Wednesday, February 4, 2015
XYZ Affair/ Sedition Act
Read excerpts about the XYZ Affair and reponses to the Alien and Sedition Acts. Excerpts can be found on Edmodo. What accusations did President Adams make against France? What were the arguments in favor of the passage of the Sedition Acts by Congress? What was Washington's and Jefferson's responses? Why did they feel this way? Who wrote the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions and why were they written? What concept did they present with regards to state's rights versus national rights? This is due Friday, February 6 by 11:20 am.
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In 1797, President John Adams sent three American diplomats to France to stop the French seizure of American merchant ships. Upon arrival, the diplomats were met by three agents, Agent X, Agent Y, and Agent Z. The agents told the diplomats that in order to stop the seizures, they would have to pay a bribe and loan a substantial amount of money. When Adams learned of the encounter, he was outraged, calling it the XYZ Affair, and made several accusations against France.
ReplyDeleteHe accused France of “attempting to cause dissension among the citizens of the United States.” The French President had given a speech directed at the citizens of America. In the speech, the President suggested that the leaders of America were not protecting the interests of citizens.
In addition to this act of subversion, Adams also accused France of “secretly deciding to ignore a significant part of a treaty of friendship and commerce with the United States.” The Treaty of Amity and Commerce(1778) specified that the “liberty of navigation and commerce” would be granted to both parties. The seizing of American ships directly voided this agreement and a quasi war between the two nations began.
Around the same time, Federalist Congress enacted three controversial laws that limited the rights of individuals. Of the three laws, the Sedition Act caused the most fear among Republicans. The Sedition Act “prohibited the publication of insults or malicious attacks on the president or members of Congress.” Those who supported the passage of it in Congress argued that the law was already being practiced in several states, including Virginia. They claimed that “every government has a right to preserve and defend itself against injuries and outrages which endanger its existence.” They believed that without this power, the government would be weak and vulnerable to larger influences. The Constitution obligates Congress to make any laws necessary to uphold the plan of government, and the supporters believed that is justified to pass this law in order to defend against “unlawful combinations to oppose the measures of government, to intimidate its officers, and to excite insurrections.”
In response to this act, George Washington was indifferent to the law. He had confidence that the publications would not evoke action. In contrast, Thomas Jefferson was worried that the law would deny citizens their liberties expressly given in the Constitution.
Furthermore, in retaliation against the laws, James Madison and Jefferson would write the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. They presented the concept that states should have the last word and the power to declare a law unconstitutional, not the judiciary branch.
I liked how you were straight to the point with the prompt and provided the main ideas of each paragraph.
DeleteI like how you flowed and provided a lot of supporting information
DeleteThe way you summarized the events post the XYZ Affair and how you put them into your own words to explain made the concepts easier to grasps!
DeleteIt's funny to me how Thomas Jefferson and John Adams shared a lot of the same experiences and aside from power to the government vs states, shared the same ideas for America. Residing in different parties, they had different visions on how they would achieve their ideal America which caused conflict between the two. The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions would be in direct retaliation of Adams' Alien and Sedition Acts.
The best part of it all however is the two men died on the same day in history a few hours apart!
Your post flowed smoothly. You also did a great job stating your points as well as supporting them with factual evidence.
Deleteyou got straight too the point with no sham in between and your summary was very simple but detailed. if someone who knew nothing of the topic read your post theyd be an expert
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ReplyDeleteAngered by the treaty the US made with Great Britain, also known as Jay’s Treaty, the French government gave an order allowing the seizure of American ships. In response, John Adams sent Elbridge Gerry, Charles Pinckney, and John Marshall to negotiate peace with France. These delegates were pro-French and wanted peace with France. Upon arrival in France, the delegates found that they could not meet with the French Foreign Minister, Marquis de Talleyrand, and were instead confronted by intermediaries, Jean Hottinguer (X), Pierre Bellamy (Y), and Lucien Hauteval (Z.) They then told the delegates that Talleyrand would agree to meet with them if they agreed to some conditions. Included within these conditions was an enormous bribe the US would have to pay just to negotiate. The delegates, flabbergasted, returned to America and reported to John Adams. Adams, equally flabbergasted, prepared for war with France. The Democratic-Republicans, suspicious of his motives, demanded Adams publicly release the happenings of the negotiations before doing anything rash. Adams agreed and published the negotiation replacing the French intermediaries with the letters X, Y, and Z. This event later became known as the XYZ affairs.
