Question Home

Position:Home>History> What is the neutrality proclamation of 1793?


Question: What is the neutrality proclamation of 1793!?
i need as much detail about this as possible!. can someone help!? thanks!Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
This link, and the attached text version of the proclamation, explain this pretty well!.

In short, the USA was in a bad spot!. Many of our business interests were with the British!. The economic connections with the UK were restored quite soon after the Treaty of 1783!. However, without the help of the French, from Lafayette, de Grasse, and Rochambeau in particular, we might well have lost the fight for independence!.

So, we have a moral obligation, even a treaty obligation (with the now deposed King) to the French, but many of our merchants depend on British markets for their income, and even the exports from our farmers in the south depend on overseas markets, we can't afford to alienate any of our customers!.

So, over the objections of the cabinet and some members of Congress, President Washington chose to steer a middle course!. He forbids any sale of material which could be used for war to any of the belligerents, so named in the proclamation, and furthermore refuses to extend the protection of the United States to any citizen who has been seized by a belligerent power for taking actions against them so as to aid their adversary!. In short, if a US citizen were taken prisoner on a French vessel, after having fired upon a British vessel in a combat action, the US embassy in London would not offer its protection to that citizen!. If an American wanted to put a mapleleaf in his cap and join the French, he would be on his own!. Www@QuestionHome@Com