French leaders were angry that the United States had concluded the Jay Treaty with Great Brittan in 1794, and in retaliation in 1796 they decided to issue an order allowing for the seizure of American merchant shops. This was carefully timed to catch as many vessels as possible by surprise. In a correspondence from Secretary of State Timothy Pickering, he made the case that as early as August of 1796 French agents in the Windward Islands of the French West Indies issued instructions to attack American Shipping, demanding the seizure of complete cargo, not just contraband items.
George Washington wrapped up his first state of the union with a report reported this to congress regarding this embarrassment in our relationship with French in the West Indies.
"While in our external relations some serious inconveniences and embarrassments have been overcome and others lessened, it is with much pain and deep regret I mention that circumstances of a very unwelcome nature have lately occurred. Our trade has suffered and is suffering extensive injuries in the West Indies from the cruisers and agents of the French Republic, and communications have been received from its minister here which indicate the danger of a further disturbance of our commerce by its authority, and which are in other respects far from agreeable."Washington promised to do whatever is necessary to maintain a cordial relations with the French Republic, but he would never give up the "rights and honor of our country"
"It has been my constant, sincere, and earnest wish, in conformity with that of our nation, to maintain cordial harmony and a perfectly friendly understanding with that Republic. This wish remains unabated, and I shall persevere in the endeavor to fulfill it to the utmost extent of what shall be consistent with a just and indispensable regard to the rights and honor of our country; nor will I easily cease to cherish the expectation that a spirit of justice, candor, and friendship on the part of the Republic will eventually insure success.This was the beginning of the Quasi war with France, and was followed with a full decree from the French Directory to allow the full capture and condemnation of any neutral vessels carrying British goods.
In pursuing this course, however, I can not forget what is due to the character of our Government and nation, or to a full and entire confidence in the good sense, patriotism, self-respect, and fortitude of my country-men."
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29438
Partisanship and the Birth of America;s Second Party, 1796-1800 pages 51 -52
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1784-1800/xyz
http://www.stateoftheunionhistory.com/2015/07/1798-john-adams-quasi-war-with-france.html
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/1732_Herman_Moll_Map_of_the_West_Indies_and_Caribbean_-_Geographicus_-_WestIndies-moll-1732.jpg/1280px-1732_Herman_Moll_Map_of_the_West_Indies_and_Caribbean_-_Geographicus_-_WestIndies-moll-1732.jpg
No comments:
Post a Comment