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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC02862 |
| From Archive Folder | Documents Relating to 1794 |
| Title | George Washington to Henry Knox regarding Edmond-Charles Genêt |
| Date | 15 February 1794 |
| Author | Washington, George (1732-1799) |
| Recipient | Knox, Henry |
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Content Description | Marked private. Washington as President to Knox as Secretary of War. John Jay, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and Rufus King, a Senator from New York, wrote a newspaper article they uncharacteristically signed with their own names decrying the actions of Edmond-Charles Genêt, the French Minister to America. Genêt was trying to outfit privateers to support the French revolutionary government, and Washington refused to support this breach of neutrality. Genêt threatened to go over Washington's head to the American public, which had given Genêt a warm welcome. Jay and King published this threat in their article, sparking an anti-French backlash. Washington attempted to act even-handedly, which offended Jay and King, who saw Genêt as a real threat. They sent an angry letter to Washington, which he references in this letter to Knox. Washington asks Knox to be the go-between. Knox's efforts led to a reconciliation, and the offensive letters were burned. |
| Subjects | President Government and Civics Journalism France Supreme Court Diplomacy Global History and Civics French Revolution Privateering Neutrality |
| People | Washington, George (1732-1799) Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Jay, John (1745-1829) King, Rufus (1755-1827) Genêt, Edmond Charles Édouard (1763-1834) |
| Place written | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Theme | The Presidency; Government & Politics; Foreign Affairs |
| Sub-collection | The Gilder Lehrman Collection, 1493-1859 |
| Additional Information | Signer of the U.S. Constitution. |
| Copyright | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History |
| Module | Settlement, Commerce, Revolution and Reform: 1493-1859 |
| Transcript | Show/hide |