In 1803 the United States purchased a vast interior region of
North America from France for $15 million. This acquisition, called the
Louisiana Purchase, extended U.S. territory from the Mississippi River westward
to the Rocky Mountains. The first of the following three documents is the treaty
of cession, in which France agreed to sell the province known as Louisiana to
the United States. The other two documents are separate agreements, one for the
U.S. government’s payment of $11,250,000 to France and the other for payment of
claims that U.S. citizens had made against France, amounting to $3,750,000. The
second agreement stipulated that the United States would pay these funds
directly to the citizens who made the claims. Nineteenth-century conventions of
spelling, grammar, and usage in this document have not been modified.
The Louisiana Purchase
Treaty Between the United States of America and the French
Republic
The President of the United States of America and the
First Consul of the French Republic in the name of the French People desiring to
remove all Source of misunderstanding relative to objects of discussion
mentioned in the Second and fifth articles of the Convention of the 8th Vendé
miaire [Vendé miaire was the designation of the month in the French calendar at
the time] an 9/30 September 1800 relative to the rights claimed by the United
States in virtue of the Treaty concluded at Madrid the 27 of October 1795,
between His Catholic Majesty & the Said United States, & willing to
Strengthen the union and friendship which at the time of the Said Convention was
happily reestablished between the two nations have respectively named their
Plenipotentiaries to wit The President of the United States, by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate of the Said States; Robert R. Livingston
Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States and James Monroe Minister
Plenipotentiary and Envoy extraordinary of the Said States near the Government
of the French Republic; And the First Consul in the name of the French people,
Citizen Francis Barbé Marbois Minister of the public treasury who after having
respectively exchanged their full powers have agreed to the following
Articles.
Article I
Whereas by the Article the third of the Treaty concluded
at St Ildefonso the 9th Vendé miaire an 9/1st October 1800 between the First
Consul of the French Republic and his Catholic Majesty it was agreed as
follows.
'His Catholic Majesty promises and engages on his part
to cede to the French Republic six months after the full and entire execution of
the conditions and Stipulations herein relative to his Royal Highness the Duke
of Parma, the Colony or Province of Louisiana with the Same extent that it now
has in the hand of Spain, & that it had when France possessed it; and Such
as it Should be after the Treaties subsequently entered into between Spain and
other States.'
And whereas in pursuance of the Treaty and particularly
of the third article the French Republic has an incontestible title to the
domain and to the possession of the said Territory—The First Consul of the
French Republic desiring to give to the United States a strong proof of his
friendship doth hereby cede to the United States in the name of the French
Republic forever and in full Sovereignty the said territory with all its rights
and appurtenances as fully and in the Same manner as they have been acquired by
the French Republic in virtue of the above mentioned Treaty concluded with his
Catholic Majesty.
Art: II
In the cession made by the preceeding article are
included the adjacent Islands belonging to Louisiana all public lots and
Squares, vacant lands and all public buildings, fortifications, barracks and
other edifices which are not private property.—The Archives, papers &
documents relative to the domain and Sovereignty of Louisiana and its
dependances will be left in the possession of the Commissaries of the United
States, and copies will be afterwards given in due form to the Magistrates and
Municipal officers of such of the said papers and documents as may be necessary
to them.
Art: III
The inhabitants of the ceded territory shall be
incorporated in the Union of the United States and admitted as soon as possible
according to the principles of the federal Constitution to the enjoyment of all
these rights, advantages and immunities of citizens of the United States, and in
the mean time they shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of
their liberty, property and the Religion which they profess.
Art: IV
There Shall be Sent by the Government of France a
Commissary to Louisiana to the end that he do every act necessary as well to
receive from the Officers of his Catholic Majesty the Said country and its
dependances in the name of the French Republic if it has not been already done
as to transmit it in the name of the French Republic to the Commissary or agent
of the United States.
Art: V
Immediately after the ratification of the present Treaty
by the President of the United States and in case that of the first Consul's
shall have been previously obtained, the commissary of the French Republic shall
remit all military posts of New Orl eans and other parts of the ceded territory
to the Commissary or Commissaries named by the President to take possession—the
troops whether of France or Spain who may be there shall cease to occupy any
military post from the time of taking possession and shall be embarked as soon
as possible in the course of three months after the ratification of this
treaty.
