Andy Jackson vs. France

GreatScottMarty

In 1834, the Chamber of Deputies in France reneged on a treaty with US signed in 1831 promising to pay damages for losses during the War of 1812. This united the country and had Clay and Jackson working together for once.
Would such a war even happen? What are the ramifications of a war with France? What can the US gain? Does this war have any reviberations on the continent? How does it affect mexico? American designs on Texas?
 
Thande

Thande

Donor
GreatScottMarty said:
In 1834, the Chamber of Deputies in France reneged on a treaty with US signed in 1831 promising to pay damages for losses during the War of 1812.
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Why would France pay for U.S. damages when the two countries were allies in the War of 1812?

Do you have any links to back up your claim of such a treaty?
 

Atreus

Thande said:
Why would France pay for U.S. damages when the two countries were allies in the War of 1812?

Do you have any links to back up your claim of such a treaty?
Click to expand...

I don;t know anything about this treaty that he refers to, but perhaps it is a mistaken reference to the Quasi War?
 

GreatScottMarty

COuld be the Quasi War but I think it is 1812, I got it from Jon Meachem's book American Lion and I am unable to find a reference to it elsewhere. Meachem mentions it as an example of Jackson's view of US Honor as extension of his own personal honor. So I thought the illustrous collective of minds known as AH.com :D would know about this, and since I know little about the Age of Jackson outside of what I read in this book. Just was kind of curious about ramifications, but since this seems to fall through the cracks I will let it go unless someone knows more???
 

Bill Cameron

Banned
Gents,

It's a bit confusing, and the OP's own confusion doesn't help, but the "treaty" in question dealt with payments for seizures made by Revolutionary French privateers before, during, and after the Quasi War period.

If memory serves, the US and France negotiated an understanding around 1801 in which France agreed not to seize US merchant ships. That understanding offered compromises on several levels. Both parties agreed to a specific date in 1800, sometime in August or September comes to mind, before which France wasn't liable for any seizures and after which France would be liable for any seizures.

For various reasons, things moved slowly after that. The 1803 Louisiana Purchase treaty restated the original agreement and 30 years later the parties finally agreed on just what the term "liable" would mean France was liable for. France agreed to a lump sum payment regarding the post-1800 seizures. France would hand over the money and it would then be up to the US to identify, investigate, and, if justified, pay off the various "spoliation" claimants.

Once again, more important domestic issues arose, i.e. all the shenanigans surrounding the July Monarchy, and France put the matter on the back burner. For it's own domestic reasons, the US kept pressing for the money, even though the ship seizures were a generation in the past. France got fed up with the whining, told the US no money would be forthcoming, and Jackson got his back up.

Again, IIRC, the whole matter was resolved soon afterward for pretty much the original amount agreed upon.


Bill
 
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