The combination of French failure in Saint-Domingue,…
April 1803 CE
The combination of French failure in Saint-Domingue, the imminence of renewed war with Great Britain, and financial constraints probably prompt Bonaparte in April 1803 to offer for sale to the United States the entire Louisiana Territory.
Napoleon has abandoned his plans to rebuild France's New World empire, as he had failed to re-enslave the emancipated population of Haiti.Without sufficient revenues from sugar colonies in the Caribbean, Louisiana has little value to him.
Spain has not yet completed the transfer of Louisiana to France, and war between France and the UK is imminent.
Out of anger towards Spain and the unique opportunity to sell something that is useless and not yet truly his, Napoleon decides to sell the entire territory.
Although the foreign minister Talleyrand opposes the plan, on April 10, 1803, Napoleon had told the Treasury Minister François de Barbé-Marbois that he was considering selling the entire Louisiana Territory to the United States.
On April 11, 1803, just days before Monroe's arrival, Barbé-Marbois offers Livingston all of Louisiana for fifteen million dollars, equivalent to about $233 million in 2011 dollars, which averages to less than three cents per acre.
The American representatives are prepared to pay up to ten million dollars for New Orleans and its environs, but are dumbfounded when the vastly larger territory is offered for fifteen million dollars.
Jefferson had authorized Livingston only to purchase New Orleans.
However, Livingston is certain that the United States will accept the offer.
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