He was put forward to negotiate with our representatives with
respect to the proposed sale. On April 10, 1803, news came from London
that the peace of Amiens was at an end; war impended. Bonaparte at
once sent for Marbois and ordered him to push the negotiations with
Livingston, without awaiting the arrival of Monroe, of whose appointment
the "First Consul" was aware. Monroe reached Paris on the 12th of April,
and the negotiations, already well under way, progressed rapidly. A
treaty and two conventions were signed by Barbe-Marbois for the French,
and by Livingston and Monroe for the United States, on April 30th, less
than three weeks after the commission had begun its work. The price
agreed upon for the cession of Louisiana was 75,000,000 francs, and
for the satisfying of French spoliation claims due to Americans was
estimated at $3,750,000. The treaty was ratified by Bonaparte in May,
1803, and by the United States Senate in the following October. The
cession of the territory was contained in one paper, another fixed the
amount to be paid and the mode of payment, a third arranged the method
of settling the claims due to Americans.
The treaty did not attempt a precise description or boundary of the
territory ceded.
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