What was washington stance on the french revolution

The revolution, which has taken place with you, is of such magnitude and of so momentous a nature that we hardly yet dare to form a conjecture about it. We however trust, and fervently pray that its consequences may prove happy to a nation, in whose fate we have so much cause to be interested and that its influence may be felt with pleasure by future generations. Washington remained tight-lipped on the matter until Oct.

In a word the revolution is of too great magnitude to be effected in so short a space, and with the loss of so little blood—The mortification of the King, the intrigues of the Queen, and the discontents of the Princes, and the Noblesse will foment divisions, if possible, in the national assembly, and avail themselves of every faux pas in the formation of the constitution if they do not give a more open, active opposition.

Having led a revolution himself, Washington had firsthand experience with political upheaval. Given French involvement in that effort, Washington likely drew connections between the budding revolution in France and the one he had led in fathering America. And so, like a parent with his child, Washington used that insight to advise rather than criticize:.

To these the licentiousness of the People on one hand and sanguinary punishments on the other will alarm the best disposed friends to the measure, and contribute not a little to the overthrow of their object—Great temperance, firmness, and foresight are necessary in the movements of that Body.

To forbear running from one extreme to another is no easy matter, and should this be the case, rocks and shelves not visible at present may wreck the vessel. On that note, he concluded his response. In the space of three short paragraphs, Washington had settled his thoughts on the outbreak of the French Revolution.

The authors demonstrate that the two were equally ambitious and that each chose paths to power reflecting their turbulent political times. Go to menu Go to content Go to search. Share it twitter facebook. Year of publication : Place and publisher : Potomac Books Inc. Number of pages : In other words, the jury considered the Proclamation as a statement of policy that failed to carry the weight of law.

Attorney General Randolph wasted no time in voicing the administration position that despite the embarrassing outcome of the trial, the increasingly unpopular policy of neutrality still stood. The tide of public opinion shifted dramatically in July when Genet refused to recognize the authority of the federal government by converting a captured British vessel into a French warship in the United States. In a meeting with secretary of state Genet even threatened to appeal directly to the American people to act against Washington.

Hamilton leaked this damaging information to political allies in New York who published it. Genet had gone too far. Popular sentiment rallied around in favor of the president. The Act marked an acknowledgment by the legislative branch that foreign policy resided largely in the constitutional domain of the executive.

Gregory J. Dehler Front Range Community College. Hamilton, Alexander and James Madison. Washington, D. Gideon,