toward any other nation. That is the lesson of the first game of
jackstraws.

Next comes 1803. Upon the Louisiana Purchase, I have already touched; but
not upon its diplomatic side. In those years the European game of
diplomacy was truly portentous. Bonaparte had appeared, and Bonaparte was
the storm centre. From the heap of jackstraws I shall lift out only that
which directly concerns us and our acquisition of that enormous
territory, then called Louisiana. Bonaparte had dreamed and planned an
empire over here. Certain vicissitudes disenchanted him. A plan to invade
England also helped to deflect his mind from establishing an outpost of
his empire upon our continent. For us he had no love. Our principles were
democratic, he was a colossal autocrat. He called us "the reign of
chatter," and he would have liked dearly to put out our light. Addington
was then the British Prime Minister. Robert R. Livingston was our
minister in Paris. In the history of Henry Adams, in Volume II at pages
52 and 53, you may find more concerning Bonaparte's dislike of the United
States. You may also find that Talleyrand expressed the view that
socially and economically England and America were one and indivisible.
In Volume I of the same history, at page 439, you will see the mention
which Pichon made to Talleyrand of the overtures which England was
incessantly making to us. At some time during all this, rumor got abroad
of Bonaparte's projects regarding Louisiana. In the second volume of
Henry Adams, at pages 23 and 24, you will find Addington remarking to our
minister to Great Britain, Rufus King, that it would not do to let
Bonaparte establish himself in Louisiana. Addington very plainly hints
that Great Britain would back us in any such event. This backing of us by
Great Britain found very cordial acceptance in the mind of Thomas
Jefferson. A year before the Louisiana Purchase was consummated, and
when the threat of Bonaparte was in the air, Thomas Jefferson wrote to