ReplyDeleteSeeing a great opportunity to discredit the French-loving Democratic-Republicans, Adams began accusing the French of attempting to cause two grievances. Adams accused the French President of trying to separate and divide the US by saying that the US Government had different views than the citizens. Adams also stated that the French Government passed an order that contradicted the Treaty of Amity and Commerce of 1778 and endangered American lives and commerce. He uses the problems occurring with France as an excuse to build up military might, including a navy. The building up of the military in both the US and France became known as a Quasi-War, an undeclared war, between the two.
During this time, the Sedition Act was proposed. This Act would ban any publication that criticized the government. Those who were against the passing of this legislation blatantly stated that it was unconstitutional and took away civil rights that were expressed in the Bill of Rights. In response to these complaints, supporters of the Act argued that it was already occurring in several states. They also stated that the government has the right to defend itself from anything that threaten its existence and without this right, the government would eventually be crushed by stronger forces. They use the elastic clause to justify the passing of this Act, stating that the purpose of the Act is to protect the government. The Sedition Act is eventually passed.
George Washington was fine with Act because he stated that it was meant for the French in the US and would have no effect on the citizens. He believed that there would be no response from the citizens on the matter. Despite this, the Act did not sit well with Thomas Jefferson. He wrote to James Madison that the Sedition Act makes certain publications illegal, even though this is an obvious violation of the amendments. He states that this is the government’s way of saying that they do not care about the constitution. Madison felt the same way and together they would write a resolution.
This resolution would later be named the Kentucky and Virginia Resolution. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Kentucky Resolutions and James Madison wrote the Virginia Resolution. The Resolutions stated that the Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional and the states had the power to deem it unconstitutional. With this, the conflict between state and national government began…
You used some awesome vocabulary in this essay. I also liked how you referenced information from the article.
DeleteYour post was very informational as it provided the actually names for the French agents (you stole my idea) and hinted towards the Civil War in the end. Thought you did not seem to directly refer to the documents.
DeleteI liked how you presented your information but I thought that Madison and Jefferson only thought that the Sedation Act was unconstitutional because it violated the first Amendment of the Constitution.
DeleteI enjoyed reading your post because it attracted me in many ways. I like how you gave a clue of the beginning of the Civil War in the Conclusion. A big matter right before the Civil War was how much power the federal government really should have over its people. The people in the north believed in a strong federal government. The southern states believed that each state government should have more power, and should be able to make major decisions on its own. Southerners claimed that the federal government was not allowed to stop them for having slavery because of the 10th Amendment. "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Southerners also made all their money by agriculture, meaning they are basically farmers. To be a farmer you need to tend to the land and right now the slaves tended to the land. If slavery was banned then the south's economy would drop because no one would work in the fields.
DeletePresident John Adams sent American diplomats to discuss a treaty with France. During this meeting Agent X, Y, and Z wanted a bribe of $250,000 before the American diplomats met with the French diplomats. This led to the XYZ Affair. President Adams accused the French of being hostile toward America and the US was close to going to war with Britain as a result. Adams also accused the French of breaking terms of their previous treaty, which was friendship between the two states. Adams also said that France had interfered with America's commerce by impressing their ships.
ReplyDeleteCongress had favored the Sedition Act because it protected the government against statements that were negative, regardless if it was true or false. This helped people in government positions to maintain a clean reputation by not being damaged. With this law intact secrets and private things about the government were not exposed to the general public. It allowed peoples' perception on government leaders to not be altered in any way.
George Washington showed that he did not care about the issue at hand. In regards to the Alien Act he felt that it was fair. He believed that if there was illegal immigrants in the US then they did not belong in the country.
Thomas Jefferson did not agree with the Sedition Act. He thought so because the Sedition Act had contradicted the 1st amendment of the Constitution, which stated freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion, and petition. Jefferson also claimed that the Sedition Act could lead to another rebellion. Jefferson believed that state rights were being violated.
James Madison and Thomas Jefferson wrote the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. They wrote this in opposition to the Alien and Sedition Acts enacted by John Adams. In the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, it was declared that states have the right to declare a law constitutional or not. This was the idea of nullification. The idea presented was that state rights were greater than federal rights and this advocated for a strong state government.
Your description of the events was full of SFI and very thorough. I like your attention to detail, however, I don't agree with your interpretation of the Congress' motives behind the Sedition Act. It was less about maintaining the reputation of the government officials and more about suppressing Republicans' influence.
DeleteGreat, straight to the point and contains value able information. I agree with everything written.
