o a market was
kept open for that period, and thereafter until 1802; that year the
Spaniards again withdrew the privilege, and therein lay a potent motive
for the acquisition of at least the mouth of the Mississippi River, and,
although the immediate demand of these early American settlers was
simply an open seaport and waterway to the sea, the Louisiana Purchase
was the direct outcome of our strained relations with Spain.

A resolution was offered in Congress authorizing the President to call
out 50,000 militia and take possession of New Orleans, but the United
States sought security, and a substitute resolution was adopted
appropriating $2,000,000 for the purchase of the Floridas and New
Orleans, the Floridas being at first the entire cession contemplated,
even without the island of New Orleans. The chancellor, Robert R.
Livingston, had been appointed as our minister to France at a time when
the affairs of that country were in a somewhat precarious condition.
Napoleon, then only 34 years old, was dictator, surrounded by enemies.
President Jefferson wrote Livingston to make the best terms he could
with Napoleon, either for the mouth of the river, site for a city, or
place for deposit. He at no time spoke of acquiring the whole tract.
Livingston, with great tact and judgment, kept the matter before
Napoleon, realizing not only the importance of the small tract
originally involved, but the incalculable advantage that would be
derived by the United States could the accession of the whole territory
be accomplished. He was, therefore, greatly surprised by a question from
Talleyrand, in which he was asked "What we would give for the whole
tract?" This was followed by a proposition from Napoleon's
representative, Marbois, the state treasurer, in which he offered to
sell all the Louisiana Territory to the United States for 100,000,000
francs ($20,000,000), with a provision that the United States should pay
the claims of American citizens against France for depredations by
French privateers, which amounted to 20,000,000 francs ($4,000,000).
This offer Livingston declined, and Marbois asked him to name a price.
Livingston, after a polite and politic disavowal of any anxiety to seek
a larger expansion of territory, cautiously remarked, "We would be ready
to purchase, provided the sum was reduced to reasonable limits," but
refused to make an offer, postponing the matter until the arrival of
Monroe, who, he was informed by the Unit