ransfer of Louisiana to France reached this side of the water,
Jefferson was greatly exercised over it, and had notions of off-setting
it by some joint action with Great Britain. His inducement to this
unwonted course, considering his hatred of England and love for France,
was his knowledge of the fact that French occupation of Louisiana meant
the closing of the Mississippi to American commerce.

The purchase of Louisiana, which at one stroke more than doubled the
existing area of the nation, was at first hotly opposed, especially by
the Federalists. It was deemed by them an unwarrantable stretch of the
Constitution on Jefferson's part, both in negotiating for it as a then
foreign possession without authority from Congress, and in pledging
the country's resources in its acquisition. The President was, however,
sustained in his act, not only by the Senate, which ratified the
purchase, but by the hearty approval and acclaim of the people. Happily
at this time the nation was ready for the acquisition and in good shape
financially to pay for it, since the country was prospering, and its
finances, thanks to the President's policy of economy and retrenchment,
were adequate to assume the burden involved in the purchase. The
national debt at this period was being materially reduced, and with its
reduction came, of course, the saving on the interest charge; while
the national income and credit were encouragingly rising. Though the
economical condition of the United States was thus favorable at
this era, the state of trade, hampered by the policy of commercial
restriction against foreign commerce, then prevailing, was not as
satisfactory as the shippers of the East and the commercial classes
desired. The reason of this was the unsettled relations of the United
States with foreign countries, and especially with England, whose policy
had been and still was to thwart the New World republic and harass its
commerce and trade. To this England was incited by the bitter memories
of the Revolutionary war and her opposition to rivalry as mistress
of the seas. Hence followed, on the part of the United States, the
non-Importation Act, the Embargo Act of 1807-08, and other retaliatory
measures of Jefferson's administration, coupled with reprisals at sea
and other expedients to offset British empressment of American sailors
and the right of search, so ruthlessly and annoyingly put in force
against the newborn nation and her maritime people. The