The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-04-04
cable conquest OF its own


continent.
Between Two Fires.
Neither of the belligerent powers
neither England nor France was willing
, to let the United States remain neutral
, Neutrality indeed was a novel principle
in those days, when nations almost neve
really were neutrals in war.
Naturally, the French revolutionists
looked upon the young republic as theiI
one brother among the nations of an
otherwise monarchical world. and inevi-
tably they presumed upon that kinship
1t was equally natural that the British
should look with suspicion upon the re-
Nolted Americans and treat their pro-
claimed neutrality with small respect.
vided the people of the United States
against one another. the democratic fac
ton being sympathetic with the revolu-
| tionists and the conservatives alarmed
by their radical principles
When Citizen Genet, the minister OF
the revolutionary government, arrived in
the country in May. 179S. he was received
element Under the intoxicating infiu-
ence of his progress from Charleston to
re ne s seat OF government at Philadelphia
Fastening to fit out French pri-
vateers in American ports and author
izing the French consuls in the coun-
try to sit as prize courts. he scorned
the Washing tonian administration as
however. after two short months. his
contempt Of it ran to the extreme of
recruiting the eager enthusiasts Of the
armies on American soil to operate
! against the Spanish at New Orleans
and in Florida. which the Spaniards
the President requested that the Min
lister be recalled.
, Washington continued to tread a
thorny path to the end Of his Presi-
n 80
divided by the war; with one faction
denouncing him for trucking to Eng
land and the other arraigning him for
erty. and all united only in demanding
that he do somethIng;;" with French
privateers and British naval vessels
proving, on American shipping. and
England for time Selling even food
as contraband when consigned to
France. the President needed all the
lofty courage he had displayed on the
field of war.
Nevertheless. he persevered in his
policy of peace and neutrality, with
these clear principles for his chart:
II To maintain friendly terms with. but
the earth: to share in the broils of
none; to fulfill our own engagements;
to supply the wants and be the car
riers for them all"
When. upon the retirement of the first
President. the weight Of his personal
character was Withdrawn from the gov
ernment, the clashing powers Of Europe
United States. The French directory,
pulled up by Bonaparte's Italian victory,
refused In 1877 to receive a mission from
the recreant republic. but Tallyrand. the
return for a bride of $4,000 to obtain a
recognition for the waiting American rep
resentatives.
Thereupon the Americans shrilly raised
the famous cry of Millions for defense.
but not cent for tribue;" President Ad-
ans published to the world the shameful
proposal and recalled Washington from
his farm to take command Of the army.
The hostilities, however. were confined
to desultory naval warfare that was
only formally brought to q close in 1900,
after Bonaparte had overturned the d.
rectory, and himself seized the reins of
power in France.
Bonaparte's First Treaty.
The earliest treaty made by the First
Consul was that treaty of peace and
friendship with the United States. which
was concluded by Joseph Bonaparte on
September 30, 1900 The event was cele-
brated with brilliant fetes at Joseph's
country estate, Mortefontaine. near
Chantilly, In the Partisan suburbs. where
at an elaborate banquet OF $50 covers, the
First Consul toasted "the names Of the
French and Americans who died on the
field Of battle for the independence Of the
sorely distracted from the pleasures of
that feast at Mortefontaine had they
known that within "a hours the conqueror
of Italy and Egypt was secretly to con-
ciude a treaty with Spain which would
make him the next door neighbor of IN
Gle Sam. BY swapping a little Italian
kingdom for the vost territory Of Loui- |
siana. the First Consul became the pos
SCISSOR of more square miles Of American |
soil than the United States held and also |
became the master Of the greatest river /
Of Northa America |
When. on March 4. 1901, Thomas Jeffer- |
son did not hitch his horse to the fence |
Of the Capitol at Washington, but walked |
from his lodgings to be inaugurated as
the third President Of the United States. |
he in common with all his countrymen |
was still blissfully ignorant of the ex-
lstence of that hidden treaty Of II De-
fenso. which had been made on the first |
day Of the preceding October. At the first |
rumor of 1t the President and his Cabinet |
were greatly disturbed. while q spirit of |
warlike resistance famed up in the ,
breasts of the Kentuckians and Of ths
other frontier dwellers In the Mississippi |
Valley.
Nothing. perhaps. since the Revolu-
don." Jefferson wrote. has produced
ed Robert r. Livingstone. the American