to sell for 100m. francs
  
• Livingston meets with treasury minister Francois Barbe-Marbois Apr. 12 and counters with offer of 20m. francs
  
• Monroe arrived Apr. 13, but deal already made for 80m. francs ($15m.)
  
• gold from Hope & Co. (Dutch) and Baring Bros. (Brit) for U.S. 6% bonds
  

Unresolved issues

• no clear definition of boundaries
  
• no clear title by France to sell
  
• no constitutional power of president to buy foreign lands
  
• Senate refuses to give Brit. access to Miss. River in proposed King-Hawksbury Treaty of May 12, 1803
  
• Jefferson proposed sending 7000 troops to LA. to make Spain complete the transfer
  
• Spain made formal transfer to France Nov. 30, and France made transfer to U.S. Dec. 20
  
• official exchange of flags March 9-10, 1804, from Spain to France to U.S.
  
• no immediate statehood because Jefferson did not believe creoles were ready for citizenship
  

Floridas

• Mobile Act of Nov. 1803 created customs district at Fort Stoddert
  
• Miss. Territory organized 1804 after Yazoo land claims settled
  
• Spain crushed settler uprising in Aug. 1804 led by Nathan and Sam Kemper
  
• Jefferson arranged secret $2m appropriation to buy Floridas 1805
  

Republican disunity

• Jefferson led coalition of moderate Republicans (George Clinton, Wm Duane)
  
• old Republicans (John Randolph, Thomas McKean) opposed LA. purchase, Yazoo land claims, Florida appropriation
  
• young Republicans (Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun) sought aggressive expansion, war to get Canada and Florida, American System of internal improvements
  
• secessionist plots of Timothy Pickering and Roger Griswold and Fisher Ames in New England in 1804 to create a "northern confederacy", of Aaron Burr's Washita conspiracy 1807
  
• Federalist opposition to Jefferson's 1807 embargo
  

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