DeleteFrom March of 1797 to 1800, a diplomatic scandal arises where Americans were outraged by demands from the French for a bribe as a condition for negotiating with American diplomats that became known as the XYZ Affair. John Adams took presidency in 1797 and inherited several issues from George Washington’s administration, including hostilities between the United States and France that began to escalate in the 1790s. The signing of Jay’s Treaty, which violated of the Treaty of Paris yet averted the threat of war with England, induced angry reactions from both American and European politicians. Democratic-Republicans believed the treaty was a disgraceful surrender to the British. French leaders, meanwhile, viewed it as a union with their enemy, and the violation of the Franco-American Treaty of 1778.
ReplyDeleteIn retaliation to the John Jay’s agreement, the French used forces to plunder more than 300 American ships. To conclude the attacks on American shipping and settle on an agreement with France, Adams appointed three commissioners: Charles Pinckney, John Marshall, and Elbridge Gerry. Upon arriving in Paris in October 1797, the three men experienced a malicious environment. They requested a meeting with the French government. The envoys met three secret agents to relay Talleyrand’s terms of negotiations. The three agents were labeled as X, Y and Z, but later revealed as Baron Jean Hottinguer, Pierre Bellamy, and Lucien Hauteval respectfully. The agents insisted that before any negotiation could begin; they demanded 50,000 pounds of sterling, a $12 million loan from America, a $250,000 personal bribe to the French minister, and a formal apology to the French minister for a comment made by President John Adams. Though bribery was exceptionally common in the eighteenth-century politics, Talleyrands demands were too high for merely a pledge to negotiate. Pinckney spurned the terms.
John Adams accused the France of venturing strife among the citizens of the United States. He states that the French President is disturbing the peace between the people of the United States by uttering that the citizens are not assimilated into the American culture. Adams also accused the France of passing such treaties which prohibited the long-lasting Franco-American alliance to enhance in the future. The Treaty of Amity and Commerce recognized the United States as an independent nation and encouraged trade between France and the America. This treaty, of course, jeopardizes American lives and commerce.
Under coercion from Allen and others, the Federalist congress passed a bill entitled, “an act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States.” More popularly called the Sedition Act. Those opposing the Sedition Act claimed that it was a direct violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution. It also presented an early test case to the citizens and government of the United States. In times of war or imminent danger, how do you balance the need for security with the rights of individuals? How can partisan politics affect the process of shaping security policies? The Sedition Act was signed into law by John Adams proclaiming to stop seditious attacks from weakening the government.
The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were written in secret by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in retaliation to the repressive Alien and Sedition Acts passed in 1798. In the judgment of Jefferson and Madison, the Acts were unjust. They also portrayed a major victory for the Federalists. By writing the Resolutions, Jefferson and Madison spearheaded the protests of those against the Alien and Sedition Acts and those in support of stronger states' rights. Although the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of 1798 and 1799 were not very successful, they were essential because they provided necessary arguments for the supporters of greater states' rights against the proponents of a stronger central government.
Once again the best post I would get the chance to read, you included practically everything that dealt with the subject. Thought I wonder if you would be able to replicate this during the AP exam.
DeleteI really liked how you organized your information also some information about the agents I did not know of and im glad you included it.
DeleteI can really tel that you researched the events greatly before writing your post because your post is filled with lots of information. Did you know that there was a fourth agent. His name was Nicholas Hubbard who later became known as agent W.
DeleteThanks Richard for the information! I did not know there was a fourth agent named W. Utilizing the documents is just as essential as utilizing your background information on a topic. The background information mostly comes from doing the HAT cards which greatly enhances my understanding of a topic. The documents does not mention other conditions that were mentioned by the agents that Americans needed to agree upon. I do not try to merely explain what is stated in the documents. Rather, I use the documents as part of an integrated essay in support of my thesis.
DeleteI like how you presented the information and made it straight forward to understand. The way you arranges your words and made it flow very well.
DeleteSaumil I love that you respond to our comments and critiques. You also go back review and edit, things that are pointed out by your peers. Your post logically flows and always introduces new information that I do not know. Keep up the great work.
