|
Guy Carleton | Jay's
Treaty |
Black Loyalists | Alexander
Mackenzie | Simon Fraser |
David Thompson |
John Graves Simcoe |
Captain George Vancouver |
The Northwest Company |
Prevost's Conciliation |
Tecumseh |
The War of 1812 | Lord Selkirk
| Newfoundland |
Constitution Act 1791
|
The year 1794
opened in the British Colonies in America with
apprehension and fear. Relations between the
United States and Great Britain continued to be
rocky after the revolutionary war ended. Many of
the leading US politicians had split into two
parties, one which favoured alliance and
friendship with the French, and the other which
favoured working with Britain. George Washington
found himself caught between these two parties
trying to avoid conflict with either one while
maintaining the dignity and sovereignty of the
US. |
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In Upper Canada a
flurry of recruitment for the local regiments was
underway in anticipation of a war with the US. The
British had still not evacuated some of the areas and
forts that they had committed to when peace was signed
with the U.S. The boarding and taking of ships by both
countries occurred on the high seas. The French
Revolution was expanding and threatening stability. The
war drums in the US were beating and demanding
satisfaction from Britain which did not appear to be
coming any time soon.
President Washington
decided to send John Jay to London to negotiate a treaty
which could avoid war. Vice President Jefferson, who
favoured a closer relationship with the French was
opposed to this mission and quietly campaigned for an
alliance with the French. Jay was the Chief Justice of
the U.S. Supreme Court and had been the main negotiator
for the U.S. at the Paris Peace Treaty negotiations
which ended the American Revolutionary war. He had many
good qualities that qualified him for this new mission
but the chief among these was patience.
John Jay arrived in
England on June 8th, 1794 and almost immediately began
negotiations with Lord Grenville, The British Foreign
Secretary. The two men respected and were impressed with
each other which led to long, tough and substantial
negotiations. Jay persevered and by Nov 19th, 1794 he and
Grenville had signed the "Treaty of Amity, Commerce and
Navigation."
By the terms of the
treaty, Britain agreed to withdraw from Detroit, Erie,
Niagara, Oswego, Ogdensburg, Sandusky and
Michilimackinac by June 1st, 1796. Both the US and
Britain agreed to pay compensation for seized ships.
Boundary disputes along the boarder would be settled by
a commission, Extradition of debtors and felons was to
be effected, and trade was to be opened up for both
parties in America and the West Indies.
When he treaty was
announced to the American Public, protest was whipped
into a frenzy by the opponents of Britain but it was
passed by congress on June 25, 1795. Peace between the
two countries was guaranteed for another decade. The
biggest problem the British faced was breaking it to
their Indian allies that they had not negotiated for any
rights, land or recognition of their lands or property.
Relations between the
U.S. and Britain did stabilize and British Canada was
not threatened with military invasion until 1812 when
all the old issues once again broke out n the scene.
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