PURCHASE  OF THE  TERRITORY  OF  LOUISIANA.              39
mismanagement and frauds which generally prevail in custom-houses
at a distance, is a source of verv considerable vexation to the trader.
But the money is paid by the planter: for it is always added to the
price, and even an interest or profit charged upon the duty itself, and
a compensation for all the vexations the merchant suffers. Wxhat,
then, is the effect of this operation but to deduct, at least, one-quarter
from the money which the planter has with difficulty drawn from
France or elsewhere, and so far to impede the reestablishment of the
capital that can alone render the island ultimately productive to France?
I say ultimately, for it will be idle to expect that they should compen-
sate the actual expenses of the French Government till years have
elapsed. Nay, I will venture to say, that, unless the ports of St.
Domingo are thrown open to all vessels bringing necessaries, unless
the inhabitants are permitted to buy cheap and to sell dear, by encour-
aging a competition among buyers and sellers, unless every species of
vexation is removed, and every possible assurance given that foreign
capitals entrusted to the islands will be perfectly safe, ages will elapse
before St. Domingo will cease to drain the wealth and strength of
France without offering an equivalent return. It is obvious, then,
that if France possessed no other transmarine property than her islands
in the West Indies, she would find room to place all the capital she can
now, or probably will be able to spare in a long course of years. But,
if, in connection with this, we look to her immense territory in the
Brazils, to its productions, and the capital it will require to give it the
value it is susceptible of; if we add to this the establishments it may-
be necessary to make in the East Indies in order to enable the French
ports to possess all that variety of commodities which invite exchanges
and give activity to commerce; we shall find a century, at least, will
elapse before France needs such new establishments. But as she, like
every other country, possesses a limited capital, the sole object of
inquiry should be, where can this capital be best placed? At home?
In the islands? At Cayenne? In the East Indies? Or in Louisiana?
For it is obvious, that whatever is placed in one is taken from the
other. It is equally obvious that the national expense must be increased
by the increase of its establishments, and the points of attack and
defense be multiplied in the same proportion in case of war.
Many able statesmen have doubted whether, to a country situated as
France, any colonies were of use; but it is not my design to enter into
those theories. France possesses colonies. She has urged her citizens
to remove themselves, and invest their property therein, and she is
bound in good faith to retain and protect them. But she is not bound
to create new colonies, to multiply her points of defense, and to waste
a capital which she needs both at home and abroad. In what view
would the possession of Louisiana be useful to France? First, like
every other warm climate, it must be cultivated by slaves.    The capi-