DeleteIt was when American and Great Britain established Jay’s Treaty, a treaty that terminates remaining issues between the two, caused the impressment of American merchant ships by the French. To resolve this issue the president at the time, John Adams, sent Charles Pinckney, John Marshall, and Elbridge Gerry to France to negotiation with the French prime minister in July 1797. Though to reach French Foreign Minister Talleyrand the three had to go through three agents named Conrad Hottinguer (x), Pierre Bellamy (Y) and Lucien Hauteval (Z). They demanded a Bride of 250,00 USB or 50,000 pounds. As this was not uncommon in European diplomacy, it was an offence to the Americans. The three Americans sailed back to American and told President Adams about the incident and labeled it the “XYZ Affair”. The XYZ Affair leads to an undeclared Quasi-War from 1798 to 1800, between America and France.
ReplyDeleteAs President Adams receives the information he is enraged because he tried to defuse their conflict but the French did not. Adams accuses the French of disrupting the peace among American citizens by degrading them. Also he accuses the French of ignoring their Franco-American Alliance, this lead President Adams to the conclusion of raising a Navy.
After that occurred The Sedition act was called forth, it banned any criticism that was directed toward the government. To the Democratic-Republicans this act was unconstitutional as it challenged the Bill of Rights. The ones in favor for this Act stated that the “bill is perfectly harmless and contains no provisions whish is not practiced” (page 4, number 10). George Washington favored the Sedition Act as he thought it was actually fair. But Thomas Jefferson had a different view of the Act, he did not like it, he was the leader of the Democratic-Republicans and like other Republicans he thought the Sedition act affected the 1st amendment. This meant that the Sedition Act was unconstitutional and violated the state and citizen’s rights.
As a result, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison wrote two resolutions secretly, The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions; it stated “a nullification of all unjust acts done by the government, as a answer” (page 14). This was to combat the Sedition and Alien Acts establish by John Adams and declared the Sedition and Alien Acts unconstitutional.
It is also important to note that the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were never passed as law and they simply created enough discontent within the states to push the repealing of the Acts. Overall, I liked how you went straight to the point.
DeleteI liked the way you organized you thoughts for everyone to understand. It is also important to mention that the bribe was not the only condition the American agents had to agree upon. There were other conditions such as the $12 million loan from America, and a formal apology to the French minister for a comment made by President John Adams. I enjoyed how you directly used the quotations from the Documents to support your statement.
DeleteThe way the documents are presented is done very well and flows very well. The documents relate to one another as well which is sometimes very hard to do.
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DeleteThank you for researching the names to the men John Adams named X,Y,and Z. I was so curious to know what their actual names were! I find it interesting that George Washington supported the Alien and Sedition Acts; with being a man who served under the Constitution I would have expected his opposition to an act that infringed on the first amendment in the Constitution.
DeleteAlso, Saumil's comment brought new information about the XYZ Affair I did not know before... If I were John Adams I would be pretty upset. All Adams was doing was responding to conflicts with the French peacefully and they decide to be demanding and in a way disrespect America.
Overall, I enjoyed your discussion essay Jonathon! It was a brief and clear understanding of the events of the XYZ Affair and post the conflict.
During the Presidency of John Adams 1797-1801 issues were arising with France. The French were upset because of Jay's Treaty, which was the first peace agreement with England since the Treaty of Paris 1785. This treaty allowed the English to continue fur trade in the Northwestern territories.
ReplyDeleteAs a result, the angered French began attacking American ships. Adams decided to settle the dispute with the french gathering three American diplomats John Marshall, Charles Pinckney, and Elbridge Gerry. These three men traveled to France and met with three french agents, which talked in behave of Charles Maurice de Talleyrand- Perigord the french foreign minister.
These agents were named X, Y, and Z and they demanded a bribe before they talked about treaties with the American diplomats. The bribe was $250.00 but the American diplomats shot the bribe down fast and refused to pay it under any circumstances. The American diplomats traveled back to America and informed the President on the French bribe.The President accused the French of disrupting the peace and violating the Franco-American Alliance. This issue was also known as an undeclared war with France.
Furthermore, President Adams later made the Alien and Sedation Acts of 1798. The Alien Act gave the President the power to expel foreigners. This Act was mainly used against the French because of the XYZ Affair. Now the Sedation Act made it a crime to publish criticism of the government. The Sedation Act later led to the Kentucky and Virginia Resolves made by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. They both believed that the Sedation Act was a violation of the Bill of Rights first Amendment. They argued that the states could nullify a federal law if the state believed it was unconstitutional.
I like how you have explained the x,y,and z event. you failed to mention how George Washington felt about the sedition act.
DeleteI like how you had supporting details on what you were saying and made each point clear.
DeleteI like your response because it flowed and ha many significant factual information
DeleteThe XYZ Affair began with the French attacking American ships as a response to their dislike for Jay's Treaty. When the American went to try and resolve the issue, they were greeted by three French agents that told them the French would not negotiate until a bribe was paid.
