The federal government had no constitutional power to buy new territory. The constitution lists all the powers of the federal government and says any power not listed belongs to the individual states.
Buying territory is not listed. To assume the federal government had such a new power would be a violation of states' rights and Jefferson was a staunch defender of states' rights.
However he believed the purchase would head off war with France and generally be good for the country.
(There was also a small problem of having to borrow the money to buy it from European bankers. The US already had large areas of unsettled and undefended land east of the Mississippi-- did they really need to borrow money to buy more ? )
James Madison argued that President Jefferson’s authority to purchase the Louisiana Territory was derived from the presidential power to negotiate treaties. Madison believed that the Constitution granted the president the ability to acquire land through treaties, a power that Jefferson exercised in the Louisiana Purchase. Although Jefferson had initial reservations about the constitutionality of such a purchase, he ultimately justified it as a means to expand the nation and promote its interests.
Jefferson sent Livingston and Monroe to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase with France.
The Louisiana Purchase
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson oversaw the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and thereby doubled the size of the US.
What did Thomas Jefferson purchase the Louisiana
Thomas Jefferson proposed and completed the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
James Madison argued that President Jefferson’s authority to purchase the Louisiana Territory was derived from the presidential power to negotiate treaties. Madison believed that the Constitution granted the president the ability to acquire land through treaties, a power that Jefferson exercised in the Louisiana Purchase. Although Jefferson had initial reservations about the constitutionality of such a purchase, he ultimately justified it as a means to expand the nation and promote its interests.
Jefferson sent Livingston and Monroe to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase with France.
The Louisiana Purchase
thomas Jefferson for $15million
Thomas Jefferson
The 1803 deal made by Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon of France. The deal was called the Louisiana Purchase.
He arranged the purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803.
Thomas Jefferson
The Louisiana Purchase.
Thomas Jefferson oversaw the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and thereby doubled the size of the US.