Actually, the Louisiana Purchase price was 80 million francs or $15 million, and when the 20-year notes to British and Dutch bankers were paid off, the total cost was $23,527,872.57 - which computes to a little over 4 cents an acre. And actually it was Hamilton who had already created the public debt, in part for political/policy reasons, and the Jefferson administration was busily paying it down until the opportunity to buy all of Louisiana suddenly happened - one of many ironies in what Talleyrand called "a noble bargain." Now back to work on my book about the Louisiana Purchase, slated for publication by Knopf in 2003. ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- >Thomas Jefferson faced the problem of paying for projects such as the >Louisiana Purchase ($3million plus administrative expense), the Lewis >and Clark expedition, and various other less visible national >obligations which created public debt. -- Jon Kukla ....................... Executive Vice-President and CEO 1250 Red Hill Road ........ Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation Brookneal, VA 24528 .... www.redhill.org .... 804 376-2044 Home 804 376-4172 ...... Office email: [log in to unmask] -- To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html