LOUISIANAíS CRITICAL PERIOD France tries to regain the West.
Genetís intrigues. Attitude of England and Spain. Napoleonís
designs. Talleyrandís plans for a colonial empire. Louisiana
ceded to France. Napoleonís plans checked by Toussaintís
rebellion in San Domingo. If Spanish control of the outlet of
our western trade was bad, a French rule under the aggressive
Napoleon would have been worse, and this began to appear as a
possibility. The pride of the French had been hurt by their
cession of Louisiana to Spain. So strong was this feeling that
various efforts were made by French ministers to regain the lost
territory. To the government of the United States Louisiana
became in the last decade of the eighteenth century a source of
constant anxiety. From the beginning of this decade to the
consummation of the purchase in 1803 was the most critical
period in the varied history of Louisiana. Within our borders
there was the expansion of a race not to be held in check.
Without, the efforts of three great powers were