1789 –1791 Foreign Policy:
Things are getting a little interesting:
Upon Adams’ return to New York to join Washington’s first administration, he was from the first moment involved along with Secretary of War Henry Knox, in almost every facet of Foreign Policy. This soothed Adams’ ego greatly, he had felt slighted by the election of John Jay to the Vice-Presidency, but after reading the text of constitution he felt his experiences in England and the Netherlands would better suit him for the position of Secretary of State. Upon his return from England in 1789 to take up the position of Secretary of State Adams together with his fellow Minister Jefferson (who would be returning to France) briefed Washington on the European situation. Adams stated the situation in England was stable. The toppling of North’s Govt. by the Rockingham Whigs in 1783 was essential to securing the peace deal that was written down in the Treaty of Paris and signed by both nations. However both men acknowledged that the British were slow to vacate the forts in the Northwest Territory, and that something needed to be done about the Indian situation. [No offense meant by using Indian]. Both Jefferson and Adams agreed that the problem with Barbary Corsairs was pressing. It was important to show strength to Europe and to make the sea-lanes safe for American shipping. Jefferson was fundamentally opposed to a large army but had fewer problems with a navy, particularly one with the express purpose of making American shipping safe and securing American Ports. Jefferson and Adams had direct contact with the Barbary Pirates while in London in 1785 both tried to agree to a ransom and annual tribute payment with the Dey of Algiers, this negotiation failed. Briefly the Portuguese navy managed to control the situation in 1787 and 1788 but as Jefferson set sail to return to America the Portuguese navy had failed in their mission to keep the pirates from the Atlantic. As Jefferson set sail for America in 1789 to see what had happened with the Constitutional Convention and more importantly to see if he could return to his study at Monticello, his ship was chased by a Corsair vessel as it set sail from the Azores, this incident more than the 1785 meeting emphasized the need for American intervention. According to Jefferson things in the Mediterranean were back to normal, the Corsairs were raiding American shipping. Meanwhile France was in domestic turmoil, brought on by Louis XVI’s unwillingness to negotiate.
Upon his return Jefferson informed Washington of the Tennis Court Oath and of his run in with the Barbary Pirates. Jefferson characterized the Barbary problem as being a threat to free people everywhere. Upon his return to America he was asked by Washington to return to France and see if they would aid them in dealing with the Barbary issue. In an incidence of foresight Adams and Washington asked Congress to commence with building a navy.
While in France Washington tasked Jefferson with delivering Commodore Jones’ flag rank and with keeping an extra eye on the situation in France and to immediately fill in Adams on what had happened since he had left. Until the election of 1792 the army men in the cabinet, Knox, Washington and Hamilton (Hamilton mainly at Washington’s insistence) would defer on Naval matters to Adams, who served on the Continental Congress Marine Committee 15 years before. Meanwhile the 3 representatives to Europe’s arguably 3 greatest powers would meet with varying amounts of success.
Williamson in England was tasked with keeping things civil with the Court of St. James. Hugh Williamson was an accomplished physician and scientist and had traveled to England before with Ben Franklin, while in England the first time Williamson a botanist and physician in training had gone with Franklin to several Royal Society meetings and eventually continued on to the Netherlands to finish his study of medicine. Upon his return to England for the first time in nearly 15 years Dr. Williamson resumed his time with Royal Scientific Society and met its new head Sir Joseph Banks. Both Williamson and Banks had an interest in botany and after Williamson’s return to America in 1796 they kept up a steady correspondence until Williamson’s death in 1819. While in England Williamson encountered Antoine Lavoisier’s Conservation of Mass theories; while it is likely that Williamson most likely encountered them from Joseph Black, another Royal Society fellow, these experiments were of great interest to Williamson. Williamson’s involvement in with Black and another Scotsmen named James Watt were to be of great benefit to the United States in the years to come [1]. In particular Williamson’s friendship with an employee of Boulton & Watt, a man named William Murdoch. Eventually Williamson would be responsible for kick starting the American Industrial Revolution and helping to create factories run on steam power in the new United States. Williamson is fondly remembered for this and not so fondly for other things.
George Washington and John Adams appointed Charles C. Pinckney Minister to Spain in 1790. It is unclear why, Pinckney is remembered for being as hotheaded as Hamilton and as prone to vanity as Adams, it is more than likely Laurens convinced them both that the cooperation of South Carolina was paramount and any opportunity to shore up the positions of men loyal to the National Govt. was of importance, it is for this same reason that Pierce Butler was offered the position of Commercial Agent to Russia [1]. Pinckney did do one thing of value while holding the office he negotiated for the first American Naval station on foreign territory. The Treaty of Minorca was nothing more than a guarantee that American Naval vessels could use the port to rest and refit in times of peace or in times of war when Spanish interest was directly involved as in such cases of military alliance or military actions of mutual self interest as deemed appropriate by the governor of Minorca or a King’s representative. Overall Pinckney’s time in Spain was fruitful for the US and Spain.
[1] Butler was still a threat particularly in South Carolina State politics were he spoke adamantly against the slave trade clause in the Constitution and threatened to gain a seat in the Senate because of his popularity. Laurens seeing an opportunity to remove a rival and to begin playing the game asked Washington offer the position to Butler, Washington knew the tricks gave Laurens a thorough tongue lashing and then offered the position to John Adams’ son John Quincy who reluctantly accepted after much brow beating from his Father. John Quincy had wanted to begin practicing law in Boston. Obviously Russia was not a favorite appointment, Spain with its good madiera would eventually welcome John Quincy in to the court of Charles the IV in 1792 after Pinckney was elected Gov. of South Carolina.
