“Tis our policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.” - Washington's Farewell Address; Sept. 19, 1796
In this essay, I am attempting to look at one of our country's great documents, George Washington's Farewell Address, and evaluate how well subsequent presidents up to 1850 followed his foreign policy guidance. Washington believed the United States should exercise “good faith and justice towards all nations” (Washington's Farewell Address) because religion and morality say so. According to Washington, “nothing is more essential than that permanent, inveterate antipathies against particular nations and passionate attachments for others should be excluded, and that in place of them just and amicable feelings towards all should be cultivated.” (Farewell Address) He also believed “the great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is, in extending our commercial relations to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop.” (Farewell Address)
John Adams was the second president of the United States. He was a good president and a skilled politician. He tried his best to follow the advice of President Washington, but was unable to avoid the country splitting into political parties. He refused to make an alliance with the new Republic of France, because he was a Federalist and didn't approve of what was happening in the country. Never the less, he still did an excellent job of fulfilling Washington's request. The next President in line was Thomas Jefferson. According to whitehouse.gov, Jefferson was born in 1743 in Albemarle County, Virginia. He was an avid Republican, and supported the Republic of France whole-heartedly during his term in office. He didn't follow Washington's advice very well at all. He caused more division of the country with his die-hard Republicanism. These two presidents were complete opposites. One was strictly against any alliance with France; one was a strong supporter of the new republic. One was a strong believer in a central government, the other an advocate for people rule.
James Madison attempted valiantly to adhere to Washington's instructions. He was elected during the time of Napoleon, and France was constantly at war with Britain. Madison at first kept to President Washington's policies by refusing to take sides in the wars of Europe. But unfortunately, the constant impressments of American sailors into the British and French fleets demanded that he take some kind of preventive action. He was able to obtain permission from Congress to trade with both nations at war, therefore allowing him to offer an incentive for one of the two nations to be the first to stop seizing American vessels. He proclaimed that he would grant exclusive trade rights with America to the first nation that completely ceased their seizers. France pretended to give in, because America had the ability to supply good that many other countries didn't have the capabilities to produce. Britain continued to seize American vessels, and the American war hawks pushed Madison to go to war against Britain. The new country was not even close to ready for another war, and they were defeated in battle after battle against the British army. However according to whitehouse.gov, “a few notable victories, climaxed by Gen. Andrew Jackson's victory at New Orleans, convinced the American people that the war had been a glorious success.” The war was a great victory for America, and boosted the morale of the people as they, yet again, defeated arguably the most powerful country in the world at that period. Madison was unable to follow the orders of the first President, but his term was a successful one none-the-less. James Monroe was an excellent follower of Washington's teachings. He appointed both a Federalist (John Quincy Adams) and a Republican war hawk (John C. Calhoun) to prominent positions in his cabinet, had no wars during his term, and stood against European colonization of the Americas. He was an excellent President, and even though America experienced a few problems under his first term, he had almost no Federalist opposition when it came time to vote again. John Quincy Adams was a very divisive force. He was adamantly against all republics, and didn't actually win the office by having the highest amount of the people's votes, but rather bought the Presidency from Henry Clay in exchange for a position as the new Secretary of State.
Andrew Jackson was the first President to completely and perfectly respect all of President Washington's pieces of advice. During his reign, he was able to obtain the support of almost all of the main population of the United States. He had no wars during his Presidency, and made no alliances with other countries. He was involved in duels frequently, however, and the Federalists used this against him. It did not hinder him from becoming President though, because he was the first President who had come from nothing, and who could relate to the average citizens of the United States.
Martin Van Buren was one of the better Presidents. He avoided war at all costs and refused to become entangled with treaties and alliances with other nations. He was a good President, but once again, the problem of political factions was not overcome. The next President, Henry Harrison, was portrayed as a backwoods Indian hunter who loved nothing more than a glass of spiked cider. This made problems for Van Buren, as it was in stark contrast to his champagne-drinking, aristocratic ways. Harrison was elected to the office of President, but had no chance to do anything, as he died during his first two months in office. He became the first President ever to die while holding office.
I think that all of the Presidents did a fair job of following the advice that President Washington had laid down for them, but some were certainly far more affluent at it than others. Some were exceptional Presidents without following the advice; others were terrible while following it. In my opinion, the country would have been able to run far more efficiently if it had not split into political parties, but that was an inescapable outcome of having a free, election-based country. I also believe Washington was wrong when he stated that our new country wasn't quite prepared for another war, and my opinion has a good basis in fact if one researches the battle of New Orleans. Our leadership certainly knew what they were doing then, and I think that is the case for all of these Presidents.