Art: VI
The United States promise to execute Such treaties and
articles as may have been agreed between Spain and the tribes and nations of
Indians until by mutual consent of the United States and the said tribes or
nations other Suitable articles Shall have been agreed upon.
Art: VII
As it is reciprocally advantageous to the commerce of
France and the United States to encourage the communication of both nations for
a limited time in the country ceded by the present treaty until general
arrangements relative to commerce of both nations may be agreed on; it has been
agreed between the contracting parties that the French Ships coming directly
from France or any of her colonies loaded only with the produce and manufactures
of France or her Said Colonies; and the Ships of Spain coming directly from
Spain or any of her colonies loaded only with the produce or manufactures of
Spain or her Colonies shall be admitted during the Space of twelve years in the
Port of New-Orleans and in all other legal ports-of-entry within the ceded
territory in the Same manner as the Ships of the United States coming directly
from France or Spain or any of their Colonies without being Subject to any other
or greater duty on merchandize or other or greater tonnage than that paid by the
citizens of the United States.
During that Space of time above mentioned no other
nation Shall have a right to the Same privileges in the Ports of the ceded
territory—the twelve years Shall commence three months after the exchange of
ratifications if it Shall take place in France or three months after it Shall
have been notified at Paris to the French Government if it Shall take place in
the United States; It is however well understood that the object of the above
article is to favour the manufactures, Commerce, freight and navigation of
France and of Spain So far as relates to the importations that the French and
Spanish Shall make into the Said Ports of the United States without in any Sort
affecting the regulations that the United States may make concerning the
exportation of the produce and merchandize of the United States, or any right
they may have to make Such regulations.
Art: VIII
In future and for ever after the expiration of the
twelve years, the Ships of France shall be treated upon the footing of the most
favoured nations in the ports above mentioned.
Art: IX
The particular Convention Signed this day by the
respective Ministers, having for its object to provide for the payment of debts
due to the Citizens of the United States by the French Republic prior to the
30th Sept. 1800 (8th Vendé miaire an 9) is approved and to have its execution in
the Same manner as if it had been inserted in this present treaty, and it Shall
be ratified in the same form and in the Same time So that the one Shall not be
ratified distinct from the other.
Another particular Convention Signed at the Same date as
the present treaty relative to a definitive rule between the contracting parties
is in the like manner approved and will be ratified in the Same form, and in the
Same time and jointly.
Art: X
The present treaty Shall be ratified in good and due
form and the ratifications Shall be exchanged in the Space of Six months after
the date of the Signature by the Ministers Plenipotentiary or Sooner if
possible.
In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have
Signed these articles in the French and English languages; declaring
nevertheless that the present Treaty was originally agreed to in the French
language; and have thereunto affixed their Seals.
Done at Paris the tenth day of Floreal in the eleventh
year of the French Republic; and the 30th of April 1803.
Robt R Livingston [seal] Jas. Monroe [seal] Barbé Marbois [seal]
A Convention Between the United States of America and the
French Republic
The President of the United States of America and the
First Consul of the French Republic in the name of the French people, in
consequence of the treaty of cession of Louisiana which has been Signed this
day; wishing to regulate definitively every thing which has relation to the Said
cession have authorized to this effect the Plenipotentiaries, that is to say the
President of the United States has, by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate of the Said States, nominated for their Plenipotentiaries, Robert R.
Livingston, Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States, and James Monroe,
Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy-Extraordinary of the Said United States, near
the Government of the French Republic; and the First Consul of the French
Republic, in the name of the French people, has named as Pleniopotentiary of the
Said Republic the citizen Francis Barbé Marbois: who, in virtue of their full
powers, which have been exchanged this day, have agreed to the followings
articles:
Art: 1
The Government of the United States engages to pay to
the French government in the manner Specified in the following article the sum
of Sixty millions of francs independant of the Sum which Shall be fixed by
another Convention for the payment of the debts due by France to citizens of the
United States.
