In fact, it was his inability to put down the independence rebellion and the high cost in men and resources to continue to try when war was looming with Mother England, that led him to abandon the effort to establish a French controlling presence in the New World, to which the port of New Orleans was critical, and yet stick it to the English by selling Louisiana, then a name for about the middle third of the country now, to the United States.
Not to mention, the terms of the acquisition of Louisiana from Spain said France was never to sell it, and Jefferson was not at all sure the Constitution actually gave the president the power to make a deal like that, but national interest won out on both sides.
Its amazing how well Pat knows what the devil says.
ReplyDeleteIt was Napoleon, not Napoleon III.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, it was his inability to put down the independence rebellion and the high cost in men and resources to continue to try when war was looming with Mother England, that led him to abandon the effort to establish a French controlling presence in the New World, to which the port of New Orleans was critical, and yet stick it to the English by selling Louisiana, then a name for about the middle third of the country now, to the United States.
Not to mention, the terms of the acquisition of Louisiana from Spain said France was never to sell it, and Jefferson was not at all sure the Constitution actually gave the president the power to make a deal like that, but national interest won out on both sides.
You ought to be speaking Spanish down there.