The Effect Of The XYZ Affair On The Alien And Sedition Acts Of 1789

Accepting the disappointment of the Embargo Act, President Jefferson brought into effect the Non-Intercourse Act. The Non-Intercourse Act was somewhat similar to the Embargo Act, but with one distinct difference. The Non-Intercourse Act continued its no trade with Great Britain and France, but it allowed the U.S. to trade with all other foreign countries.4 This act was intended to bring the American economy out of despair yet continuing to punish Great Britain and France. The Non-Intercourse Act like its predecessor the Embargo Act failed miserably. Congress was forced to restructure the Non-Intercourse Act.5 The message that most Americans were formulating after the Embargo and Non-Intercourse acts was that the United States was not ready to fight. They were unprepared and unwilling to fight the British for control of their

The reason for these acts stemmed from ongoing wars between England and France. Most notably, the French and Indian War took place in North America from 1756 to 1763. Britain won and effectively pushed France out of North America. This war sparked a division between the colonists and England for several reasons.

Directory’s foreign minister, Prince Talleyrand, demanded a loan for France and a Bribe for French officials before they would deal with Adams commissioners. This led to the undeclared war with France from 1798-1800. Adams cut off trade with France and captured French ships. American army did well and got 85 prizes of armed merchantmen and vessels of the French navy. U. S gets closer to Britain put still remains the “peace” see bribe. France didn’t need another war so he said that the representatives would be received with respect by Napoleon. Napoleon had other plans to take of Europe so he made the “convention of 1800s” which said the Franco-American alliance was over (that if either one of them was attacked by Britain, the other will fight for them) and America had to pay for French shippers.

For many years Great Britain and France violated the United States’ neutral shipping rights by confiscating American ships and impressing American sailors. Impressment was the practice of removing sailors and requiring them to serve the Royal Navy by force. The Chesapeake incident on June 22, 1807 made America realize something had to be done. The HMS Leopard, an English naval vessel, requested permission to board the Chesapeake, a smaller American naval vessel, to search the sailors for Royal Navy. The commander of the Chesapeake denied permission to the HMS Leopard, at which point the HMS Leopard opened fire on the Chesapeake resulting in killing three, injuring eighteen and impressing four American soldiers. Because of this incident U.S President Thomas Jefferson, announce the Embargo Act.

The British didn't want America trading especially with France because of a war involving France and Britain that was going on at the time. According to ManyThings.org

The Alien and Sedition Acts were laws passed by the 5th Congress in 1798 in preparation for an undeclared naval war with France, later known to be the Quasi-War. The Acts passed, signed by then-President John Adams, aimed to limit the power of the opposition Democratic-Republican Party, who was at the time supportive of the French and to create a barrier against aliens and immigrants who were feared to sympathize with the French. Brought upon to restrict the public activities of political radicals who had sympathized with the French Revolution, as well as those who challenged Adams’ Federalist policies, The Alien and Sedition Acts were created not for the intention to promote national security but rather to uphold the image of power created by the Federalists in hopes of suppressing the views of opposing parties.

The circumstances behind the Trent Affair was an international political incident that occurred when it was the American Civil War. When it was November 8th, 1861, the USS San Jacinto, was commanded by the Union Captain named Charles Wilkes, was interrupted by the British mail packet RMS Trent and was removed, as contraband of war, there was two Confederate diplomats, those people were James Mason and John Slidell. The legations were bound for France and Britain to press the Confederacy’s case for diplomatic recognition. It was also to lobby for possible financial and military support, and it was called the cotton diplomacy. In the United States, the public reaction was to celebrate the capture and gather against Britain’s threatening war. In Confederate States, the

XYZ affair 3 American diplomats traveled to France (as ordered by John Adams) to discuss the treaty and the seizure of ships with the official Foreign minister Marquis de Talleyrand. The envoys were instead approached by 4 intermediaries who then insisted that the Americans provided a bribe of $250,000 (and a loan) to begin the discussion with Talleyrand, which was considered to be very disrespectful. The Americans declined and left France.

Another war based on independence and defining conflict was the cataclysmic war fought between the United States and Britain in 1812. It began during with the clash of Britain and France. The two countries were at war and were unable to defeat each other due to their opposing strengths. France had a tremendous army whereas Britain had a forceful navy, which made it difficult for each country to dismantle the other. The two countries tried to starve one another by cutting off trade.

American citizens were not pleased with the fact their rights were being violated. The Sedition Acts made it illegal for newspaper editors to criticize the government. The government imposed punishments for editors who violated this law. This act violated the freedom of the press, which is under the First Amendment. Stated in Document F, “the liberty of conscience and the press cannot be canceled, abridged, restrained, or modified by any authority of the United States.” By even appointing these acts, it meant the federal government was exercising a power that was never given to them in the first place. Document F states, “Alien and Seditions Acts, passed at the last session of Congress; the first of which exercises a power nowhere delegated to the federal government”. The administration’s foreign policy was not protecting Americans, rather violating their

Because of the anti- French feelings across America, President John Adams signed the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798, which were four laws to help America prepare for the anticipated war with France, also known as Quasi-war. The president was given the right to imprison or deport aliens who were potentially dangerous to the Americans. Alien Acts aimed at poor, supposedly pro-Jeffersonian,

In 1798, the Federal Congress passed the Alien and Sedition Acts and presented them as laws meaning to protect the United States from dangerous foreigners during the seemingly imminent war with France but the acts really intended to weaken the Jeffersonian Republicans. These acts also violated the rights guaranteed in the Constitution, making them unconstitutional and unnecessary. The Alien Laws allowed the president to deport anyone he considered to be a dangerous foreigner during peacetime and deport or imprison them during wartime. Additionally, the Sedition Act stated that anyone who hindered the policies of the government or falsely criticized government officials would be fined or imprisoned. Jeffersonians detested these acts because

The XYZ Affair was a circumstance that caused a small war between America and France. The French said they would receive American peace ministers only if U.S. paid $250,000 and loaned France $12 million. Adams sent Charles C. Pinckney, Elbridge Gerry, and John Marshall to France in 1797. They had to amend the 1778 Treaty so U.S. would not need to promise French holdings in the West Indies, get France to accept the Jay Treaty, not employ U.S troops in France's war with England, and restore damages from French privateering and unpaid demands of supplies with the French government. If France accepts the Jays Treaty, the entire repayment aspect would be dropped.

The Trent Affair was an event which occurred during the Civil War, that threatened a war with Britain as well as the South. The Americans captured two Confederate diplomats from a British ship. The UK protested quite a bit until the diplomats were released. In 1861, the Union intercepted a letter that stated the Confederacy was sending two diplomats to France to negotiate financial and military aid in the Civil War. They were considered contraband of war, and were removed from the ship. Before they were released, British troops in Canada and the Atlantic increased, as did the threat of war. Abraham Lincoln didn’t want to there to be war between the European nation and the South, so he ordered the release of the men. The diplomats, however,

John Adams had sent three people to go to France to stop the French from attacking. The names of the negotiates that were sent to France were Elbridge Gerry, Charles Pinckney, and John Marshall. France had wanted a low interest loan and America didn't want to do that. Not taking the deal, had angered France. The United States decided on fighting back instead of paying France. This however didn't happen because Adams kept trying to negotiate. Finally, France agreed to stop capturing America merchandise ships.