If they had any other way out, who would borrow from loan sharks?
After the Treaty of Amiens was signed, French government bonds were quoted at 48 francs, while British government bonds were quoted at 66 francs. Although Britain's return rate was lower than France's 5%, Britain had a higher credit rating.
Both were bandits, yet Katush Inderhannes of the Rhine region was well liked by the local residents because he enjoyed attacking Jews.
Although not all Jews were usurers, their reputation had still been implicated. Rather than being victims, Georgiana hoped they would take up arms and protect themselves.
Selling Belgian land was one thing, but Louisiana could not be sold as well. This acquisition was financed by Anglo-Dutch Commercial Bank, Baring Brothers Bank, and Hope Bank, while the American government would pay with government bonds carrying 6% interest.
Britain's overseas colonies also needed garrisons, which was no small military expense. All things considered, if attacking Saint-Domingue cost too much and brought too little return, then Napoleon would abandon his dream of North America. He would sell Louisiana to replenish the treasury, use the money to repay debts, and improve France's credit.
Bonaparte was a very pragmatic man. Though he had dreams of his own, he would not become so obsessed with pursuing them that he lost touch with "reality."
On the way to the Egyptian expedition, he heard that many exiled nobles had been executed by the Directory upon returning, with even elderly people in their eighties spared no mercy. Outraged, he wrote a report to the commissioners who had carried out the executions:
When had we soldiers who pursued the goddess of liberty become executioners? On the battlefield, they still showed compassion toward their enemies and would not shoot captured soldiers who had laid down their arms.