ReplyDeleteJohn Adams decided the America would not be paying the bribe and accused France of "attempting to cause dissension among the citizens of the United States". He believed that they were trying to create a separation between the people and the United States Government.
Adams also accused France of deciding to ignore the Treaty of Amity and Commerce of 1778. He states that it is his "sincere desire" to have peace and friendship with all the nations, but then goes on to ask for military build-up.
Although he was warning of war, he ended up having more of a "War of Words" if anything. Eventually, John Adams passed the Sedition Act, in order to prevent people from printing any criticisms about the United States Government and the decisions he was making. This act seemed to come about because in America at the time were the political parties of the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. The Democratic-Republicans supported the French and were in favor of them, so he wanted to make sure they weren't spreading anything that could bring about separation and create problems. When the Sedition Act was created there were supporters and there were people who were against it.
On one hand, there was George Washington who believed that the Sedition Act made sense and was a logical and fair decision. Thomas Jefferson, on the other hand, felt that the Sedition Act was unconstitutional. Jefferson realized that the Sedition Act went directly against the First Amendment. Eventually, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison wrote the Kentucky and Virginia Resolves. This argued that states could nullify a federal law if the state believed it to be unconstitutional.
I like the quotes you picked from the documents. The quotes and SFI supported the flow of your response, however, I don't agree with your interpretation of the Sedition Act. I think it was less about maintaining the reputation of Adams and more about suppressing Republicans' influence.
DeleteI enjoyed how you were straight to the point, and how your response flowed. I like how you went back to the articles and used quotes from the documents.
DeleteThe French were angered by Jay’s Treaty, which was the first peace agreement with England since the treaty of Paris in 1785. The French government gave an order to seize American ships. The French captured over three hundred ships. In response, John Adams sent delegates to negotiate peace with France. The delegates were Elbridge Gemy, Charles Pinckney, and John Marshal. When they arrive in France, were not allowed to meet the French minister, Marquis de Talleyrand, but instead met with three French men who worked for the ministers, who were named Hottinguer, Bellamy, and Heuteval. These three men are later known as X,Y,and Z to the Americans. The three men told the delegates that in order to be even considered to meet with the minister, that they had to pay a personal fine of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The delegates returned, and reported to president John Adams. They were all outrageous with the French and wanted to prepare for war.
ReplyDeletePresident Adams was angry. He accused the French government of trying to separate and divide the United States by stating that the U.S. government had different views than their citizens. The French government passed an order that contradicted the Treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1798. France used this an excuse to improve its militia and navy. The building up of the military in both France and the United States became known as the Quasi war, an undeclared war between the two.
The Sedition Act was passed in 1798 by congress. The act banned any publication that criticized the government. Those who were against the Sedition act argues that it went against the bill of rights. Spectators of the act stated that the government had the right to protect its self from any harm. This particular group used the elastic clause to defend themselves.
George Washington was fine with the act. He made it seem like he did not really had an interest in it. He stated that it was meant for the French and that it would have no effect on U.S. citizens. Thomas Jefferson on the other hand had a completely different view. He did not like it. Jefferson wrote to Madison that the act makes certain aspects illegal. They were violation the first amendment. It was the government’s way of not caring about the constitution.
Together Thomas Jefferson and James Madison made it their goal to find a solution. Together they wrote the Kentucky and Virginia resolves. Jefferson wrote Kentucky while Madison wrote Virginia. It stated that the sedition acts were unconstitutional, and the states have the power to say if it is unconstitutional or not.
Flowed well you used value able information from the excerpts I really liked your blog.
DeleteThe French and British were not in good terms and America just signed a treaty with England. France is angered with this act. The French get angered much more when the US did not aid France with their revolutions and from that many US ships were impressed. From there, three French agents held US sailors hostage and demanded money. That lead to the Alien and Sedation Acts which had many mixed feelings.
ReplyDeleteThe United States Revolution was funded and helped fought by the French. With that help, the United States won independence from Britain. When the French later ask for American assistance for their revolution, the American Government refused to get involved. The French got mad and started to impress US ships and then the XYZ affair happened which angered President Adams.
President Adam then started to try to negotiate with the French, but when it turned sour the Alien and Sedation acts were passed. It would give the government the power to jail anyone who says anything negative about the government and its policy. It was seen by George Washington as not having an effect on the way government is ran so it wouldn't change anything.
