Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-19
Times When We Got Up to the Edge
Of a Fight.
SPAIN'SHAfRED OF rHEUNIfED STATES
Cuba Has Made Trouble Since
John Quincy Adams Time.
COLLISIONS WITH FRANCE
From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.

From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.
Often in the past the United States
seemed to lie On the verge of wars with
European nations which never came. Often
too, as now, the President and the party
in power were assailed by part of the peo-
pie for not making the threatened war ac-
tual. When on April %. 1193, President
Washington issued his proclamation of
neutrality in the conflict between France
and England serious attempt was made
to violate the neutrality pledge and in
volve the United States in war on the side
of France and against England. In the
war between these two nations, with the
American revolution only a dozen years
backward in time, it was natural for the
sympathies of a large majority of Ameri-
cans to be on Frances side. France was
Americas ally and England was Ameri-
ica's enemy in the recent conflict. France,
now following Americas example, was a
republic, and seemed to be fighting to ex-
tend republican institutions all over the
world, while England appeared to be the
head and front CT the hostility to repub
Hcanisn.
Genet the new French minister, at
tempted to put his American admirers
words into deeds, for he violated the neu-
trality proclamation. fitted out privateers
IN American ports, these privateers cap
tired British merchant ships in American
waters. and these prizes were confiscated
by French consuls in the United States,
who had, in fragrant disregard of Ameri-
can laws and WashiI gton's neutrality
proclamation, been transformed into adj
mirafty judges, by Genet's orders. Some of
this work Genet had done before the neu-
traiity proclamation, in those days when
the absence of railroads, steamboats, and
Ieiegraphs made even the original United
states domain a country of magnificent
distances" could reach him. The work
mt of he
nation.
Genet's Intrigue.
G=net's work. if not stopped by the
Washington administrations would, of
course, bring war between the United
States and England. But his conquering
career was quickly cut short by Washing
ten The British minister at Philadelphia,
the national capital, informed the gov
eminent of Genets doings Jefferson, the
secretary OF State, sent, by Washington's
ORDERS, remonstrance to Genet, which the
more pugnacious and patriotic Hamilton,
the Secretary of the Treasury wanted to
be made more direct and vigorous After
Jefferson had weakly allowed himself to b.
deceived by Genet, and had permitted the
privateer Little Sarah to sail out of the
Delaware and escape. against the protests
OF Hamilton and Knox, who wanted to
erect battery on Mud Island and sink
the boat If 1t attempted to pass, Washing
ton. in just anger at Jefferson's lack of
nerve, hurried from Mount Vernon, where
he was at the time, and made a demand
on France for Genet's recall The French
government sent for him, but deeming
that his head was safer here than in
France in. those tumultuous times, he re-
Mained here, dropped out of history and
some of his descendants are still living in
this. country.
d. The United States had an even narrower
escape from war with France during John
Adams administration than it had with
England during Washington's France an.
gered because the United States refused to
aSsail England in the war which began i'm
1875, ana because 1t negotiated the Jay
treaty with England in 1885, issued DEGREES
ana orders under which many American
merchant vessels were captured by French
privatefrs and confiscated. and refused to
receive Charles Cotesworth Pinckney who
was sent as an ambassador to that country
Just before Washington left the presidency
Adams called an extra session of Congress
soon after taking office. to deal with this
situation. and 1t met May Is, 1871 and adj
Journed July 10.
~ Peace Secured.
With the approval of Congress Adams
sent three envoys-Pinckney, John Mar
shall and Elbridge Gerry-to treat with
France The directory. which then govern
ed tnat country. refused to receive them
openly, but Talleyrand, the foreign minister
treated with them secretly through ennis
saries. who were designated in the dis
Pa.cnes by the letters X, and Z. A COW
ert threat from Talleyrand's agents that
unless America bought protection from the
FRENCH government the assaults by French
ships would be kept up called out from
rlnckney the response which has been
SNAPPED INTO War be 1t them Millions for
oefense. but not cent for tributer' When
the news of this threat and of the faijure
OF me commission arrived in the United
states wave of warlike feeling swept
over the country, party differences were oh
Eterated. measures were taken to immedi
eteiy raise an army and create a navy
washington was called to the chief COM
Inahh Oh the army. and some desuitory
hghtibg on the ocean actually occurred be-
tween The two countries, in which the
Americans gained the advantage. but no
declaration of war was made Tn iron
however. Adams made another effort r.
enu the trouble with France and Roma
parte- who overthrow the directory about
I'M. inns tlnie, and who desired friendly rela-
uoffs with this country, arranged a peaca
convention with the United States.
several times afterward the United States
seemed to be near a collision with France
ne eiaims OF the United States against
france. growing out of French attacks on
american commerce in Bonaparte's time
We brought up Cor settlement In Jack
s Gays IN the presidency. All the ma
uois OF Europe which had claims Of THE
SORT against France secured navn,ant = 80
years after Bonaparte's overthroyv hn.
America's attempts in this direction failed
1er,nin on on entering the White House de-
.eitiihed TO make France pay IN and H.,
succeeded. ~ o ie
Maximilian's Affair."
Maximi'ian's invasion Of Mexico in 1854.
supported by French troops, which was
suggested by Napoleon III as a means of
consolidating the power Of the Latin race
In the new world. threatened to bring the
United States and France in conflict The
war OF secession tied the United States
hands for the moment. but after that strue-
gle ended a demand was made In both the
eouth and north to invoke the Monroe doc
trine against France. There was a strong
desire after Appomattox to march a Union
army across the Rio Grande and aid tho
Mexicans to expel the French and other
Foreign auxiliary troops. Napoleon saw his
Danger and asked Macmillan to abtlicate
put put the latter refused. The French troops
Desah leaving Mexico in November, 1865
Maximiiian was captured May Is. 1867. and
executed on June 10 '-i1
Tne United States had two wars with
england, and several other times war seem
eo 10 De close at hand. Jefferson's folly in
reducing the army and navy subjected the
United states to many insults and Injuries
from England during Jefferson.s and NJ.
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