George Washington to Gouverneur Morris regarding the French revolution and the death of his nephew - American History 1493-1945 - Adam Matthew Digital

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Field name	Value
Collection Reference Number	GLC00494
From Archive Folder	Documents Relating to 1793
Title	George Washington to Gouverneur Morris regarding the French revolution and the death of his nephew
Date	25 March 1793
Author	Washington, George (1732-1799)
Recipient	Morris, Gouverneur
Document Type	Correspondence
Content Description	Discusses his non-involvement in foreign affairs. The death that called Washington to Mount Vernon was that of his nephew, George Augustus Washington, who died of tuberculosis.
Subjects	President Global History and Civics France Neutrality Military History Government and Civics Death Children and Family Health and Medical Disease French Revolution Mount Vernon
People	Washington, George (1732-1799)
Place written	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Theme	The Presidency; Foreign Affairs; Government & Politics; Children & Family
Sub-collection	The Gilder Lehrman Collection, 1493-1859
Additional Information	On July 14, 1789, 20,000 French men and women stormed the Bastille marking the beginning of the French Revolution. For three years, France experimented with a constitutional monarchy. But in 1792, Austria and Prussia invaded France and French revolutionaries responded by deposing King Louis XVI, placing him on trial, and executing him. A general war erupted in Europe pitting revolutionary France against a coalition of monarchies, led by Britain. With two brief interruptions, this war lasted 23 years. Many Americans reacted enthusiastically to the overthrow of the king and the creation of a French republic. France appeared to have joined America in a historical struggle against royal absolutism and aristocratic privilege. More cautious gentlemen, however, expressed horror; they viewed the French Revolution as an assault against property and Christianity. Washington believed that involvement in the European war would weaken the new nation before it firmly established its own independence. The President, however, faced a problem. During the American Revolution, the United States had signed an alliance with France and had won independence as a result of French aid. Washington took the position that while the United States would continue to repay its war debts to France, it would refrain from supporting the French republic. In April 1793 he issued a proclamation of neutrality stating that the "conduct" of the United States would be "friendly and impartial toward the belligerent parties." 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 Philadelphia, March 25 1793. (Private) My dear Sir, It was not till the middle of February that I had the pleasure to receive your letter of the 23d. of October. If you, who are at the fountain head of those great and important transactions which have lately engrossed the attention of Europe & America, cannot pretend to say what will be their [event] - surely we, in this distant quarter, should be presumptious indeed, in venturing to predict it. - And unwise should we be in the extreme to involve ourselves in the contests of European Nations, where our weight could be but small - tho' the loss to ourselves would be certain. - I can however with truth aver, that this Country is not guided by such narrow and mistaken policy as will lead it to wish the destruction of any nation, under an idea that our importance [2] will be encreased in proportion as that of others is lessened. - We should rejoice to see every nation enjoying all the advantages that nature & its circumstances wd. admit, consistent with civil liberty and the rights of other nations. - Upon this ground the prosperity of this Country wd. unfold itself every day - and every day would it be growing in political importance. Mr. Jefferson will communicate to you such official information as we have to give, & will transmit the Laws - public papers &ca. I have thought it best, my dear Sir, not to let slip this opportunity of acknowledging the receipt of your Letter lest no other should occur to me very soon - as I am called to Mount Vernon by the death of my Nephew, Major Washington, and am on the point of setting out for that place (tomorrow). I need not tell you that this is of course, a very busy moment with me. It will therefore account for the conciseness of this letter by which however you must not measure my regard. [3] You see me again entering upon the arduous duties of an important Office. It is done so contrary to my intention, that it would require more time than I have allowed to myself, to assign the reasons; and therefore, I shall leave them to your own suggestion - aided by the publications which you will find in the Gazettes. I am always Your sincere friend & Affecte. Servant Go: Washington Gouvr. Morris Esqr.

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