Louisiana and Aaron Burr 313 



Livingston, and those he represented, soon realized 

 that it was Napoleon himself who alone deserved 

 serious consideration. Through Napoleon's char- 

 acter, and helping to make it great, there ran an 

 imaginative vein which at times bordered on the 

 fantastic; and this joined with his imperious self- 

 will, brutality, and energy to make him eager to 

 embark on a scheme which, when he had thought 

 it over in cold blood, he was equally eager to aban- 

 don. For some time he seemed obstinately bent on 

 taking possession of Louisiana, heedless of the atti- 

 tude which this might cause the Americans to 

 assume. He designated as commander of his army 

 of occupation Victor, a general as capable and 

 brave as he was insolent, who took no pains to 

 conceal from the American representatives his in- 

 tention to treat their people with a high hand. 



Jefferson took various means, official and unoffi- 

 cial, of impressing upon Napoleon the strength of 

 the feeling in the United States over the matter; 

 and his utterances came as near menace as his pacific 

 nature would permit. To the great French Con- 

 queror, however, accustomed to violence and to the 

 strife of giants, Jefferson's somewhat vacillating 

 attitude did not seem impressive ; and the one course 

 which would have impressed Napoleon was not fol- 

 lowed by the American President. Jefferson refused 

 to countenance any proposal to take prompt posses- 

 sion of Louisiana by force or to assemble an army 

 which would act with immediate vigor in time of 

 need ; and as he was the idol of the Southwesterners, 

 VOL. VIII. 14 



