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'''Debate:  Was this "Louisiana Purchase" an improper exercise of power?'''

'''Debate:  Was this "Louisiana Purchase" an improper exercise of power?'''

The Senate approved this "Louisiana Purchase" by a vote of 24-7, ratifying it by more than the 2/3rds required by the Constitution to approve treaties.  Then, in 1804, Jefferson arranged for Meriwether Lewis, who was his secretary, to explore the territory west of Mississippi acquired in this Louisiana Purchase.  Lewis chose William Clark, a soldier, as his assistant and their joint effort became known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806).<ref>Later, in 1809, Lewis was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds and it remains a mystery to this day whether he was murdered; requests by his descendants to exhume Lewis's body to investigate whether he was murdered have been repeatedly denied by the executive branch of the federal government, which owns the national park where Lewis is buried.</ref>  This expedition took about two years to complete, as the explorers traveled all the way to the Pacific Ocean and back.

The Senate approved this "Louisiana Purchase" by a vote of 24-7, ratifying it by more than the 2/3rds required by the Constitution to approve treaties.  Then, in 1804, Jefferson arranged for Meriwether Lewis, who was his secretary, to explore the territory west of the Mississippi River which was acquired in this Louisiana Purchase.  Lewis chose William Clark, a soldier, as his assistant and their joint effort became known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806).<ref>Later, in 1809, Lewis was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds and it remains a mystery to this day whether he was murdered; requests by his descendants to exhume Lewis's body to investigate whether he was murdered have been repeatedly denied by the executive branch of the federal government, which owns the national park where Lewis is buried.</ref>  This expedition took about two years to complete, as the explorers traveled all the way to the Pacific Ocean and back.

In 1812, Louisiana because the first state admitted to the United States from this new territory.  Much later, in 1828, the Supreme Court upheld the power of a president to acquire new territory for the United States (as Thomas Jefferson did), based on a theory that the power of the federal government to govern new territories implicitly includes the initial power to acquire new territories in the first place.<ref>''American Insurance Co v. Canter'' (1 Peters 511).</ref>

In 1812, Louisiana because the first state admitted to the United States from this new territory.  Much later, in 1828, the Supreme Court upheld the power of a president to acquire new territory for the United States (as Thomas Jefferson did), based on a theory that the power of the federal government to govern new territories implicitly includes the initial power to acquire new territories in the first place.<ref>''American Insurance Co v. Canter'' (1 Peters 511).</ref>

Let's return to 1804.  Burr was then running for Governor of New York, which was one of the biggest and most powerful states.  By then, Hamilton published a newspaper in New York (the ''New York Post''), which still exists and is still conservative today.  Hamilton ran stories to defeat Burr.  After Burr lost, he challenged Hamilton to a duel.  In those days, one man could challenge anyone to a duel to fight to the death, and the other man had to defend his honor by accepting the challenge and fighting.  Duels were illegal in New York, but Burr insisted that they fight in New Jersey, where the law was less clear.  Many of our future Presidents were challenged to duels and fought in them, including [[Andrew Jackson]] and [[Abraham Lincoln]].  It was considered dishonorable to decline a challenge to a duel, but 50 years later (perhaps after duels had lost their grip on society) [[Stonewall Jackson]] did refuse to duel a student who had a conflict with him at the [[Virginia Military Institute]].

Let's return to 1804.  Burr was then running for Governor of New York, which was one of the biggest and most powerful states.  By then, Hamilton was publishing a newspaper in New York (the ''New York Post''), which still exists and is still conservative today.  Hamilton ran stories to defeat Burr.  After Burr lost, he challenged Hamilton to a duel.  In those days, one man could challenge anyone to a duel to fight to the death, and the other man had to defend his honor by accepting the challenge and fighting.  Duels were illegal in New York, but Burr insisted that they fight in New Jersey, where the law was less clear.  Many of our future Presidents were challenged to duels and fought in them, including [[Andrew Jackson]] and [[Abraham Lincoln]].  It was considered dishonorable to decline a challenge to a duel, but 50 years later (perhaps after duels had lost their grip on society) [[Stonewall Jackson]] did refuse to duel a student who had a conflict with him at the [[Virginia Military Institute]].

In 1804, Hamilton had no real choice but to accept Burr's challenge to a duel, and they met at dawn in Weehawkin, New Jersey.  As was customary in duels, they walked twenty or so paces away from each other and then turned to shoot at each other.  This time only one of the men fired to kill his opponent.  Hamilton purposely did not try to kill Burr, feeling that it would be wrong to do so.  But Burr shot and killed Hamilton.  Burr then fled, having murdered one of the greatest [[Founding Fathers]] of all.

In 1804, Hamilton had no real choice but to accept Burr's challenge to a duel, and they met at dawn in Weehawkin, New Jersey.  As was customary in duels, they walked twenty or so paces away from each other and then turned to shoot at each other.  This time only one of the men fired to kill his opponent.  Hamilton purposely did not try to kill Burr, feeling that it would be wrong to do so.  But Burr shot and killed Hamilton.  Burr then fled, having murdered one of the greatest [[Founding Fathers]] of all.