Beginning in 1793 Britain and France issued a series of conflicting decrees that left American ships and cargoes vulnerable to seizure. New England’s merchant marine was the most severely affected, although the ports of New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Charleston were also involved. The British Navy, desperate for sailors, flagrantly impressed Americans into service against the French.
Britain declared a blockade of France in 1793 including the seizure of neutral ships trading in the French West Indies. American vessels were the principal carriers of this trade. It crippled America’s merchant marine. The order was clandestine until December 1793, allowing British ships and privateers to seize about 250 unarmed and uninformed American ships.[1]
Washington strove to maintain neutrality, but it was difficult in the face of America’s trading relationships. Demand for American agricultural products boomed in the Caribbean and Europe. The demand brought new risks. Both the French and the English preyed upon American merchants delivering grain and beef. A string of bad harvests in Europe during the wars increased demand. Trade was so lucrative that it encouraged merchants to risk seizure of their ships. In addition, in Europe, large armies in the field diverted local agricultural production to large armies in the field increasing demand and profitability for American exports.
By 1794, American mercantile vessels experienced regular harassment from the English, the French and the Barbary Pirates. The Portuguese had protected American ships from depredation by the corsairs off the Barbary Coast. Then the British persuaded the Portuguese to sign a peace treaty with Algeria, leaving American vessels unprotected.
Throughout the 1790s, Federalists and Democratic-Republicans feuded over how to handle foreign affairs. New England’s ship owners were primarily Federalists. Along with other Federalists, they blamed the French, and expected that Britain would protect the United States. Democratic–Republicans found fault with the British and supported the French Revolution. This newly emerging party feared that any rapprochement with the British strengthened the Federalists.
James Madison (1751-1836) was instrumental in organizing a new party, the Democratic-Republicans, and mounting an attack against the British alleging they had allied with the Barbary pirates and were meddling with Native Americans in the West, encouraging them to go to war.
James Madison, the Democratic-Republican leader in the House of Representatives, advocated retaliation against the British. He proposed duties on British merchandise and shipping to encourage American manufactures and the merchant marine, putting an end to America’s dependence on British trade and British banks.[2] Madison and his party alleged that the British formed an alliance with the Barbary Pirates.
TRANSITION TO PUBLISHER | Carey Advocated an American Navy
[1] Carter, “Political Activities of Mathew Carey,” 208.
[2] Madison advocated retaliation in a document entitled “Commercial Propositions.” Carter, “Political Activities of Mathew Carey,” 208.