Thomas Jefferson had a completly different view from the others, seeing the act being unconstitutional, going against the first amendement. Jefferson then talked to James Madison and made the Virginia and Kentucky Resolution. It would give states the right to nullify laws that seems unconstitutional.
I like how your information flows and you get right to the point!
DeleteJay’s Treaty was the first peace agreement with England. The treaty sought to settle issues between both countries that had been left unresolved since American independence. The French were angered by Jay’s treaty, so they sent an order to seize American ships. In hope to settle the dispute John Adams sent delegates to negotiate with France. The delegates were not allowed to meet with the French minister instead with men who worked for the French minister, these men are later known as X, Y, Z. The men who worked for the French minister told the delegates that in order to meet with the minister they had to pay a 250,000 dollar fine. Angered by the news, John Adams was prepared for a war. President Adams accused the French of trying to break the unity of the United States. France used this as an excuse to improve its militia and navy.
ReplyDeleteIn 1798 the Sedition acts were passed banning any publication that criticized the government. This caused uproar because many people thought that it went against their rights.
Thomas Jefferson was completely against the act, he believed that it was depriving people of their rights, he went on to say how it was violating the first amendment.
Following the Sedition Acts the Kentucky & Virginia resolves were written by Madison and Jefferson in hope to find a resolution, both Madison and Jefferson went on to say that the Sedition acts were unconstitutional and that the people had the right to say what they felt about the government.
I am amazed at the amount of background information that you put into your submission. I also notice your specificity regarding minute details.
DeleteDuring the Presidency of President Adams, he accused the French government of trying to start controversy in the country. This was a caused by the XYZ Affair, which diplomats from the United States and the French meet to discuss their friendship. The French government ordered the United States to pay a bribe in order to remain alliances. This angered President John Adams, and the citizens of the US. The citizens believed the US needed to go to war against France but President Adams disagreed. This caused the creation of the Alien and Sedition Acts. The Alien and Sedition Acts lengthened the residency requirement for citizenship from five to fourteen years, allowed the president to expel aliens in wartime, authorized to deport and imprison all aliens who were considered dangerous, and prohibited anti-government activities. The Alien and Sedition Acts effectively silenced the Democratic Republicans but further angered the people, because they believed the acts went against the Bill of Rights. Many citizens began to turn away from the Federalist and turn toward Thomas Jefferson and the Democratic-Republican Party.
ReplyDeleteThomas Jefferson and James Madison created resolutions to the acts. The resolutions, known as the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, argued that all powers, not specially granted to the United States government, to be granted to the state governments or the people.
I like how you summarized your points. You identified how one event correlated to the next. Which is important when answering the specific questions that were given. You made your post short and straight to the point.
ReplyDeleteThe XYZ affair and Sedition Act caused more conflict between France and the U.S. The XYZ Affair humiliated the U.S and it was a weak point in the community. The XYZ Affair involved the French basically asking for a bribe from the U.S. The Sedition Act stated that if anyone were to try to conspire against the government, they would be tried.
ReplyDeleteGeorge and Jefferson were against the act. George felt that the Act was pressuring re people to have one view f the government. George says that the law would torture and disturb the public mind. Jefferson thinks that the people who pass the Acts have no respect for the Constitution.
The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. Take place of the Sedition Acts. It declared that the government only has power though the states and was passed at the last session of Congress. Without the Alien and Sedition Acts there would now have been the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions.
I really like and appreciate the length of your submission. I also like how it is reader friendly if I didn't have any knowledge of the subject before hand.
DeleteIn response to the XYZ Affair, President Adams accused France of attempting to cause dissension among the citizens of the United States. The President of France reacted by saying that the interests of the citizens of America were not protected by their leaders. President Adams also accused France of ignoring a significant part of a treaty of friendship and commerce purposely. He was referring to the Treaty of Amity and Commerce.
ReplyDeleteArguments in favor of the passing of the Sedition Acts were that some states were already implementing it and that every government has a right to preserve and defend itself against injuries and outrages which endanger its existence. Washington was neutral on the sedition acts and agreed to the alien act. Jefferson did not agree with the sedition acts because he believed that it contradicted the 1st amendment of the constitution.
The Kentucky and Virginia Resolution were written by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions were written in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts. In a nutshell it said that states have the final say so when wondering if a law is suitable for that particular state and its inhabitants.
The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions did not necessarily say that the states could decide whether or not a law was "suitable" for the particular state. However the did suggest that the state could determine whether or not a law was constitutional, and from that point, if the law is deemed unconstitutional, the state can decide to nullify the law.
