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The Louisiana Purchase Legislative Timeline -- 1805-1806
The Louisiana Purchase Legislative Timeline
9th Congress, 1st Session
December 3, 1805
- Thomas Jefferson presents his Fifth Annual Message to
Congress, which discusses a dispute with Spain concerning the exact
boundaries of Louisiana. Jefferson states that “Inroads have been
recently made into the territories of Orleans and the Mississippi, our
citizens have been seized and their property plundered. . . I have therefore
found it necessary, at length, to give orders to our troops on that
frontier to be in readiness to protect our citizens, and to repel by
arms any similar aggressions in future.”
Annals
of Congress, 11-16; Senate
Journal, 4-8; House
Journal, 183-87.
December 9, 1805
- Thomas Jefferson sends a confidential message to Congress on problems with
Spain concerning the exact boundaries of Louisiana. This message is dated
December 6, 1805.
Annals
of Congress, 18-19; Senate
Executive Journal, 36-38.
December 11, 1805
- The House of Representatives introduces a bill supplementary to the “act
making provision for the payment of claims of citizens of the United States
on the government of France, the payment of which has been assumed by the
United States, by virtue of the convention of the 30th of April, 1803, between
the United States and the French republic.”
Annals
of Congress, 274-75; House
Bills and Resolutions, H.R. 2.
December 19, 1805
- The House of Representatives debates the bill supplementary to the “Act
making provision for the payment of claims of citizens of the United States
on the Government of France, the payment of which has been assumed by the
United States, by virtue of the convention of the thirtieth of April, one
thousand eight hundred and three, between the United States and the French
Republic.”
Annals
of Congress, 297.
December 20, 1805
- The House of Representatives passes “An act supplementary to the act
making provision for the payment of claims of citizens of the United States
on the Government of France, the payment of which has been assumed by the
United States, by virtue of the convention of the thirtieth of April, one
thousand eight hundred and three, between the United States and the French
Republic.”
Annals
of Congress, 300.
December 27, 1805
- The Senate passes with amendments “An act supplementary to the act
making provision for the payment of claims of citizens of the United States
on the Government of France, the payment of which has been assumed by the
United States, by virtue of the convention of the thirtieth of April, one
thousand eight hundred and three, between the United States and the French
Republic.”
Annals
of Congress, 43.
December 31, 1805
- Thomas Jefferson signs into law “An act supplementary to the act making
provision for the payment of claims of citizens of the United States on the
Government of France, the payment of which has been assumed by the United
States, by virtue of the convention of the thirtieth of April, one thousand
eight hundred and three, between the United States and the French Republic.”
Statutes
at Large, volume 2, 348; Annals
of Congress, 1225.
January 16, 1806
- The House of Representatives passes “An act making provision
for defraying any extraordinary expenses attending the intercourse
between the United States and foreign nations. This bill has been
passed by us to enable the President of the United States to commence,
with more effect, a negotiation for the purchase of the Spanish Territories
lying on the Atlantic Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico, and eastward on the
river Mississippi.”
Annals
of Congress, 1133; House
Journal, 444-48.
February 7, 1806
- The Senate passes “An act making provision for defraying any extraordinary
expenses attending the intercourse between the United States and foreign nations.”
Annals
of Congress, 87-88; Senate
Executive Journal, 41-42.
February 13, 1806
- Thomas Jefferson signs into law “An act making provision for defraying
any extraordinary expenses attending the intercourse between the United States
and foreign nations.” The popular name of this law is the “Two
Million Dollar Act.” This appropriation is used in negotiations to purchase
Florida from Spain.
Statutes
at Large, volume 2, 349.
February 19, 1806
- Thomas Jefferson sends a message to Congress with accompanying documents
from the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Annals
of Congress, Appendix, 1036-46; American
State Papers, Indian Affairs, volume 1, 705-43.
April 5, 1806
- The House of Representatives debates Spanish affairs and Jefferson’s
message received by the Congress on December 9, 1805.
Annals
of Congress, 946-93.
April 18, 1806
- Thomas Jefferson signs into law “An act supplementary to the act for
the payment of claims of citizens of the United States on the Government of
France.”
Statutes
at Large, volume 2, 381; Annals
of Congress, 1262.
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The Louisiana Purchase Legislative Timeline -- 1804-1805
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