1804.] 
none more fo than the late Genera] Wath- 
ington. 
It is true, that the free navigation, of 
the river Miffiffippi was a molt defireable 
object to the United States, and they 
have effectually attained it by the poffef- 
fion of the Province of Louifiana, forming 
its Weftern bank; but they have attained 
alfo more than they had cccafion for ; 
they have added bulk to what was before 
too unwieldy ; and have laid an immenfe 
charge on their ufeful pofleffions, in cr- 
der to add thofe which will not only be 
ufelefs but burthcnfome. The purchafe 
of Louifiana, on a. fuperficial glance, 
may feem benefic’al to the United States ; 
yet whoever will go deeper into the fub- 
ject will foon difcover that it exhibits 
the firongeft proof of the impolicy and 
weaknefs of their Government. It was 
not a meafure of fober-reafon and found 
policy, but a temporary fhift to gain the 
prefent adminifration popularity, and to 
prevent a fchifm in the United States, 
which, by the very means they have taken 
to avoid it, is rendered abfolutely certain 
at a future period. 
The territory of the United States, be- 
fore the acceflion of Louifiana, was too 
unwieldy for their Government; two in- 
furrections of the Weftern again the 
Faftern parts, within the fpace of fix 
years, have afcertained the impatience of 
the former under the reftramt impofed 
upen them by the Feederal compaét, and 
their wifhes to have an independant Go- 
vernment of their own. The moft mate- 
rial obftacle to their wfhes was their 
having no outlet to the fea for the expor- 
tation of their produce, but through the 
channel of the Miffiffippi, the naviga- 
tion of which was only enjoyed by a treaty 
with Spain. When that was obftructed 
at the expiration of the treaty, they 
threatened their Government if it did 
not immediately do them jujizce (as they 
termed it) they would inftantly procure 
it for themfelves, by attacking New Or. 
- Jeans and the other Spanifh fettlements 
-on the Mifiiffippi. They accordingly 
began to arm, and the American Govern- 
ment faw itfelf ftrangely involved in the 
hazard either of a war with Spain and 
confequently France, or of a civil com- 
motion. To free themfelves from this 
dilemma, the American Government ap- 
plied to that of Spain to renew the treaty 
for granting to the inhabitants of the 
United States the free navigation of the 
Mifhiffippi, and the right of depofiting 
their goods at New Orleans, on the fame 
Montury Mag, No, 143, 
On the Coffion of Louifiana, 249 
terms as they had formerly held it; but 
Spain, at the time of this application, 
was entirely under the controu! of France, 
and conld not fiir without her confent. 
France was again plunged intoa war with 
Britain, and money was abfolutely ne- 
ceflary to enable her to maintain the con- 
tet. Buonaparte was fully aware of the’ 
importance of Louifiana, not only to draw 
gold from the American Government, 
but alfo to procure their friendfhip, or at 
leaft neutrality, either of which was in- 
difpenfably neceffary to his defigns againtt 
Britain, He, therefore, under a pretence 
of being better able than Spain to main- 
tain Lou'fiana againft the United States, 
and of preferving for his good ally a 
boundary or barrier to the whole of her 
South American dominions, extorted it 
‘from her, and, to her great aftonifhment 
and grief, immediately fold it to the 
United States for fixteen millions of dol- 
lars. From a curfory view of thefe facts 
may be collected the impolicy and weak- 
refs of the American Government; the: 
total lofs of the dominion of South Ames 
rica by Spain; the infidioufnefS and am- 
bition of the Ruler of France; and the 
real intereft of Britain.’ . The | effe&s 
which the cefficn of Louifiana may have 
upon each nation, will be feparately con- 
fidered, and fuch conclufions drawn from 
the whole as the extent of human pro- 
bability will juftify, the foundeft bafis 
whereon fpeculative opinion~ can be 
grounded. ay 
The territory of the United States, as 
has been obferved and lamented by the 
late General Wafhington in his Farewell 
Addrefs to the Citizens, has been charac. 
terized by the three geographical deferip- 
tions of the Northern, the Southern, and 
the Weftern divifions. The inhabitants of 
the latter have, in two inftances, fhewa 
an intractabiliry and a defre to feparate 
from tHofe of the two former, and have 
been retained only. by force, which js 
quite incompatible with the doétrine of 
an Union founded on mutual convenience 
and utility, To prevent their breaking 
out into an open revolt, the Government 
has been aecefitated to incveafe an already 
too larze extent of territory, and to 
break through their natural boundary, 
fuch as to every one muft appear to be 
that of the Mifliffippi on the weftern fide. 
They have been campelled to purchafe an 
immenfe traét of land for which they can 
have no real ufe, and which muft prove 
an incumbrance ; although the acquisition 
of ithas co& the northern and soushern 
Li : an 
