U.S. Foreign Policy Challenges in the Washington Administration

The Philosophical Conflict: The early period of the Washington administration was defined by an intense debate regarding America's role in the conflict between Great Britain and France.
Partisan Context: This international conflict was quickly absorbed into the partisan infighting within Washington's cabinet, primarily between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, and the factions they individual led.
Cultural Reference: The lecture references "Hamilton: An American Musical" by Lin-Manuel Miranda, specifically the sequence where Alexander Hamilton (played by Miranda) and Thomas Jefferson debate before George Washington regarding foreign intervention.

Success of Hamilton's Financial Plan: Despite fierce debate, Hamilton successfully implemented his financial plan. This was largely due to the support of George Washington and a specific political deal known as the "so-called dinner compromise."
The Dinner Compromise Details:
- Participants: James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton.
- Location: Thomas Jefferson's apartment in New York City.
- The Agreement: Hamilton agreed to move the national capital—which was located in New York during the first part of Washington's presidency—to a more Southern location.
- Concession: In exchange for the capital relocation, Madison and Jefferson agreed to align their factions behind Hamilton's financial plan.
Motivation for Capital Relocation: Jefferson and Madison were skeptical of having the nation's political capital and its financial capital (New York) in the same location. Moving the capital to a Southern site ( $Washington\,D.C.$ ) was seen as a way to decouple political and financial power.
Persistent Political Fissures: Although the compromise led to the plan's implementation, Jefferson and Madison did not drop their constitutional reservations regarding the creation of a national bank. These political fissures remained and were later deepened by foreign events.

Initial American Support: The French Revolution (beginning in $1789$ ) was initially viewed by many Americans as an offshoot of the American Revolution. The French were seen as throwing off a monarchy just as the Americans had.
Shift to Anarchy: Under the Washington administration, the revolution descended into what many perceived as anarchy, symbolized by the execution of King Louis XVI ( $\text{Louis XVI}$ ).
Divergent Views on French Democracy:
- Federalists (Hamilton/Washington): Believed the revolution had initially been noble but had descended into "too much democracy" and subsequent chaos.
- Jeffersonians: Believed America should do everything possible to encourage the French advancement of self-government.
Continental War: When the French Revolution spilled over into a broader European war involving Britain and France, it forced a debate on America's obligations.

Washington's Stance: After winning re-election unanimously, Washington declared a policy of neutrality in $1793$ .
Strategic Rationale: Washington did not believe the United States, at that point in its history, possessed the ability to effectively wage a European war and sought to keep the nation distant from the conflict.
Factional Opposition:
- Hamiltonians: Naturally inclined to support Britain and viewed the French Revolution as dangerous anarchy with negative implications for American stability.
- Jeffersonians: Argued the U.S. was obligated by the existing treaty to assist France, just as the French had assisted America during the American Revolution.
The Treaty Legal Dispute: Hamilton and Washington countered the Jeffersonian argument by stating the treaty was signed with the French King. Since the King’s "head was in a basket," they argued there was no stable government remaining to honor the alliance with.

Edmond Genêt (Citizen Genêt): He was a French envoy to the United States who complicated Neutrality in $1793$ .
Violations of Neutrality: Genêt was found to be soliciting American ships to attack British vessels from within the U.S.
Deportation: The Washington administration asked Genêt to leave the country because of these violations.

Definition of Impressment: The British Royal Navy practiced the stopping of ships on the open seas or in harbor cities to search for British deserters.
Impact on Americans: British naval officers often "captured" or kidnapped American sailors and forced them into service in the Royal Navy.
Justification: The British claimed they could not distinguish between American and British sailors, though they took little care to verify the difference, leading to significant American outrage.

Mission to England: In $1794$ , George Washington sent John Jay, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, to England to negotiate a treaty to avoid war.
Refinement of Government Scale: The lecturer notes that sending the Chief Justice ( $John\,Jay$ ) to negotiate a treaty highlights the small size of the federal government at the time, likening it to sending John Roberts today.
Provisions of the Jay Treaty:
- British Forts: The British agreed to abandon their forts in the American West, which they had been slow to leave following the Revolution.
- Neutrality Rights: The British made no concessions regarding the rights of American neutrals or the stopping of ships.
- Impressment: The treaty failed to stop the British practice of impressment.
Controversy and Reception:
- The text of the treaty was leaked to Jeffersonian-aligned presses before Jay's return.
- The Jeffersonian faction viewed it as a humiliation and a betrayal of the French alliance.
- It essentially canceled the legal alliance with France and was seen as a move to align the U.S. with Great Britain.
Political Consequences:
- Washington used a significant amount of his "political capital" to back the treaty.
- It made John Jay very unpopular.
- Primary Benefit: It achieved its intended effect of preventing a direct war with a European power during a vulnerable time for the U.S.

Work Segment Inquiry: A participant asks if they are getting a "full hour," to which the speaker responds that this is a "thirty minute" segment.
Audience Interaction: The speaker jokingly tells someone to leave a "kid" or "guy" alone because he is trying to work.