Editing James Monroe (section)

===Minister to France===
[[File:James Monroe (1758-1831).jpg|thumb|right|upright|The earliest preserved portrait of James Monroe as Minister Plenipotentiary to France in 1794]]

As the 1790s progressed, the [[French Revolutionary Wars]] came to dominate U.S. foreign policy, with the British and French navies both interfering with U.S. trade with Europe. Like most other Jeffersonians, Monroe supported the [[French Revolution]], but Hamilton's followers tended to sympathize more with Britain. In 1794, hoping to find a way to avoid war with both countries, Washington appointed Monroe as his [[United States Ambassador to France|minister (ambassador) to France]], after Madison and [[Robert R. Livingston]] had declined the offer.<ref name=":4">{{Harvnb|Hart|2005|pp=26–30}}</ref> At the same time, he appointed the Anglophile Federalist [[John Jay]] as his [[United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom|minister to Britain]].<ref>{{harvnb|Unger|2009|pp=94–104}}</ref> Monroe took this position at a difficult time: America's negotiating position was made considerably more difficult by its lack of military strength. In addition, the conflict between Paris and London in America intensified the confrontation between the Anglophile Federalists and the Francophile Republicans. While the Federalists were basically only aiming for independence from Great Britain, the Republicans wanted a revolutionary new form of government, which is why they strongly sympathized with the First French Republic.<ref name=":4" />

After arriving in France, Monroe addressed the [[National Convention]], receiving a standing ovation for his speech celebrating [[republicanism]]. Monroe's passionate and friendly message of greeting at the inaugural ceremony before the National Convention was later criticized by Jay for its sentimentality, and Washington viewed the speech as "not well devised" in terms of venue and in light of American neutrality in the First Coalition War.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hart|2005|p=31}}</ref> Monroe experienced several early diplomatic successes, including the protection of U.S. trade from French attacks. In February 1795, Monroe used his influence to secure the release of all American citizens imprisoned since the French Revolution and [[Adrienne de La Fayette]], the wife of the Marquis de Lafayette. He had already secured the release of [[Thomas Paine]] in July 1794 and took him in, but when Paine worked on a diatribe against Washington despite Monroe's objections, they parted ways in the spring of 1796.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ammon|1971|pp=135–137}}</ref>

Months after Monroe arrived in France, the U.S. and Great Britain concluded the [[Jay Treaty]], outraging both the French and Monroe—not fully informed about the treaty prior to its publication. Despite the undesirable effects of the Jay Treaty on Franco-American relations, Monroe won French support for U.S. navigational rights on the [[Mississippi River]]—the mouth of which was controlled by [[Spain]]—and in 1795 the U.S. and Spain signed [[Pinckney's Treaty]]. The treaty granted the U.S. limited rights to use the port of [[New Orleans]].{{sfn|Hart|2005|pp=29–34}}

Immediately after [[Timothy Pickering]] succeeded Secretary of State [[Edmund Randolph]], who had been the only Francophile member of Washington's cabinet, in December 1795, he worked to dismiss Monroe. In 1796, Monroe sent a dispatch summarizing his response to French complaints of the Jay Treaty, but it was incomplete and did not include the French note or Monroe's written response. Pickering saw this as a sign of Monroe's unsuitability and, together with Hamilton, persuaded Washington to replace Monroe as ambassador.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ammon|1971|pp=151–153}}</ref> Washington decided Monroe was inefficient, disruptive, and failed to safeguard the national interest. He recalled Monroe in November 1796, the letter of dismissal being deliberately delayed in order to prevent his return before the presidential election.<ref>Herbert E. Klingelhofer, "George Washington Discharges Monroe for Incompetence." ''Manuscripts'' (1965) 17#1 pp 26–34.</ref> Returning to his home in Charlottesville, he resumed his dual careers as a farmer and lawyer.<ref>{{harvnb|Unger|2009|pp=136–137}}</ref> Jefferson and Madison urged Monroe to run for Congress, but Monroe chose to focus on state politics instead.{{sfn|Cunningham|1996|pp=6–7}}

In 1797, Monroe published ''A View of the Conduct of the Executive, in the Foreign Affairs of the United States: Connected with the Mission to the French Republic, During the Years 1794, 5, and 6,'' which sharply attacked Washington's government and accused it of acting against America's interests. He followed the advice of his friend Robert Livingston who cautioned him to "repress every harsh and acrimonious" comment about Washington. However, he did complain that too often the U.S. government had been too close to Britain, especially regarding the Jay Treaty.{{sfn|Ammon|1971|pp=165–167}} Washington made notes on this copy, writing, "The truth is, Mr. Monroe was cajoled, flattered, and made to believe strange things. In return he did, or was disposed to do, whatever was pleasing to that nation, reluctantly urging the rights of his own."<ref>Daniel C. Gilman, ''James Monroe'' (1883) p 70.</ref>