The Louisiana Purchase
It will be remembered that when Jefferson instituted the
ambitious enterprise, the original records of which we
are here
publishing for the first time, the trans-Mississippi
was
the property of France, although still in the
hands of Spain. This fact
gave rise to the secrecy
with which the preparations were invested. But
upon the
second of May, 1803,
[16]
the American
commissioners in Paris
had signed a treaty with Napoleon by which
Louisiana was
sold to the United States.
[17]
Lewis's
invitation to Clark shows
that some inkling of this unexpected and
startling negotiation
had reached Jefferson by that date (June 19); but
the official
news thereof did not arrive in Washington until the first
days
in July. The circumstance in no way altered Lewis's arrangements,
save that it was no longer
necessary to maintain that
privacy as to the purpose of the exploration,
which had been
hitherto enjoined upon him.
