Conventions
Treaty of the Lousiana Purchase
A CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA AND THE FRENCH REPUBLIC
The President of the United States of America and the First Consul of
the French Republic in the name of the French people, in consequence of
the treaty of cession of Louisiana which has been Signed this day; wishing
to regulate definitively every thing which has relation to the Said cession
have authorized to this effect the Plenipotentiaries, that is to say the
President of the United States has, by and with the advice and consent
of the Senate of the Said States, nominated for their Plenipotentiaries,
Robert R. Livingston, Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States, and
James Monroe, Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy-Extraordinary of the
Said United States, near the Government of the French Republic; and the
First Consul of the French Republic, in the name of the French people,
has named as Pleniopotentiary of the Said Republic the citizen Francis
Barbé Marbois: who, in virtue of their full powers, which have
been exchanged this day, have agreed to the followings articles:
Article 1
The Government of the United States engages to pay to the French government
in the manner Specified in the following article the sum of Sixty millions
of francs independant of the Sum which Shall be fixed by another Convention
for the payment of the debts due by France to citizens of the United States.
Article 2
For the payment of the Sum of Sixty millions of francs mentioned in the
preceeding article the United States shall create a Stock of eleven millions,
two hundred and fifty thousand Dollars bearing an interest of Six per
cent: per annum payable half yearly in London Amsterdam or Paris amounting
by the half year to three hundred and thirty Seven thousand five hundred
Dollars, according to the proportions which Shall be determined by the
french Govenment to be paid at either place: The principal of the Said
Stock to be reimbursed at the treasury of the United States in annual
payments of not less than three millions of Dollars each; of which the
first payment Shall commence fifteen years after the date of the exchange
of ratifications:--this Stock Shall be transferred to the government of
France or to Such person or persons as Shall be authorized to receive
it in three months at most after the exchange of ratifications of this
treaty and after Louisiana Shall be taken possession of the name of the
Government of the United States.
It is further agreed that if the french Government Should be desirous
of disposing of the Said Stock to receive the capital in Europe at Shorter
terms that its measures for that purpose Shall be taken So as to favour
in the greatest degree possible the credit of the United States, and to
raise to the highest price the Said Stock.
Article 3
It is agreed that the Dollar of the United States Specified in the present
Convention shall be fixed at five francs 3333/100000 or five livres eight
Sous tournois.
The present Convention Shall be ratified in good and due form, and the
ratifications Shall be exchanged the Space of Six months to date from
this day or Sooner it possible.
In faith of which the respective Plenipotentiaries have Signed the above
articles both in the french and english languages, declaring nevertheless
that the present treaty has been originally agreed on and written in the
french language; to which they have hereunto affixed their Seals.
Done at Paris the tenth of Floreal eleventh year of the french Republic/
30th April 1803 ./
Robt R Livingston [seal]
Jas. Monroe [seal]
Barbé Marbois [seal]
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