Louisiana Purchase Treaty: Westward Expansion Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Document.Article.Sentence)

Quote #4

Immediately after the ratification of the present Treaty by the President of the United States and in case that of the first Consul's shall have been previously obtained, the commissary of the French Republic shall remit all military posts of New Orleans and other parts of the ceded territory to the Commissary or Commissaries named by the President to take possession—the troops whether of France or Spain who may be there shall cease to occupy any military post from the time of taking possession and shall be embarked as soon as possible in the course of three months after the ratification of this treaty. (T.5.1)

When is newly acquired territory not really newly acquired territory? When the previous owners still have military troops and bases all over it. To that end, Article V of the treaty doc makes sure that French and Spanish troops will be packing up and heading out of Louisiana within three months of the purchase's ratification.

Quote #5

As it is reciprocally advantageous to the commerce of France and the United States to encourage the communication of both nations for a limited time in the country ceded by the present treaty until general arrangements relative to commerce of both nations may be agreed on; it has been agreed between the contracting parties that the French Ships coming directly from France or any of her colonies loaded only with the produce and manufactures of France or her Said Colonies; and the Ships of Spain coming directly from Spain or any of her colonies loaded only with the produce or manufactures of Spain or her Colonies shall be admitted during the Space of twelve years in the Port of New-Orleans and in all other legal ports-of-entry within the ceded territory in the Same manner as the Ships of the United States coming directly from France or Spain or any of their Colonies without being Subject to any other or greater duty on merchandize or other or greater tonnage than that paid by the citizens of the United States. (T.7.1)

Just because the Louisiana Territory now belongs to the United States, it doesn't mean no one else can use it. In fact, as a big TY for helping the United States stretch its borders and embrace its whole Manifest Destiny thing, France and Spain get to use the port of New Orleans like it's still their own for the next 12 years.