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Louisiana Purchase

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Jefferson and Louisiana Purchase

President Thomas Jefferson always had a strong belief and held the principle that, the

constitution of the United States was not clear enough about the issue of acquiring new lands

from other countries and bringing it under her territory. To ensure that the constitution was clear

on this issue, Jefferson proposed some amendments to the constitution. However, his efforts

were all in vain since he received great opposition from his rivals who wanted to maintain the

status quo of the constitution (Gleijeses 244). Jefferson had given James Monroe and Robert

Livingston, the mandate to negotiate on land prices and purchase it on behalf of the State. When

the war between France and India was almost ending in 1763, France had already surrendered

most of its territories in North America including Louisiana ("Early Republic"). However, the

Napoleon still had pans to revive the territory and build a strong French empire. It came to the

notice two colleagues that Napoleon was no longer interested in rebuilding the French empire in

North America. France was therefore willing to sell Louisiana territory, which was

approximately 800,000 acres for $15 million. According to the instructions of Jefferson to

Monroe and Livingston, their purchase negotiations on land were up to $10 Million. The issue of

Louisiana Purchase therefore was beyond their mandate. As a result, the two only negotiated a

purchase treaty and went back to report the issue to their superior.

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These matters physically fit Jefferson ideas that the federal government had weak power in

issues regarding access of land. However, the senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase treaty in

1803.

As Jefferson always said, the power of the federal government was very weak in regard to

purchase of lands. As he always said, the federal government was powerless without the

constitution. The constitution on the other hand, which was the only source of power for the

government stated that the government could purchase new lands but never made any

clarifications about the purchase of foreign territories.

According to my view, this act was actually not a legal move. The laws outlined in the

constitution run the government. Article IV of the constitution stated very well that new land

could be purchased but did not in any way authorize the purchase of foreign lands (Foley 136). It

was therefore unconstitutional and against the law for the senate to ratify the Louisiana purchase

treaty.

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Surname 1 Name Instructor Course Date Jefferson and Louisiana Purchase President Thomas Jefferson always had a strong belief and held the principle that, the constitution of the United States was not clear enough about the issue of acquiring new lands from other countries and bringing it under her territory. To ensure that the constitution was clear on this issue, Jefferson proposed some amendments to the constitution. However, his efforts were all in vain since he received great opposition from his rivals who wanted to maintain the status quo of the constitution (Gleijeses 244). Jefferson had given James Monroe and Robert Livingston, the mandate to negotiate on land prices and purchase it on behalf of the State. When the war between France and India was almost ending in 1763, France had already surrendered most of its territories in North America including Louisiana ("Early Republic"). ...
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