tions were pending,
Marbois expressed to Napoleon the difficulty of reaching a definite
conclusion as to boundary. When Talleyrand was questioned as to
boundaries, he returned evasive answers, and said he did not know, and
when pressed to be more explicit, said: "You must take it as we received
it." "But what did you mean to take?" asked Livingston. "I do not know,"
replied Talleyrand. "Then you mean that we shall construe it our own
way?" said Livingston again, to which Talleyrand made final reply: "I
can give you no direction. You have made a noble bargain for yourselves,
and I suppose you will make the most of it."

When we consider that Jefferson at one time was willing to give
$2,000,000 for New Orleans alone, we can marvel that so vast an empire
as the whole province should come to us for the price paid. We can
afford to overlook any defects in the treaty details and forever hold in
gratitude the illustrious men who, by their diplomatic skill, their
earnestness of purpose, and well-directed efforts, achieved one of the
greatest triumphs in the world's history. It well justified the
assertion of Minister Livingston as he placed his name to the treaty of
cession, and rising and shaking hands with Monroe and Marbois, said: "We
have lived long; but this is the noblest work of our lives."

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition was held to commemorate this most
important event in the history of America--the purchase from France of
the vast Louisiana Territory--an event second only in importance to the
signing of the Declaration of Independence, which constituted the first
great advance of the United States toward national expansion, and at the
same time insured to them the control forever of the greatest natural
waterway on earth, the Mississippi River.

The Missouri Historical Society was the first organization to take
formal steps toward the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of
the acquisition of this territory. In acknowledgment of the public
sentiment expressed, Governor Stevens, of Missouri, called a convention
of delegates to be appointed by the respective governors of the twelve
States and two Territories that had been created in the Louisiana
Purchase. Ninety-three delegates attended the meeting on January 10,
1899, and unanimously voted that an international exposition should be
held in St. Louis as a means of giving expression, by practical
demonstration, to the universal appreciation of what had been