Channels, Spring 2019

Channels • 2019 • Volume 3 • Number 2 Page 37 as the strict constructionist view. 25 President Jefferson’s strict constructionist views, though, limited him to the writings of the Constitution. And when the Louisiana Purchase was made possible by Napoleon Bonaparte in the early nineteenth century, President Jefferson was conflicted over his proper constitutional roles. Nowhere in the Constitution did it say the president could purchase territory in the name of the United States. Furthermore, because the Constitution failed to address the acquisition of new land, it was difficult for Jefferson to discern the best course of action. On one hand, the strict constructionist view inside of him was pushing him to wait for Congress or the states to pass a constitutional amendment, which would grant authority to a branch of government to make acquisitions of territory in the name of the United States. However, Napoleon’s offer to sell the Louisiana Territory from France for just $15 million dollars was a bargain for such a vast, resource- filled expanse. 26 And, such an offer made by Napoleon was not going to last long. Therefore, Jefferson concluded he had no choice but to make the purchase. He believed he had the nation’s support and negotiated a treaty for the Louisiana Territory’s purchase. Even though his actions strayed from the strict constructionist view of the Constitution, his actions were praised as fiscally and visionally prudent for the nation’s future; Jefferson secured the purchase with congressional approval as well. In all, the Louisiana Purchase nearly doubled the size of the United States at the time. Future presidents would later replicate Jefferson’s actions, most notably, President Pierce for the Gadsden Purchase. The second precedent of presidential power under Jefferson came in response to the Barbary Pirates. The Barbary Pirates were a group of pirates primarily operating in the Mediterranean between the Iberian Peninsula to the North and Northern Africa to the South. This connecting point was vital in reaching the Mediterranean Sea trade, and, thus, southern European trading markets. After completing a review of the nation’s expenditures, President Jefferson noticed an excess of one million dollars was being spent to buy off the Barbary Pirates’ appeasement, as well as release of American hostages. The actions of the Barbary Pirates infuriated Jefferson, leading to aggressive retaliation by the president to the actions of the pirates. As noted by Denis Caplan in “John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Barbary Pirates: An Illustration of Relevant Costs for Decision Making,” Congress had “authorized the construction of six ships… in anticipation of fighting the pirates.” Ultimately, however, diplomatic efforts on behalf of the United States to halt the increasing tensions and hostilities between the U.S. and the Barbary Pirates failed: U.S. relations with Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli deteriorated in the final years of the eighteenth century, when their leaders became increasingly bold in their demands and blatant in their disregard of diplomatic protocol. In May 1801, President Jefferson ordered a squadron to sail for the Mediterranean, and by the time the squadron set out, Tripoli had already declared war against the United States. The first naval engagement occurred in August 1801, and the campaign known as the Tripolitanian War continued until 1805. 27 President Jefferson pursued a policy of aggression and retaliation toward the Barbary Pirates in what was known as the Tripolitanian War. This war, which the United States formally declared, 25 Merriam Webster Dictionary Staff. “Strict Constructionism.” Merriam Webster Dictionary , 2018. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strict%20constructionist 26 Greenspan, Jesse. “Eight Things You May Not Know about the Louisiana Purchase.” History Channel , 30 April 2013. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strict%20constructionist 27 Caplan, Dennis. “John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Barbary Pirates: An Illustration of Relevant Costs for Decision Making.” Issues in Accounting Education , vol. 18, no. 3, August 2003, pages 265-273.