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Robert R. Livingston Letter page 8

Robert R. Livingston

The Historic New Orleans Collection

The Historic New Orleans Collection
New Orleans, United States

Robert Livingston, U. S. Minister to France, writing from Paris at midnight to Secretary of State, James Madison in Washington. Livingston reports on his attempts to negotiate a purchase of New Orleans and its environs from the French government, his frustration with Talleyrand's evasions, and on the significant private conversation he had just had with finance minister Barbé-Marbois, who confirmed the willingness of Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of France, to sell not only New Orleans, but the entire Louisiana territory to the United States. Livingston acknowledges that such a purchase far exceeds his instructions, but proceeds to argue its merits and informs Madison that he (Livingston) and James Monroe will see the First Consul later that morning to present an opening offer. Portions of the letter are written in a numeric code, and have been decoded in another hand.

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  • Title: Robert R. Livingston Letter page 8
  • Creator: Robert R. Livingston
  • Creator Lifespan: 1746-1813
  • Date Created: 1803 April 13
  • Location Created: Paris, France
  • Type: letters (correspondence)
  • Rights: Physical rights are retained by The Historic New Orleans Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U. S. copyright laws.
  • Medium: paper (fiber product); ink
  • Art Form: Documents & Correspondence
  • Support: handwriting
  • Depicted Person: James Madison, James Monroe, Napoleon Bonaparte, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, François Barbé-Marbois, Robert R. Livingston
  • Depicted Topic: Louisiana Purchase, Treaty of Paris (1803)
  • Original Title: Robert R. Livingston Letter
  • Credit Line: The Historic New Orleans Collection
  • Accession Number: MSS 132, 78-56-L
The Historic New Orleans Collection

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