Announcing the Louisiana Purchase William Henry Harrison, 2 August 1803 HARRISON, William Henry (1773-1841). Autograph letter signed (“Willm Henry Harrison”) as Governor of the Indiana Territory to Charles (Don Carlos) DeHault Delassus (1764-1846), Lieutenant Governor of Upper Louisiana, Vincennes, 2 August 1803. Two pages, 255 x 188mm (silked, small loss to bottom left margin affecting a few words of text). “I have received very important intelligence. It is no other than the entire cession of New Orleans and the whole of Louisiana to the United States...” The first report of the Louisiana Purchase to reach Upper Louisiana. An important letter containing the first intelligence received by Spanish (now turned French) colonial officials in Upper Louisiana of the surprise sale of the Louisiana Territory to the United States on 30 April 1803. Harrison reports that since his last letter “I have received very important intelligence. It is no other than the entire cession of New Orleans and the whole of Louisiana to the United States. Our Government has received official information of a treaty having been signed to that effect on the 30th of April last by our Ministers in Paris & a Minister Plenipotentiary on the part of France.” Sending the particulars in a newspaper clipping [not present], Harrison hopes that by sending “the earliest information of this event,” that “it might be material to you in some way or other. Of the truth of it you need not doubt.” He then offers his thoughts on the future of the newly-acquired lands: “I do not know what the United States will do with Upper Louisiana, but think it probable that it will be annexed to this Territory. Should this be the case, it may give me the opportunity of serving some of your friends—If this opportunity does offer, be assured, my dear sir, that it shall not be neglected.” Preparing for the eventual assumption of administration by the United States, Harrison seeks some basic intelligence, including the “number of persons in your government, together with their distribution into the several Commanderies.” After closing, Harrison adds a postscript confirming the news: “Since writing the above I have received official information of the cession of Louisiana from the Secretary of War.” Reproduced in Walter Barlow Stevens, St. Louis, the Fourth City, 1764-1909 , Vol. 1, p. 392; Daniel Graff, Forging an American St. Louis: labor, race, and citizenship from the Louisiana Purchase to Dred Scott , (Madison, 2004), p. 41; William E. Foley and C. David Rice, The First Chouteaus: River Barons of Early St. Louis , (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1983), p. 89. Provenance : Don Carlos Dehault Delassus – by descent to Emile Delassus — Armand Hawkins – sold to Alonzo J. Tullock, 1901 – by descent to the consignors.
Announcing the Louisiana Purchase William Henry Harrison, 2 August 1803 HARRISON, William Henry (1773-1841). Autograph letter signed (“Willm Henry Harrison”) as Governor of the Indiana Territory to Charles (Don Carlos) DeHault Delassus (1764-1846), Lieutenant Governor of Upper Louisiana, Vincennes, 2 August 1803. Two pages, 255 x 188mm (silked, small loss to bottom left margin affecting a few words of text). “I have received very important intelligence. It is no other than the entire cession of New Orleans and the whole of Louisiana to the United States...” The first report of the Louisiana Purchase to reach Upper Louisiana. An important letter containing the first intelligence received by Spanish (now turned French) colonial officials in Upper Louisiana of the surprise sale of the Louisiana Territory to the United States on 30 April 1803. Harrison reports that since his last letter “I have received very important intelligence. It is no other than the entire cession of New Orleans and the whole of Louisiana to the United States. Our Government has received official information of a treaty having been signed to that effect on the 30th of April last by our Ministers in Paris & a Minister Plenipotentiary on the part of France.” Sending the particulars in a newspaper clipping [not present], Harrison hopes that by sending “the earliest information of this event,” that “it might be material to you in some way or other. Of the truth of it you need not doubt.” He then offers his thoughts on the future of the newly-acquired lands: “I do not know what the United States will do with Upper Louisiana, but think it probable that it will be annexed to this Territory. Should this be the case, it may give me the opportunity of serving some of your friends—If this opportunity does offer, be assured, my dear sir, that it shall not be neglected.” Preparing for the eventual assumption of administration by the United States, Harrison seeks some basic intelligence, including the “number of persons in your government, together with their distribution into the several Commanderies.” After closing, Harrison adds a postscript confirming the news: “Since writing the above I have received official information of the cession of Louisiana from the Secretary of War.” Reproduced in Walter Barlow Stevens, St. Louis, the Fourth City, 1764-1909 , Vol. 1, p. 392; Daniel Graff, Forging an American St. Louis: labor, race, and citizenship from the Louisiana Purchase to Dred Scott , (Madison, 2004), p. 41; William E. Foley and C. David Rice, The First Chouteaus: River Barons of Early St. Louis , (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1983), p. 89. Provenance : Don Carlos Dehault Delassus – by descent to Emile Delassus — Armand Hawkins – sold to Alonzo J. Tullock, 1901 – by descent to the consignors.
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