Mr. Jefferson was manifestly displeased with the alterations made in Congress, in his Draught of the Declaration. In his letter of July 8, 1776, to Richard Henry Lee, he says, "I enclose you a copy "of the Declaration of Independence as agreed to by the house, and "also as originally framed. you will judge whether it is the better "or worse for the critics."-Far from being "worse," I think unprejudiced readers will pronounce the alterations and amendments, made by the " critics" in Congress, substantial improvements; and that to those "critics" Mr. Jefferson is indebted for much of the applause which has been bestowed upon him as the AUTHOR of the Declaration. NOTE E. Fifteen millions of dollars were the stipulated price for Louisiana; not an immoderate sum for so extensive a territory. But under the circumstances I have stated, it will not be deemed a wild conjecture, that for the round sum of ten millions, the same object might have been accomplished. Supplies of provisions and of other articles had been furnished by American merchants to the French Government, through the Agents of France and her Colonies, for which payments had not been made. Those merchants had also sustained great damages by a wanton or heedless embargo of their vessels in the ports of France. For these supplies and damages, our merchants were entitled to payments and indemnities. For these purposes, and for certain captures, three millions and three quarters of a million of the fifteen millions of dollars were appropriated. The captures, or prizes, were those only which on the 30th of September, 1800, had not been definitively condemned. This is the date of the treaty negotiated by President Adams's ministers, Ellsworth, Davie and Murray. The claims for other prizes, to the estimated amount of twenty millions of dollars, prior to that date, were by the same treaty abandoned. In arranging the Louisiana business, three instruments in writing were employed. One was denominated a treaty, by which Bonaparte, then First Consul of France, ceded to the United States the Province of Louisiana. By the second, called a convention, the United States stipulated to create six per cent stock, to the amount of eleven millions and two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, to be delivered to the French Government, or its agent. By the third instrument, also called a convention, the examination and ascertainment of the aforementioned debts and claims of American citizens, were provided for ; and an American Board was constituted for that purpose. As France had no interest therein, all the liquidated claims being to be paid out of the treasury of the United States, from the appropriated fund of three millions, seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars,-the examination and adjustment of the claims ought to have been made by American authority exclusively, without the contaminating interfer ence of a French Bureau. But instead of this, express provision was made for such interference. The consequence was, the further plunder of American merchants; who, to obtain three fourths of their honest dues, were obliged respectively to sacrifice the other fourth in gratifications to the French Bureau. Such was the information I received in the midst of these transactions." It might have been expected, from the high reputation of the late Chancellor Robert R. Livingston, as a statesman and a lawyer, that he would have taken care to guard the American merchants against the mischief here stat ed. He, undoubtedly, was the Principal in negotiating the Louisiana treaty and conventions. As the resident minister plenipotentiary of the United States at Paris, he could not have been unacquainted with the general character of the persons administering the French Government, and their train of under officers, against whose impositions the clearest and strongest guards were necessary. * It is probable that divers honest claims were rejected by the French Bu reau. A Boston merchant (an old friend of mine) informed me, that he had two claims- -one for five thousand dollars, and another for fifty thousand dollars, both equally well founded. The small claim was allowed, and the large one rejected. His agent bad not been authorized to give the twenty five per cent. gratification to the French Bureau. The rejection of such claims made room for others unfounded, for which higher gratifications may have been given. |