Things are getting a little interesting:
Upon Adams’ return to New York to join Washington’s first administration, he was from the first moment involved along with Secretary of War Henry Knox, in almost every facet of Foreign Policy. This soothed Adams’ ego greatly, he had felt slighted by the election of John Jay to the Vice-Presidency, but after reading the text of constitution he felt his experiences in England and the Netherlands would better suit him for the position of Secretary of State. Upon his return from England in 1789 to take up the position of Secretary of State Adams together with his fellow Minister Jefferson (who would be returning to France) briefed Washington on the European situation. Adams stated the situation in England was stable. The toppling of North’s Govt. by the Rockingham Whigs in 1783 was essential to securing the peace deal that was written down in the Treaty of Paris and signed by both nations. However both men acknowledged that the British were slow to vacate the forts in the Northwest Territory, and that something needed to be done about the Indian situation. [No offense meant by using Indian]. Both Jefferson and Adams agreed that the problem with Barbary Corsairs was pressing. It was important to show strength to Europe and to make the sea-lanes safe for American shipping. Jefferson was fundamentally opposed to a large army but had fewer problems with a navy, particularly one with the express purpose of making American shipping safe and securing American Ports. Jefferson and Adams had direct contact with the Barbary Pirates while in London in 1785 both tried to agree to a ransom and annual tribute payment with the Dey of Algiers, this negotiation failed. Briefly the Portuguese navy managed to control the situation in 1787 and 1788 but as Jefferson set sail to return to America the Portuguese navy had failed in their mission to keep the pirates from the Atlantic. As Jefferson set sail for America in 1789 to see what had happened with the Constitutional Convention and more importantly to see if he could return to his study at Monticello, his ship was chased by a Corsair vessel as it set sail from the Azores, this incident more than the 1785 meeting emphasized the need for American intervention. According to Jefferson things in the Mediterranean were back to normal, the Corsairs were raiding American shipping. Meanwhile France was in domestic turmoil, brought on by Louis XVI’s unwillingness to negotiate.
Upon his return Jefferson informed Washington of the Tennis Court Oath and of his run in with the Barbary Pirates. Jefferson characterized the Barbary problem as being a threat to free people everywhere. Upon his return to America he was asked by Washington to return to France and see if they would aid them in dealing with the Barbary issue. In an incidence of foresight Adams and Washington asked Congress to commence with building a navy.
While in France Washington tasked Jefferson with delivering Commodore Jones’ flag rank and with keeping an extra eye on the situation in France and to immediately fill in Adams on what had happened since he had left. Until the election of 1792 the army men in the cabinet, Knox, Washington and Hamilton (Hamilton mainly at Washington’s insistence) would defer on Naval matters to Adams, who served on the Continental Congress Marine Committee 15 years before. Meanwhile the 3 representatives to Europe’s arguably 3 greatest powers would meet with varying amounts of success.
Williamson in England was tasked with keeping things civil with the Court of St. James. Hugh Williamson was an accomplished physician and scientist and had traveled to England before with Ben Franklin, while in England the first time Williamson a botanist and physician in training had gone with Franklin to several Royal Society meetings and eventually continued on to the Netherlands to finish his study of medicine. Upon his return to England for the first time in nearly 15 years Dr. Williamson resumed his time with Royal Scientific Society and met its new head Sir Joseph Banks. Both Williamson and Banks had an interest in botany and after Williamson’s return to America in 1796 they kept up a steady correspondence until Williamson’s death in 1819. While in England Williamson encountered Antoine Lavoisier’s Conservation of Mass theories; while it is likely that Williamson most likely encountered them from Joseph Black, another Royal Society fellow, these experiments were of great interest to Williamson. Williamson’s involvement in with Black and another Scotsmen named James Watt were to be of great benefit to the United States in the years to come [1]. In particular Williamson’s friendship with an employee of Boulton & Watt, a man named William Murdoch. Eventually Williamson would be responsible for kick starting the American Industrial Revolution and helping to create factories run on steam power in the new United States. Williamson is fondly remembered for this and not so fondly for other things.
George Washington and John Adams appointed Charles C. Pinckney Minister to Spain in 1790. It is unclear why, Pinckney is remembered for being as hotheaded as Hamilton and as prone to vanity as Adams, it is more than likely Laurens convinced them both that the cooperation of South Carolina was paramount and any opportunity to shore up the positions of men loyal to the National Govt. was of importance, it is for this same reason that Pierce Butler was offered the position of Commercial Agent to Russia [1]. Pinckney did do one thing of value while holding the office he negotiated for the first American Naval station on foreign territory. The Treaty of Minorca was nothing more than a guarantee that American Naval vessels could use the port to rest and refit in times of peace or in times of war when Spanish interest was directly involved as in such cases of military alliance or military actions of mutual self interest as deemed appropriate by the governor of Minorca or a King’s representative. Overall Pinckney’s time in Spain was fruitful for the US and Spain.
[1] Butler was still a threat particularly in South Carolina State politics were he spoke adamantly against the slave trade clause in the Constitution and threatened to gain a seat in the Senate because of his popularity. Laurens seeing an opportunity to remove a rival and to begin playing the game asked Washington offer the position to Butler, Washington knew the tricks gave Laurens a thorough tongue lashing and then offered the position to John Adams’ son John Quincy who reluctantly accepted after much brow beating from his Father. John Quincy had wanted to begin practicing law in Boston. Obviously Russia was not a favorite appointment, Spain with its good madiera would eventually welcome John Quincy in to the court of Charles the IV in 1792 after Pinckney was elected Gov. of South Carolina.
