This incident is a lucid manifestation of Washington's.
ample efforts to avoid war. Genet had copiously essayed to obtain American support in.
the French Revolution, and in accordance with America's foreign policy, Washington.
vehemently resisted any involvement in war. In an attempt to deplete the threat of.
Americans supporting the French, he avowed that Genet would be expelled. .
Washington's reaction to this controversy verified his foreign policy by showing that he.
was willing to avoid war at all costs, even if alliances were broken and foreign relations.
were damaged. .
In addition to Washington's response to the Genet affair, he further strived to.
avert involvement in war by signing the Jay Treaty. This treaty was written to prevent.
war with Britain, but concurrently it strained America's relationship with France by.
going against their alliance. The provisions made under this treaty did not benefit.
America whatsoever. Under the Jay Treaty, the British agreed to evacuate the posts in.
the west, promised to compensate American ship owners for seizures in the West Indies.
and vowed to open up their colonies in Asia to American ships. The US, however,.
refused to accept it, because a provision opening the British West Indies to American.
trade was so obstructed with credentials that limited the size of American vessels and the.
types of goods allowed. This treaty was embarrassing because most of what the US had.
gained was already legally theirs. Furthermore, the treaty relinquished important.
principles to a nation dependent upon foreign commerce. Many democratic Americans.
felt that this treaty made the United States appear to be selling out to Britain. Despite the.
negative aspects of the treaty, Washington believed that it was valuable for the United.
States. It augmented the indication that Washington would go to great lengths to avoid.
war, specifically humiliating the US and further maligning relations with France.
