XYZ Affair
The XYZ Affair was a diplomatic incident that almost led to war between the United States and France. The scandal inflamed U.S. public opinion and led to the passage of the ALIEN AND SEDITION ACTS of 1798 (1 Stat. 570, 596). Though the affair caused an unofficial naval war, the two countries were able to negotiate their differences and end their conflict in 1800.
The affair took place during one of the Napoleonic wars between France and Great Britain. The French regarded the United States as a hostile nation, particularly after the signing of Jay's Treaty in 1794. This treaty settled some of the problems that continued to cause friction between the United States and Great Britain after the peace treaty of 1783 that granted the colonies independence. Consequently, President JOHN ADAMS appointed Charles Pinckney minister to France in 1796 in an attempt to ease French-U.S. relations.
After Charles Talleyrand, the French foreign minister, refused to recognize Pinckney, Adams appointed a commission to France, consisting of Pinckney, JOHN MARSHALL, and Elbridge Gerry. Before official negotiations on a treaty to establish peaceful relations and normalize trade could occur, Talleyrand sent three French agents to meet with the commission members. The agents suggested that Talleyrand would agree to the treaty if he received from the United States a $250,000 bribe and France received a $10 million loan. The commission refused, with Pinckney quoted as saying, "No! No! Not a sixpence!"
Outraged, the commission sent a report to Adams, who inserted the letters X, Y, and Z in place of the agents' names and forwarded the report to Congress. Congress and the public were angered at the attempted blackmail. An undeclared naval war took place between the two nations between 1798 and 1800. Anticipating a declared war with France, Congress enacted the Alien and Sedition Acts. These internal security laws were aimed at French and Irish immigrants, who were thought to be supportive of France. The acts lengthened the period of naturalization for ALIENS, authorized the president to expel any alien considered dangerous, permitted the detention of subjects of an enemy nation, and limited FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.
Talleyrand, unwilling to risk a declared war with the United States, sought an end to the dispute. The next U.S. delegation sent to France was treated with appropriate respect, and the Treaty of Morfontaine, which restored normal relations between France and the United States, was signed in 1800.
FURTHER READINGS
Stinchcombe, William C. 1980. The XYZ Affair. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.
Vaughan, Harold Cecil. 1972. The XYZ Affair, 1797–98: The Diplomacy of the Adams Administration and an Undeclared War with France. New York: F. Watts.
User Comments Add a comment…
11 days ago
ysaadeh
Agreed with "Smarter than You." You are clearly mixing your facts with Jay's Treaty and what lead up to that. I am not even American and it would see my American history is better than yours, Antonio.
3 months ago
Smarter than You
Um, Antonio, It was France, not Great Britain. If you are going to criticize something at least get your facts right. Honestly, it is not that hard to remember what country was involved in what if only 2 countries were involved.
11 months ago
Long Beach Student » tootight2 ((at)) gmail dot com
Actually, nobody said "No! No! Not a sixpence!". It was just said by the newspapers and spread as a rumor that it was said. After that it was thought to be true.
If I'm wrong just tell me so. And for all the people saying the XYZ affair was with the British, I think you are thinking of Jay's Treaty.
about 1 year ago
Joe Ceasar » ceasarsalad ((at)) yahoo dot com
This website is awesome!!
about 1 year ago
Nate Levitt » evil dot skinny dot runt ((at)) gmail dot com
Wow. My nine year-old sister writes more literate sentences than most of you. That's pathetic. Her punctuation and spelling is much better than most of your's, and like I said, she's nine! And the professsr completely owned Antonio. I'm sixteen, so don't start b*tching about respecting older people. I don't respect people who can't be bothered to overcome their illiteracy.
about 1 year ago
Lee » lee dot ertl12 ((at)) gmail dot com
This information helped a ton thanks.
over 1 year ago
ashley » nicole-715 ((at)) yahoo dot com
this is a great site to help you make your own newsletter
over 1 year ago
JESSICA E. JOHNSON » Angel1227yorkst ((at)) aol dot com
this info. is great for a major grade power point.
over 1 year ago
Abbey » Babals13 ((at)) aim dot com
I really like this because now I can do my project on the XYZ affair.
over 1 year ago
G-city » garhunmav ((at)) earthlink dot net
amazing info sike that was so wrong do not copy or use any of this work xyz was forced to pay the british and refused to pay but they refused to becuase the U.S was a very poor country
over 1 year ago
History Professor » scrivener13 ((at)) hotmail dot com
Well, Antonio, I hope you have a gas-station job lined up. You have absolutely no clue what you are talking about, and everything you state in yor "response" is wrong. Try reading a book--your X-Box and Ipod will wait.
By the way--I wrote a book on the subject.
over 1 year ago
Antonio Velasco » avelas04 ((at)) sisd dot net
The xyz affair is not what u guys are saying it is, it was caused when great Brittain started to capture the us ships so when John Adams found out he sent congress to go talk with the king. Then when they got there three brittain solders called x, y, z, and z said that they needed permission to talk to the king so John adams got mad and started a war then he ended it in 1800.
Of you whant to contact me i go to John Drugan School In El Paso, Tx
almost 2 years ago
Erin SHea and Hayley Fortier » OMGshoes077 ((at)) yahoo dot com
You Helped us with are Social studys project.
almost 2 years ago
Barton Middle School » barton_babe93 ((at)) yahoo dot com
Holy Cow You Guys!!!
I'm in school looking up stuff about the
XYZ affair and now im gonna get a 100!!!
:D thanks guys
almost 2 years ago
St. Ambrose » leelee317 ((at)) yahoo dot com
thanks u helped with my notes
almost 2 years ago
smart » harris_angulo2006 ((at)) hotmail dot com
thanks alot. it really helped me with my h.w. thanks again
almost 2 years ago
Bee » applesughah ((at)) aim dot com
This was well researched i already knew about the XYZ affair but this had information i didn't know. THX alot!!!
about 2 years ago
eww » antondjr9 ((at)) netscape dot net
i like this cuz it helps me do my work on the x y and z affairs
about 2 years ago
chris » chrisytys ((at)) yahoo dot com
thanks gangsta. i learned a lot from all your research
over 2 years ago
Drew Mecham » drewmecham_13 ((at)) hotmail dot com
Hey! Great job! There was obviously a great amount of research on your part to publically present it. Thank you so much for the opportunity I had to expand my kknowledge because of your efforts on the XYZ Affair.