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In the late 1700s, the final French Revolutionary government, the Directory, was experiencing problems financing its European wars. Many leaders were also angry that the United States had concluded the Jay Treaty with Great Britain in 1794. Consequently, in 1796 ====US diplomats respond to French leaders decided to issue an order allowing for the seizure of American merchant ships, carefully timed to catch as many as possible by surprise. Piracy====President John Adams dispatched three U.S. envoys to restore harmony between the United States and France—Elbridge Gerry, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and John Marshall. Like others of the Adams administration, these commissioners viewed France as a center of decadence and intrigue, and the rampant intrigue and factions of the Directory made it difficult for the Americans to accomplish their mission.
These commissioners, like others of the Adams administration, viewed France as a center of decadence and intrigue and the rampant intrigue and factions of the Directory made it difficult for the Americans to accomplish their mission. Upon arriving in France, Gerry, Pinckney , and Marshall found that they were unable to could not formally meet with the Foreign Minister, the Marquis de Talleyrand. The U.S. envoys were instead approached by several intermediaries, Nicholas Hubbard (later W,) Jean Hottinguer (X), Pierre Bellamy (Y), and Lucien Hauteval (Z.) Also involved with these negotiations was the playwright Pierre Beaumarchais, who had been involved in funneling French aid to the United States during the American Revolution. These French intermediaries stated that Talleyrand would be willing to meet with the Americans and come to an agreement if several conditions were to be satisfied. The French demanded that the United States provide France with a low-interest loan, assume and pay American merchant claims against the French, and lastly pay a substantial bribe to Talleyrand. The U.S. envoys were shocked, and also skeptical that any concessions would bring about substantial changes in French policy.
Talleyrand’s strategy was mainly one of delay. He intended to end attacks on U.S. merchant shipping, but wanted first to increase his personal wealth, strengthen his political position within the Directory government, and ensure These French intermediaries stated that he Talleyrand would deal only be willing to meet with Elbridge Gerry, the American commissioner who seemed most friendly Americans and agree if several conditions were to be satisfied. The French interests. Talleyrand’s intermediaries were also interested in preserving peace with demanded that the United States as many of them had investments in U.S. businesses. Howeverprovide France with a low-interest loan, as assume and pay American merchant claims against the French military victories in Europe increased French power, the French changed the loan terms and threatened an invasion of the United States if the U.S. envoys did not capitulatepay a substantial bribe to Talleyrand. When the The U.S. envoys proved unwilling to accede to were shocked and skeptical that any concessions would substantially change French demands, Talleyrand eventually met with them formally, and dropped most of his requirements, but did not agree to end the seizures of American ships. Pinckney and Marshall made preparations to leave France, while Gerry intended to stay in the hopes of averting a warpolicy.
In the meantime, the envoys’ dispatches reached the United States====What were Talleyrand's Goals====Talleyrand’s strategy was mainly one of delay. He intended to end attacks on U.S. merchant shipping. President Adams prepared for warStill, and pro-war Federalists pushed Congress He wanted to support him. Leaders of increase his personal wealth, strengthen his political position within the Democratic-Republican party were suspicious of Adams’ motives Directory government, and demanded ensure that he publicly release the diplomatic correspondence describing the negotiations in France. Adamswould deal only with Elbridge Gerry, knowing its contents, obliged them and released the correspondence, but replaced the names of the American commissioner who seemed most friendly to French interests. Talleyrand’s intermediaries were also interested in preserving peace with the letters WUnited States, X, Y, and Zas many of them had investments in U.S. businesses.
Thereafter Adams continued preparations for warHowever, but did not venture to openly declare war. Talleyrand, realizing his blunder, attempted to restore relationsas French military victories in Europe increased French power, the French changed the loan terms and Congress approved a commission to negotiate threatened an agreement with invasion of the United States if the French governmentU.S. envoys did not capitulate. In the meantime, When the U.S. Navy began envoys proved unwilling to accede to fight the French in the Caribbeandemands, Talleyrand eventually met with them formally and dropped most of his requirements, while offering support but did not agree to Toussaint L’Ouverture in Haitiend American ships' seizures. In 1799Pinckney and Marshall made preparations to leave France, Congress also passed the Logan Act while Gerry intended to stay in response to the visit hopes of averting a pacifist Quaker, George Logan, who conducted negotiations with Talleyrand as a private citizen and returned to the United States announcing Talleyrand’s peaceful intentions. The Logan Act criminalized unauthorized diplomatic negotiationswar.
