The Jefferson Allegiance

27 July 1803: The Jefferson Allegiance

27 July 1803

President Thomas Jefferson waited, no doubt in his mind that Alexander Hamilton was late to prove a point.  Hamilton always had to prove a point, even if there was none.

Jefferson was alone in an office in Philosophical Hall on Independence Square in the heart of the nation’s largest city: Philadelphia.  Jefferson tipped his chair back, placed his feet on the desk and stretched out his long legs.  The ride from Washington had been made in darkness and thus in difficulty, the carriage driver unable to see all the ruts and holes in the road from the United States new capitol to the original capitol.

Thinking of the city he’d come from, Jefferson looked up at the painting of its namesake on the wall.  Good old George.  Gone less than four years now, one would think the man a saint the way the papers and people still went on about him.  Jefferson gave a fond smile, remembering how Washington, in the early days of the Continental Congress, had protested loudly that he did not wish to be Commander of the fledgling Colonial forces, yet somehow had managed to put on his old French & Indian War uniform every day when he came to protest not becoming that which his clothing clearly demonstrated he dearly desired.

Watch what a man does, rather than what he says, Jefferson thought.  And Hamilton being late said much.

The door to the room swung open and then slammed shut.  Hamilton strode across the room as if he owned it.  The way he walked into every room.

Jefferson got to his feet.  “Mister Hamilton.”  He extended his hand.

Hamilton barely shook the hand, then, without a word, went to the other side of the table and sat down.  A breach of etiquette in the presence of the country’s President, but Jefferson knew Hamilton felt brazen, having been the instrument three years ago to swing Congress to vote Jefferson into office over Burr, when the two had been tied in the Electoral College.  It had not been a sign of support for himself, Jefferson knew, but Hamilton’s intense distaste of Burr that had been the deciding factor.

“Shall we get to business?” Hamilton said.

Jefferson sat down.  He’d considered how to approach this on the ride from Washington.  “As you know, I was not present during the drafting of the Constitution.”

Hamilton tapped the top of the desk irritably.  “And?  Is that your excuse for your recent unconstitutional action regarding the Louisiana Purchase?”

“No,” Jefferson said.  “I make no excuse.  You are quite correct.  It was unconstitutional.”

Hamilton sat up straighter, his eyes narrowing, suspecting a trap.  “You admit as much?”

“I just did.”  Jefferson held up a hand to forestall his long-time opponent.  “I’ll give you my arguments so you can ignore all the tripe in the papers.  And then I’ll tell you what I have learned from my own actions, and what I propose, and why I ask for your assistance.”

The line between Hamilton’s eyes got even deeper, but he nodded.

“Briefly then,” Jefferson began.  “New Orleans controls the Mississippi.  He who controls the Mississippi, controls all our country’s river traffic west of the Appalachians.  When I took office, we thought New Orleans was under Spanish Control.  What I quickly discovered was that Napoleon, in secret, had gained control of New Orleans from Spain in eighteen hundred.  Learning of this, and fearing loss of access to the port, I secretly sent emissaries to Paris to negotiate the purchase of New Orleans.”