Gov Relations Pre Spanish American War

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Feb 20, 2024

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Government Relations Government Relations: Pre Spanish-American War Tyler J. Gregory Helms School of Government | Liberty University Author Note The author has no known conflicts to disclose. All questions and remarks can be directed to the author at: tgregory29@liberty.edu . 01/24/2024 By submitting this assignment, I attest this submission represents my own work, and not that of another student, scholar, or internet source. I understand I am responsible for knowing and correctly utilizing referencing and bibliographical guidelines.

Government Relations 2 Abstract This paper examines the intricate relationship between the Executive and Legislative Branches of the United States government from the nation's founding to the Spanish-American War, focusing on their impact on a President’s pursuit of international relations and the projection of force. Additionally, the paper further examines the Congress and their critical impact on the President’s actions and projection of force. The study delves into historical events such as the Rush-Bagot Treaty of 1817, the Convention of 1818, the First Seminole War and the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819, and congressional debates over issues like the Missouri Compromise and the recognition of Latin American independence. Analyzing the collaborative and conflicting interactions between the branches, the paper explores how Congress both facilitated and constrained James Monroe's presidency in matters of foreign policy and executive actions such as exerting force and expanding US territory. The research emphasizes the art of balancing powers, the growth of executive leadership, and the establishment of precedents during this critical period in U.S. history. By examining executive balance in terms of diplomacy and force, the purpose of the paper is to analyze how presidents within this significant time period in US history, utilized, moved forward with, and interacted with Executive and Legislative influence to project American force and conquer sovereignty. Keywords: Congress; President; Spanish; American; War; Power

Government Relations 3 Government Relations: Pre Spanish-American War International relations can be a complex subject that includes many theories, methodologies, and a messy recall of historical political motives. As most have heard the saying “there are two sides to every story”, history in most cases, resembles that remark very closely. International relations and the history of how branches of government coordinate and come to executive decisions is lengthy and dates back to the ancient times of 1000 BCE and earlier (oldest.org, 2023). However, some of the earliest foundations of this were found in the United States starting with the period following the country’s founding and extending to the years leading up to the Spanish-American War. This paper will further look into the interactions between the Executive and Legislative branches, their impact on the President when pursuing international relations and utilizing force, and how Congress would restrict these actions. The Pursuit of International Relations Prior to the Spanish-American War, America had been tangled in a fairly good amount of conflicts in today’s standards. Beginning in the late 1700s, the US began involving political parties in international decision-making processes and at the time, the Federalists and the Jeffersonians were at a crossroads on the feelings towards the French Revolution in 1789. While the Federalists and Alexander Hamilton wished to remain close to England and hold distrust in the French, the Jeffersonians and Thomas Jefferson took up supporting the new French Republic. However, current US President George Washington decided to declare neutrality in the late 1790s when conflict in Europe between Britain, Spain, and France broke out. The US signed two treaties in 1794 and 1795, The Jay Treaty with Britain (1794) and the Pinckney Treaty with Spain (1795), preserving neutrality and promoting international relations between the US and its allies (history.state.gov, 2016). The actions of President George Washington are reminders that

Government Relations 4 there are ways to deal with problems in many ways, ways that include death and destruction to the men, women, and children that God placed on this Earth to love, and ways to preserve peace and hope. In the Doctrine and Covenants 98:16, the Lord declares that his Saints are to “renounce war and proclaim peace” (Skinner, 2022). Though the book of Doctrine and Covenants was not written until the mid 1800s, it can be inferred that perhaps President Washington was proclaiming peace rather than conflict because a peaceful conclusion to the problem was available, and any Saint of the Lord’s Kingdom should seek peace when available. The pursuit of international relations is much more than trade and a dollar amount as often seen today. For example, the Convention of 1818 and the Rush-Bagot Treaty of 1817 marked a turning point in government relations between the United States, Canada, and Britain. The signing of the Rush-Bagot Treaty of 1817 demilitarized the Great Lakes and established a much closer relationship with Britain. Additionally, the Convention of 1818 was signed to establish a permanent border at the 49 th parallel between the United States and Canada, an action that would prove to be fruitful throughout history (Uphaus-Conner, 2011). As one can see, Presidents oftentimes pursued international relations in a rather civil matter for as long as the United States Executive and Legislative branches would approve such actions. A President’s Force: How was it Projected? The United States President prior to the Spanish-American War had a much greater impact on exerting force as a nation compared to what is seen today. The reason for this, is because it was the President’s word against everyone else’s. Today, the President has many speakers, parties, and outlets that deliver executive action news, resulting in a much less impactful action of force. However, much like today, the Legislative and Executive branches of the government have heavy impacts on the President and his ability to utilize force as a means

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