What moral dilemmas did Thomas Jefferson face over the Louisiana Purchase?

The biggest dilemma Jefferson faced over the Louisiana Purchase was both moral and philosophical. Jefferson had always believed in "strict constructionism," a literal interpretation of the Constitution. This meant that he thought the US government should not be allowed to exercise a power unless it was specifically listed in the Constitution. During the presidency of George Washington, for example, he had been opposed to the National Bank because the Constitution did not mention chartering a...

The biggest dilemma Jefferson faced over the Louisiana Purchase was both moral and philosophical. Jefferson had always believed in "strict constructionism," a literal interpretation of the Constitution. This meant that he thought the US government should not be allowed to exercise a power unless it was specifically listed in the Constitution. During the presidency of George Washington, for example, he had been opposed to the National Bank because the Constitution did not mention chartering a bank among the powers granted to Congress. Jefferson thought this approach was the best way to limit the powers of government and preserve the liberties of the people. 

When he was offered Louisiana, a territory that would double the size of the United States and guarantee permanent access to the Mississippi River, he understood its significance. But he also knew that the Constitution did not specifically grant the power to purchase territory to Congress or the President. So by asking Congress to approve the purchase, he was in some ways acting against his beliefs about the proper powers of government. He was criticized for this by many of his Federalist opponents, but most Americans approved of the Purchase and recognized it for the bargain that it was.