DeletePresident John Adams (1797 – 1801) experienced much conflict between parties and foreign nations during his term. The Federalists and Democratic-Republicans were budding heads over foreign relations and state vs government rights. However, one incident between France and America would trigger all the tension and chaos, the XYZ Affair.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Jay’s Treaty, creating peace between America and Britain, the French outrages began to seize American merchant ships and impress American sailors. These actions leading to President Adams sending three American diplomats: Elbridge Gerry, Charles Pinckney, and John Marshall to make peace with the French Foreign Minister, Talleyrand. Although, when they arrived they were greeted by three French agents whom Adams referred to as X, Y, and Z. The French agents, Jean Hottinguer (X), Pierre Bellamy (Y), and Lucien Hauteval (Z), demanded a bride from the pro-French diplomats of $250,000 dollars for them to negotiate with Talleyrand. This resulting in the American diplomats returning home and explaining to Talleyrand what had happened. Adams feeling disrespected and fierce at the French released the happenings of the XYZ Affair (which he named the event) without hesitation.
The Democratic-Republicans were taken by surprise when they heard of the negotiation. The Federalist Party would use this event as a way to silence the Democratic-Republicans and other French supporters. Adams had accusations that the French government was attempting to cripple American unity, commerce, and people when the Franco-American Alliance of 1778 was signed. In result, John Adams would add the US Navy to the president’s cabinet, adding to the US military force and France would do the same. This time is known as the undeclared Quasi-War.
The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 would be passed after the XYZ Affair by John Adams in defense of France interference in America. The acts, approved by George Washington, would raise the residence requirement for American citizenship, give the president the right to deport and anyone who is not a citizen, permit the president during times of war to jail non-citizens, and restrict the press from publishing criticism of the government and government officials. The acts would remain in place until the inauguration of another president and marked one of the worst decisions of Adams Presidency (although he would be applauded for staying somewhat civilized and not declaring war). The Alien and Sedition Acts clearly violated the Constitution, and the first amendment at that, which got our lovely strict interpreters of the Constitution panties in a twist; leading to further tension between the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.
James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, figure heads of the Democratic-Republican Party would write the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions in resistance to the acts. The resolutions theorized that states have the right to nullify law they felt unconstitutional. Of course, Virginia and Kentucky would be the only states to vote for this ability for states to make a law invalid. Although, the resolutions would stir up the problem throughout history not resolved by the Constitution; who should have more power states or government?.
You presented lots of new information about the XYZ Affairs, Alien and Sedition Acts, and the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, that I did not know. You also made this post your own by adding your opinions about each event.
DeleteComing into office, John Adams, the second United States president, knew of the escalating affair between England and France, however he planned to stay neutral as advised by George Washington in his farewell address.
ReplyDeleteIn 1794, John Adams sent John Jay to negotiate peace with England due to several months of them capturing American ships and impressing the American sailors on board. This treaty is known as Jay’s Treaty and was the first treaty to be signed after the Treaty of Paris in 1783, where England recognized the American Colonies as an independent nation, ending the Revolutionary War.
After the signing of Jay’s treaty, France became envious and suspected that America was favoring England. To get the United States’ attention, France also began seizing American ships and impressing their sailors. In response to French actions, John Adams sent three American diplomats to negotiate with French Prime Minister, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand. However, once arriving in France, the American diplomats were met by three French agents, Jean Hottinguer, Pierre Bellamy, and Lucien Hauteval who demanded a bribe of 250,000 dollars and 12 million dollar loan for France before speaking to Talleyrand. Negotiations for peace between the two nations fell through.
Upon returning home, the diplomats told John Adams about the bribe. President Adams saw this as his chance to embarrass his opposing pro-French political party, the Democratic-Republicans. He spoke about the French’s controversial actions to the public and referred to the three agents as, XYZ, causing the event in time to be known as the XYZ Affairs. John Adams also accused France for “attempting to cause dissension among the citizens of the United States.”
Following the XYZ Affairs, John Adams also passed the Alien and Sedition acts. Both the Alien and Sedition Act were very controversial in congress and between common citizens. The Alien Act increased the time the length of time and immigrant had to reside in America before become a US citizen, the act also enabled the immigrant to be deported by the president at any given time. The more controversial act of the two was the Sedition Act which made it illegal to publish defamatory statements about the federal government or its officials. Many believed this Act violate their 1st amendment right of freedom of speech and press.
