When Robert R. Livingston, James Monroe, and François de Barbé-Marbois put together the whole Louisiana Purchase packet, they stressed that the treaty and conventions needed to be ratified within six months of the April 30th signing date.

For the calendar-challenged out there, that means everything needed to be ratified by October 30th.

This was problematic for President Jefferson since Congress wasn't scheduled to convene until well after that date.

But no matter; he just convened them all a little early and, after apologizing for any inconvenience it may have caused, he passed along this rousing little message on October 17th, 1803, urging them to hurry up and get their lawmaking on.

The purchase passed three times by more than a three-to-one margin, so it looks like T.J.'s message was definitely effective.