In the meantime peace negotiations proceeded in ====The United States prepares for War with France. Napoleon had come to power====[[File:Charles_Maurice_de_Talleyrand-Périgord_by_François_Gérard, and was seeking to re-obtain Louisiana from Spain_1808. Consequently, jpg|thumbnail|left|250px|Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, who remained as Foreign Minister, wanted to prevent further hostility with 1808]]In the United States. For their partmeantime, the British had delighted in the anti-French uproar in envoys’ dispatches reached the United States and moved to assist the Americans against a common foe, revolutionary France. However, President Adams ultimately wanted to avoid a major prepared for war, confident that had France wanted and pro-war it would have responded Federalists pushed Congress to American attacks on French shipssupport him. Talleyrand feared that limited hostilities with Leaders of the United States might escalate into a fullDemocratic-scale war Republican party were suspicious of Adams’ motives and let it be known demanded that he would accept a new American publicly release the diplomatic representativecorrespondence describing France's negotiations. Knowing its contents, Adams nominated a new representative to France despite public obliged them and Federalist disappointment that there would be no warreleased the correspondence, but conceded to Federalist demands and expanded replaced the single nomination into a commission names of threethe French intermediaries with the letters W, X, Y, and Z.
[[Category:US State Department]] [[Category:Wikis]][[Category:United States History]] [[Category:French History]] [[Category:History of the Early Republic]] [[Category:18th Century History]] [[Category:Political History]]Updated November 22, 2020
Admin moved page How did the XYZ Affair lead to the Quasi-War between France and the United States? to How did the XYZ Affair lead to the Quasi-War between France and the United States
__NOTOC__[[File:Combat_naval_pendant_la_quasi_guerre.jpg|thumbnail|left|300px|Battle between <i>L'Insurgante</i> and the USS Constellation during the Quasi-War. The Constellation won the battle and captured <i>L'Insurgante</i>.]]The XYZ Affair was a diplomatic incident between French and United States diplomats that resulted in a limited, undeclared war known as the Quasi-War. U.S. and French negotiators restored peace with the Convention of 1800, also known as the Treaty of Mortefontaine. In the late 1700s, the final French Revolutionary government, the Directory, experienced problems financing its European wars. Many leaders were also angry that the United States had concluded the Jay Treaty with Great Britain in 1794. Consequently, in 1796 French leaders decided to issue an order allowing for the seizure of American merchant ships, carefully timed to catch as many as possible by surprise.
Thereafter Adams continued preparations for war but did not venture to declare war openly. After realizing his blunder, Talleyrand attempted to restore relations, and Congress approved a commission to negotiate an agreement with the French government. In the meantime, the U.S. Navy began to fight the French in the Caribbean while offering support to Toussaint L’Ouverture in Haiti. In 1799, Congress also passed the Logan Act in response to the visit of a pacifist Quaker, George Logan, who conducted negotiations with Talleyrand as a private citizen and returned to the United States announcing Talleyrand’s peaceful intentions. The Logan Act criminalized unauthorized diplomatic negotiations. ====France and the United States avoid fullscale War with each other====In the meantime, peace negotiations proceeded in France. Napoleon had come to power and was seeking to re-obtain Louisiana from Spain. Consequently, Talleyrand, who remained as Foreign Minister, wanted to prevent further hostility with the United States. For their part, the British had delighted in the anti-French uproar in the United States and moved to assist the Americans against a common foe, revolutionary France. However, President Adams ultimately wanted to avoid a major war, confident that had France wanted war. It would have responded to American attacks on French ships. Talleyrand feared that limited hostilities with the United States might escalate into a full-scale war and let it be known that he would accept a new American diplomatic representative. Adams nominated a new representative to France despite public and Federalist disappointment that there would be no war, but conceded to Federalist demands and expanded the single nomination into a commission of three. ====Conclusion====The negotiators chose to annul the 1778 Treaty of Alliance, and instead negotiated a new agreement based on the 1776 Model Treaty—this resulted in the Convention of 1800. Since the new agreement made no provisions for compensation for the seizure of U.S. merchant ships' seizure, the Senate did not ratify a finalized version of the treaty until December 18, 1801. The Convention of 1800 terminated the only formal treaty of alliance of the United States. It would be nearly a century and a half before the United States entered into another formal alliance. <youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjYsto5_uOE</youtube>
* Republished from [https://history.state.gov/| Office of the Historian, United States Department of State]
* Article: [https://history.state.gov/milestones/17501784-17751800/albanyxyz| The XYZ Affair and the Quasi-plan| Albany Plan War with France, 1798–1800] [[Category:US State Department]] [[Category:Wikis]][[Category:United States History]] [[Category:French History]] [[Category:History of Union, 1754the Early Republic]] [[Category:18th Century History]] [[Category:Political History]] [[Category:Diplomatic History]]