Concerning the Alien and Sedition Acts, George Washington was indifferent, however former Secretary of State and founder of the Democratic-Republican, Thomas Jefferson was angered by this Act, declaring it unconstitutional. To retaliate this Act, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison wrote the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions, which stated that if states found federal laws unconstitutional, they had the right to nullify those laws. This document would address the idea of who had more power, the state or national government. This argument would be settled year later during the Civil War.
During John adams presidency, America appeared to be having issues with France. France was outraged about Jay’s Treaty signed between America and Britain. France believed America favored Britain. In response France began impressing American ships. To settle disputes with France, John Adams sent American Agents to enter a treaty with France. The French diplomats demanded a bribe in order to negotiate a treaty. Adams accused France of “attempting to cause dissension among the citizens of the United States”. Adams used to event of the XYZ Affair to embarrass the Republicans by announcing to the nation France’s behavior.
ReplyDeleteAfter the XYZ Affair, President Adams passed the Alien and Sedition Acts. The Acts made it illegal to interfere with the work of the government, to write anything scandalous about the government, and gave the president the right to expel foreigners. Washington was open-minded when it came to the Acts. However, Jefferson disagreed with the Acts.
Jefferson opposition to the Alien and Sedition Acts led to the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison argued that the Sedition Acts violated the first amendment and that the government had no right to exercise a power not specifically given in the constitution. The Resolutions stated the states have the right to nullify a federal law they deem to be unconstitutional.
France causing dissension among the citizens of the United States was a major accusation made by President Adams, but it was not the only one. Remember that President Adams also accused France of insulting the United Stated and violating a significant part of the Treaty and Amity and Commerce of 1778 with the XYZ Affair and the impressment of American ships.
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ReplyDeleteThe occurrence of the XYZ Affair greatly offended President Adams. He took this event as a very hard blow and decided to treat it as a threat. He claimed that because France insulted the United States by asking for a bribe to speak to their prime minister, they must have secretly decided to ignore a very important part of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce of 1778. Adams also believed that the French government was attempting to separate the citizens of the United States from each other and their government. France causing dissention in the United States had potential to destroy the U.S. as it was still a very new country at the time, so Adams immediately sought out a plan of military defense.
ReplyDeleteArguments that were in favor of the passage of the Sedition Acts by Congress came from many members of Congress, however the arguments of three of them stood out to me the most. Mr. Thatcher, Mr. W Claiborne, and Mr. Otis all had very strong arguments. Mr. Thatcher’s argument was, “If a judge was to pronounce judgment in a case, and the person upon whom it was passed were to come to him and threaten to shoot him, or to burn his house, if he suffered the sentence to be executed, would it be a breach of the Constitution to pass a law to punish him?” Mr. Thatcher’s argument provides the point that if a civilian chose to threaten the livelihood of a government official then it is the job of the Constitution to protect that government official. Mr. Otis essentially says the same thing as Mr. Hatcher, however he is referring to the government as a whole rather than individual government officials. Mr. Otis’s argument was, “The present bill is perfectly harmless and contains no provisions which is not practiced…. Under the laws of… several states… Every independent government has a right to preserve and defend itself against injuries and outrages which endanger its existence; for, unless it has this power, it is unworthy of the name of a free Government and must either fall or be subordinate to some other protection.” Two of Mr. Otis’s other arguments, “Unlawful combinations of to oppose the measures of the Government, to intimidate its officer, and to excite insurrections, are acts which tend directly to the destruction of the Constitution, and there can be no doubt that the guardians of that Constitution are bound to provide against them.” and “The National Government is invested with a power to protect itself against outrage of this kind, or it must be indebted to and dependent on an individual state for its protection, which is absurd.”, both follow the same lines as his first argument. However, they refer directly to the protection of the Constitution rather than the establishment of the government. Mr. W Claiborne backed these arguments by basically saying that it could do no harm to pass the Sedition Act as it was appropriate for the time. His argument was “Prosecutions of this kind have very rarely happened; in some of the States, a cause of this kind has never been tried… The age, however, seems now to be at hand, when they may be expected to increase, and I believe such a provision proper to prevent any misunderstanding on the subject….”
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison wrote the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions to convince the states that the Alien and Sedition Acts were unconstitutional. The Resolutions argued that states had the right and the duty to declare unconstitutional any acts of Congress that were not authorized by the Constitution. The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions presented the concepts of nullification and the states right to nullify unconstitutional congressional laws.