In 1801 rumors began to surface about Spain giving the Port of New Orleans to France. This was a big concern for President Thomas Jefferson because the Mississippi River ran into the New Orleans port, and the river was a highway for trade in America. Americans could ship their goods from the port of New Orleans without having to pay any tax. President Jefferson sent Robert Livingston, an American diplomat, to France to try to buy the port from France. Livingston didn't send any answers back to the president. In 1802 the United States found out that the rumors were true, and a treaty had already been signed to give the Louisiana Territory to France. President Jefferson told Livingston to try again to buy the New Orleans port from the French. If he wasn't able to buy the port, he was supposed to secure the right of free passage. Livingston tried for weeks, but he was unsuccessful. Since France didn't send anyone to oversee the Louisiana Territory Spain still governed it. In October 1802, Spain cancelled the United States" right of free passage. This made the westerners very angry. They considered having to pay a tax to transport their goods through the port the same as not being able to use the port at all. Some westerners asked for a war against Spain and France. Others threatened to arm themselves and take control of the New Orleans port by force. Thomas Jefferson, in an effort to avoid a war, sent James Monroe to France to help Livingston negotiate. Congress had voted to pay up to two million dollars to France, but Jefferson told Monroe, secretly, to spend up to ten million dollars if necessary. As soon as Monroe arrived in France he was visited by Barbe-Marbois. He was the French minister of the Treasury. He told Monroe that Napoleon Bonaparte, the French leader, was willing to sell all of the Louisiana Territory. Barbe-Marbois told Monroe and Livingston that it was all or nothing and they had two days to decide.
