WASHINGTON AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS
• Declaration of Neutrality
– Attempt to keep America out of the growing European war
– Proclaimed American neutrality towards GB and France
– Stated Americans should remain “fair but impartial”
• Genet Affair
– French diplomat Genet sent to gain American support
– Before presenting credentials, he started recruiting
Americans to fight against Great Britain and Spain
– Violation of American neutrality and diplomatic protocol
– But, Washington allowed him to stay in the country
because the government that sent him was out of power
in France and it was dangerous for him to return (1st to
request political asylum – precedent)
PROBLEMS IN
THE WEST
• British occupation of forts in
the NW still a problem
• Fur trade + support of Natives
• Little Turtle = chief of the
Miami tribe located in the
Northwest (Ohio) Territory
• He led a Native confederation
in a battle against Americans
in 1790-1791 and won
• But, after Gen. Wayne put in
charge of American army, he
warned his tribe not to fight
• He was removed as chief
• Washington selected Anthony
“Mad Anthony” Wayne to settle
Native issues in the Ohio territory
• He defeated Miami Confederacy,
ending Native American
resistance in the Ohio
Treaty of Greenville
• Natives gave up most of the land
in NW Territory in exchange for
$20,000 worth of goods + annual
payments
• Right to hunt on lands
• But, their recognition of status will
change in future
BATTLE OF
FALLEN
TIMBERS
• John Jay sent by Washington to
England to end disputes, work out
a treaty over disputed western
territory / navigation issues
TERMS
• Britain would evacuate NW and
pay for damages to shipping
• But, did not commit to stopping
future seizures / impressments
• US agreed to finally pay preRevolution merchant debts
• US allowed GB to keep fur trade
in NW, angering westerners
JAY’S
TREATY
JEFFERSON AND PINCKNEY TREATY
• Jefferson resigned from Washington’s cabinet
– Angered at attacks by Federalists and his continuing feud
with Hamilton, whom Washington supported
• U.S. sent Pinckney to negotiate with Spain
– The U.S. wanted to settle issue of shipping on the
Mississippi River + western lands
– Spain signed a treaty with France and then worried about
retaliation from England + possible American attack, so
signed treaty to reduce American threat
– (a) Gave up claims to land east of the Mississippi - except
Florida (b) recognized the 31st parallel as the southern
boundary of the U.S. / northern boundary of Florida (c)
free navigation of Mississippi and use of New Orleans
ELECTION OF 1796
• John Adams (Federalist) running against Thomas
Jefferson (Democratic-Republican)
• First election where political parties were an issue
– The writers of the Constitution never considered
that political parties/beliefs would develop
• The Constitution said that the winner of the election
would be President and the person who came in
second place would be Vice-President
– Adams won the majority of the votes (71)
– Jefferson came in second place (68)
• So, President and Vice-President had different
views on how to run the government / country
ADAM’S
PERSONAL
STYLE
• Toughest job – to be
President after George
Washington
• Short, heavy, quick to
anger, from Boston
• Federalist-style of dress
almost seemed “kingly”
• Did not accept criticism
of his ideas
• Not really a good
administrator who can
manage / balance his
staff
POLITICAL ISSUES
• Growth of SECTIONALISM where the interests
of a region become more important to a person
than those of the country as a whole
• Disagreement over the level of American
involvement in the French Revolution
• Growth of power of the national (central)
government worried states-rights advocates
X-Y-Z
AFFAIR
French foreign minister Talleyrand
• Adams sent three ministers to
France to discuss problems of
Jay’s Treaty and French anger at
the U.S. (relations with England)
• The French government sent
three low-level officials to meet
with the U.S. representatives
• The ministers demanded a bribe
of $250,000 before the U.S.
could meet with French foreign
minister Talleyrand
• Americans refused to pay bribe
• In his report to Congress, Adams called the
French officials “X”, “Y”, “Z”
• Insult to U.S. diplomats led to anti-French anger
and slogan “Millions for defense, but not one cent
for tribute”
CONVENTION OF 1800
• France, especially Napoleon Bonaparte, wanted to
avoid starting an official war with the U.S.
• Adams sent a new envoy to France to discuss
problems in West Indies
• Agreement signed that annulled the Revolutionary era defense treaty between the U.S. and France
– Called Treaty of Mortfontaine
CONVENTION OF 1800
• U.S. agreed to pay off any damage claims that U.S.
merchants had made against France
• Adams ensured the U.S. would not be at war with
France or become involved in the European wars
– Probably opened the way for the future Louisiana
Purchase agreement
– But, many in his own party opposed the treaty
ALIEN AND SEDITION LAWS
• Vicious attacks against the Adams government made it difficult
to complete normal business
• Many worried about revolution or complete disruption of the
federal government due to criticisms
• Federalists in Congress used anti-French feelings to create a
set of laws to control what they believed were threats to the
government
SEDITION ACT
• Law that set fines and jail terms for anyone “hindering the
operation of the government” or expressing “false, scandalous,
and malicious statements”
• PROBLEM: Many Democratic-Republican opponents were
jailed, including newspaper editors, publishers, politicians
ALIEN AND SEDITION LAWS
• Many Federalists felt that these new ideas / criticisms came
from the newer immigrants, especially ones from Germany
• So, try to find a way to control immigration and contain the
amount of new ideas coming into the country from “nonAmericans”
ALIEN ACTS
• Three laws that:
(a) raised requirement of American citizenship from 5 to 14
years
(b) allowed the President to deport any alien who was
“undesirable”
(c) allowed President to jail any alien who was “undesirable”
VIRGINIA AND KENTUCKY RESOLUTIONS
• Opponents argued the laws were a violation of free
speech / First Amendment
• Jefferson and Madison believed the acts were a
misuse of federal power
• Each wrote resolutions for states of Virginia and
Kentucky
• Principle of NULLIFICATION = states have a right
to nullify / ignore any act of Congress that the state
decides is unconstitutional
• Threatened concept of check and balance and
supremacy of federal law because it tried to give
states the ability to ignore any federal law when
they wanted