THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY: UNITY AND DISUNITY, 1783-88

This study is a comparative analysis of the foreign policy views of seven key Founding Fathers (Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Adams, Jay, Madison, and Monroe) from 1783 to 1788. It examines areas of unity on broad aspects of foreign policy and areas of disunity on specific problems confronting the United States. The work is based on an analysis of the views expressed and the policies advocated by these Founding Fathers in their official and private papers. Traditionally, the Founding Fathers are described as being unified in their foreign policy views during the 1780s. But previous works have not examined the views of these seven during the years 1783 to 1788 in a comparative way, especially in regard to specific problems facing the nation. These seven Founding Fathers, who dominated the key policymaking positions of the national government during the nation's first forty years, shared similar political experiences during the early years of their public lives and became close acquaintances. They also shared common views toward the American Revolution and toward broad foreign policy problems confronting the nation. They believed that commerce was economically and politically important to the nation, that a stronger central government was essential to conteract European commercial policies, and that commerce could be used as an instrument of diplomacy to influence other nations in their relations with the United States. But agreement on these broad aspects of foreign policy did not ensure that there would be unity on how to deal with specific issues facing the nation. For example, they divided sharply over the direction American commerce should take: Hamilton, Jay, and Adams favored strong commercial ties with Britain, while Jefferson, Washington, Monroe, and Madison preferred a stronger commercial connection with France. The seizure of American ships and seamen by the Barbary pirates was another problem that split these Founding Fathers. Jefferson and Jay urged an aggressive policy against the pirates, including war and the use of economic sanctions to counter the attacks. Adams favored the use of bribes and gifts, while the others saw little the United States could do as long as the central government did not have the power to implement an effective policy. These Founding Fathers also expressed a wide divergence of opinions on American navigational rights to the Mississippi River. Jay wanted to forgo temporarily American rights to navigate the river in exchange for commercial and political concessions from Spain. He received strong support from Washington and Hamilton, moderate opposition from Jefferson, and strong opposition from Monroe and Madison. Political and economic factors influenced the opinions of these Founding Fathers. For example, Washington favored the development of inland navigation as the best way to unite the West to the East. Jefferson recognized the importance of inland navigation but was more sensitive to western interests and thought the West might secede over the issue. Madison believed western rights to the Mississippi had to be secured to preserve national unity. Monroe feared that a long delay in opening the Mississippi to the West could cause westerners to separate from the Confederation and thus weaken the political power of the South. The disunity among these Founding Fathers over foreign policy issues played an important part in the formation of two distinct groups that eventually evolved into two political parties. Further, the opinions expressed by these seven during the 1780s helps to explain their future actions and provides a better understanding of the positions they took later in their public careers.