American Foreign Relations During Washington’s Presidency

From it inception, despite the intentions of Washington had subsequently elaborated upon in his Farewell Address, the new republic became entangled in European affairs. It had a profound effect on both foreign and domestic policy. British resentment tied with renewed antagonism with France, produced crisis both abroad and on the Western Frontier. The British were angered by the treaty of friendship signed between France and the American Republic. They interpreted the treaty as an alliance between France and America, and considered the Americans were assisting the French in their renewed hostilities with their country. Despite the the British continued to maintain outposts of the Western Frontier, some located within the territorial boundaries located in the United states. Many Indian tribes allied themselves with the British, creating a hostile situation for the United States in its continued Western Exapnsion.

On the high seas, the British had taken to impressing American seamen for service in the British navy and merchant marine. Under the old motto “Once an Englishmen, always an Englishmen”. The British forcibly drafted or impressed American citizens into service to the British crown. Needless to say, these activities created bitter feelings on the part of the Americans. At the suggestion of Alexander Hamilton, Washington dispatched John Jay to London to negotiate a treaty with the intention of halting this practice.

Unfortunately, the treaty accomplished very little. Hamilton continued to support the treaty by publishing a series of anonymous articles under the pseudonym “Camillus”. Both Hamilton and Jefferson agreed with Washington that the United States should state its foreign policy towards neutrality. However, while Hamilton felt that this was Washington’s duty to announce and dictate foreign policy, Jefferson believed it was Congress’s role to navigate foreign policy because they alone had the right to declare war. Although the Constitution clearly places the ability to wage war and sign peace treaties squarely on Congress, the determining role as to who will create, or guide foreign policy has varied since that time from President to Congress and to some degree this enigma continues to the present day.

France, America’s ally and champion during the revolution was undergoing major political changes. The ancient regime was overthrown, culminating in the beheading of King Louie and his family. France was now a republic. Many Americans felt a knee jerk in support of the establishment of the French Republic. Jefferson himself, while in Paris, was impressed with the republican spirit that had overcome the French. He notes that the conditions of the overwhelming majority of the French people were “more wretched, more accursed in every circumstance of human existence”. (packet page 9)

From a foreign policy