Art: 2
For the payment of the Sum of Sixty millions of francs
mentioned in the preceeding article the United States shall create a Stock of
eleven millions, two hundred and fifty thousand Dollars bearing an interest of
Six per cent: per annum payable half yearly in London Amsterdam or Paris
amounting by the half year to three hundred and thirty Seven thousand five
hundred Dollars, according to the proportions which Shall be determined by the
french Govenment to be paid at either place: The principal of the Said Stock to
be reimbursed at the treasury of the United States in annual payments of not
less than three millions of Dollars each; of which the first payment Shall
commence fifteen years after the date of the exchange of ratifications:—this
Stock Shall be transferred to the government of France or to Such person or
persons as Shall be authorized to receive it in three months at most after the
exchange of ratifications of this treaty and after Louisiana Shall be taken
possession of the name of the Government of the United States.
It is further agreed that if the french Government
Should be desirous of disposing of the Said Stock to receive the capital in
Europe at Shorter terms that its measures for that purpose Shall be taken So as
to favour in the greatest degree possible the credit of the United States, and
to raise to the highest price the Said Stock.
Art 3
It is agreed that the Dollar of the United States
Specified in the present Convention shall be fixed at five francs 3333/100000 or
five livres eight Sous tournois.
The present Convention Shall be ratified in good and due
form, and the ratifications Shall be exchanged the Space of Six months to date
from this day or Sooner if possible.
In faith of which the respective Plenipotentiaries have
Signed the above articles both in the french and english languages, declaring
nevertheless that the present treaty has been originally agreed on and written
in the french language; to which they have hereunto affixed their Seals.
Done at Paris the tenth of Floreal eleventh year of the
french Republic/ 30th April 1803 ./
Robt R Livingston [seal] Jas. Monroe [seal] Barbé Marbois [seal]
Convention Between the United States of America and the
French Republic
The President of the United States of America and the
First Consul of the French Republic in the name of the French People having by a
Treaty of this date terminated all difficulties relative to Louisiana, and
established on a Solid foundation the friendship which unites the two nations
and being desirous in complyance with the Second and fifth Articles of the
Convention of the 8th Vendé miaire ninth year of the French Republic (30th
September 1800) to Secure the payment of the Sums due by France to the citizens
of the United States have respectively nominated as Plenipotentiaries that is to
Say The President of the United States of America by and with the advise and
consent of their Senate Robert R. Livingston Minister Plenipotentiary and James
Monroe Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary of the Said States near
the Government of the French Republic: and the First Consul in the name of the
French People the Citizen Francis Barbé Marbois Minister of the public treasury;
who after having exchanged their full powers have agreed to the following
articles.
Art: 1
The debts due by France to citizens of the United States
contracted before the 8th Vendé miaire ninth year of the French Republic/30th
September 1800/ Shall be paid according to the following regulations with
interest at Six per Cent; to commence from the period when the accounts and
vouchers were presented to the French Government.
Art: 2
The debts provided for by the preceeding Article are
those whose result is comprised in the conjectural note annexed to the present
Convention and which, with the interest cannot exceed the Sum of twenty millions
of Francs. The claims comprised in the Said note which fall within the
exceptions of the following articles, Shall not be admitted to the benefit of
this provision.
Art: 3
The principal and interests of the Said debts Shall be
discharged by the United States, by orders drawn by their Minister
Plenipotentiary on their treasury, these orders Shall be payable Sixty days
after the exchange of ratifications of the Treaty and the Conventions Signed
this day, and after possession Shall be given of Louisiana by the Commissaries
of France to those of the United States.
