Monroe's appointment as minister to France came at an
opportune time. The dispatch of controversial Federalist John Jay
on a mission to Britain had raised fears among the Anti-Federalists
of alienating France–more or less America's only ally on the world
stage. The appointment of Monroe, a solid friend of the French,
was meant to appease critics of Washington's foreign policy. However,
general incompetence on the part of Washington's secretary of state
prevented Monroe from getting a clear picture of world affairs
before leaving. He did not know that Jay had been given sweeping
powers to discuss trade issues with the British and left assuming
that Jay was limited to settling disputes as laid out in earlier
treaties. Had Monroe been better equipped with knowledge of Jay's
mission, his meetings with the French government would have been
far more productive. As it was, Monroe's "misrepresentations" would
hurt his reputation.
As he departed America, Monroe again faced money troubles. He
had narrowly avoided bankruptcy earlier and sold off several slaves
to help his brother avoid bankruptcy. Monroe had plenty of wealth,
but much of it was tied up in land and so not readily available
for cash. Throughout his life he suffered an almost chronic cash
shortfall–a shortfall exacerbated by his seeming unwillingness to
be reimbursed by the government for his expenses. As he left for France,
Monroe paid off several previously unknown debts belonging to his
brother, and so missed his chance to purchase five thousand acres
in Loudon County.
Monroe and his family sailed for France on June 18, 1794,
bringing with them two white servants to help the family. They
arrived in France on July 31. He immediately discovered how the
French felt towards Americans, whom they felt had betrayed their
ally. Monroe's diplomatic bags were searched and the food he had
brought with him was impounded. Luckily, it appeared that attitudes toward
America might be changing. Robespierre and his anti-American administration
had fallen days earlier; Monroe arrived only five days after Robespierre's
execution. The Committee of Public Safety was busier with controlling
mobs in Paris than foreign affairs, and so was ill-equipped to
argue with ambassadors.
On August 13, Monroe requested a chance to address the
government. He hastily wrote an address praising the French for
their devotion to liberty and carefully avoided any reference to
revolution. His address was met very warmly, and the French passed
a resolution urging that an American flag be placed next to the
French one in the assembly hall. Monroe, despite his money problems,
purchased a silk flag with silver stars and gold fringe. At home,
however, Monroe's speech was not as well received. Madison wrote
to Monroe that the speech to the French government had angered
the Federalists and been "very grating to the ears of many." This
would be the biggest problem Monroe would face through the term
in France: A general misunderstanding of his role as minister.
He saw himself as meant to counter-balance Washington's pro-British
foreign policy, and more often than not, Monroe sounded like a
Anti-Federalist mouthpiece than a diplomatic minister. He constantly worked
to tighten Franco-American alliances, even when that was not what
he was supposed to be doing.
On September 3, Monroe presented the French government
with a list of American grievances with France. Again, however,
he overstepped his powers by heaping praise upon the government's
trade policies. Over the next two years, almost every ship from
Baltimore would carry a rebuke from Washington's secretary of state
for one misstep or another. Monroe was not cut out to be a minister.
One July 4th, for instance, at a dinner for Americans in Paris
in honor of Independence Day, Monroe did not toast President George
Washington, as was the custom. The oversight, whether intentional
or not is up for debate, led to scuffles in the audience and when
news trickled home of the incident, it only strengthened Monroe's
detractors.
Then, in 1794, Monroe found himself battered by a treaty
signed by Jay in England. When the French requested information
about the treaty, Monroe assured them that it would not concern
new trade obligations–again not knowing that Jay had been given power
to negotiate commercial concerns. Thus, when the treaty finally
was announced and it contained trade provisions, Monroe faced steep
criticism from the government. The seeming thaw in Franco-American
relations ended abruptly. Over the coming years, France rolled
back many of the protections it had awarded U.S. merchants in retaliation
for Jay's Treaty.
By 1796, enthusiasm for Monroe as the minister to France
had cooled considerably. He faced growing criticism at home and
in France. Secretary of State Timothy Pickering charged that Monroe ignored
orders from the U.S. government. Charles Pinckney was sent to France
to replace Monroe, but he found himself given the cold shoulder
by the French government, who refused to seat him. Nevertheless,
Monroe took leave of his post in December and in his final ceremony,
he harshly criticized Washington's Farewell Address and his foreign
policy. Pickering angrily commented that Monroe's address was "unpardonable."
In the spring, Monroe returned home.