Art: 4
It is expressly agreed that the preceding articles Shall
comprehend no debts but Such as are due to citizens of the United States who
have been and are yet creditors of France for Supplies for embargoes and prizes
made at Sea, in which the appeal has been properly lodged within the time
mentioned in the Said Convention 8th Vendé miaire ninth year, /30th Sept
1800/
Art: 5
The preceding Articles Shall apply only, First: to
captures of which the council of prizes Shall have ordered restitution, it being
well understood that the claimant cannot have recourse to the United States
otherwise than he might have had to the Government of the French republic, and
only in case of insufficiency of the captors—2d the debts mentioned in the Said
fifth Article of the Convention contracted before the 8th Vendé miaire an 9/30th
September 1800 the payment of which has been heretofore claimed of the actual
Government of France and for which the creditors have a right to the protection
of the United States;— the Said 5th Article does not comprehend prizes whose
condemnation has been or Shall be confirmed: it is the express intention of the
contracting parties not to extend the benefit of the present Convention to
reclamations of American citizens who Shall have established houses of Commerce
in France, England or other countries than the United States in partnership with
foreigners, and who by that reason and the nature of their commerce ought to be
regarded as domiciliated in the places where Such house exist.—All agreements
and bargains concerning merchandize, which Shall not be the property of American
citizens, are equally excepted from the benefit of the said Conventions, Saving
however to Such persons their claims in like manner as if this Treaty had not
been made.
Art: 6
And that the different questions which may arise under
the preceding article may be fairly investigated, the Ministers Plenipotentiary
of the United States Shall name three persons, who Shall act from the present
and provisionally, and who shall have full power to examine, without removing
the documents, all the accounts of the different claims already liquidated by
the Bureaus established for this purpose by the French Republic, and to
ascertain whether they belong to the classes designated by the present
Convention and the principles established in it or if they are not in one of its
exceptions and on their Certificate, declaring that the debt is due to an
American Citizen or his representative and that it existed before the 8th Vendé
miaire 9th year/30 September 1800 the debtor shall be entitled to an order on
the Treasury of the United States in the manner prescribed by the 3d
Article.
Art: 7
The Same agents Shall likewise have power, without
removing the documents, to examine the claims which are prepared for
verification, and to certify those which ought to be admitted by uniting the
necessary qualifications, and not being comprised in the exceptions contained in
the present Convention.
Art: 8
The Same agents Shall likewise examine the claims which
are not prepared for liquidation, and certify in writing those which in their
judgement ought to be admitted to liquidation.
Art: 9
In proportion as the debts mentioned in these articles
Shall be admitted they Shall be discharged with interest at Six per Cent: by the
Treasury of the United States.
Art: 10
And that no debt shall not have the qualifications above
mentioned and that no unjust or exorbitant demand may be admitted, the
Commercial agent of the United States at Paris or such other agent as the
Minister Plenipotentiary or the United States Shall think proper to nominate
shall assist at the operations of the Bureaus and cooperate in the examinations
of the claims; and if this agent Shall be of the opinion that any debt is not
completely proved, or if he shall judge that it is not comprised in the
principles of the fifth article above mentioned, and if notwithstanding his
opinion the Bureaus established by the french Government should think that it
ought to be liquidated, he shall transmit his observations to the board
established by the United States, who, without removing documents, shall make a
complete examination of the debt and vouchers which Support it, and report the
result to the Minister of the United States.—The Minister of the United States
Shall transmit his observations in all Such cases to the Minister of the
treasury of the French Republic, on whose report the French Government Shall
decide definitively in every case.
The rejection of any claim Shall have no other effect
than to exempt the United States from the payment of it, the French Government
reserving to itself, the right to decide definitively on Such claim So far as it
concerns itself.
Art: 11
Every necessary decision Shall be made in the course of
a year to commence from the exchange of ratifications, and no reclamation Shall
be admitted afterwards.
Art: 12
In case of claims for debts contracted by the Government
of France with citizens of the United States Since the 8th Vendé miaire 9th
year/30 September 1800 not being comprised in this Convention may be pursued,
and the payment demanded in the Same manner as if it had not been made.
Art: 13
The present convention Shall be ratified in good and due
form and the ratifications Shall be exchanged in Six months from the date of the
Signature of the Ministers Plenipotentiary, or Sooner if possible.
In faith of which, the respective Ministers
Plenipotentiary have signed the above Articles both in the french and english
languages, declaring nevertheless that the present treaty has been originally
agreed on and written in the french language, to which they have hereunto
affixed their Seals.
Done at Paris, the tenth of Floreal, eleventh year of
the French Republic. 30th April 1803.
Robt R Livingston [seal] Jas. Monroe [seal] Barbé Marbois [seal]
Source: National Archives and Records
Administration.
.
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