The Anglo-American rapprochement of 1830

Abstract

In 1828 the Duke of Wellington expressed the opinion that the country Great Britain was most likely to go to war with was the United States. With the election of Andrew Jackson in 1828, relations might reasonably have been expected further to deteriorate. After all, Jackson was a militarist, the Hero of New Orleans. But some Britons actually welcomed Jackson's election. They believed, rightly as it turned out, that Jackson’s election heralded a change in American policy. This belief was based on the nature of the Jacksonian opposition to the foreign and domestic policies of the Adams Administration. While pragmatic, this opposition was also founded on some principles which, if put into practice, would greatly alter the policy stance of the United States. This study investigates the circumstances of the downturn in Anglo-American relations in the mid-1820s. Focusing on the economic nationalism of Adams and Clay, typified by their American system, it chronicles the developing crisis over the British West India trade. Jacksonian criticism of the foreign policy of Adams and Clay is detailed, and its contribution to the election of 1828 considered. Once in power, the Jacksonians - whose principles included promotion of overseas commerce, small-scale government, and sectional harmony - brought about a considerable rapprochement with Great Britain. The diplomatic manoeuvrings surrounding the settlement of the West India trade question are considered. So too is the settlement of other issues. This wider rapprochement is interpreted as part of the harmony of Anglo-American interests in this period. To provide balance, factors influencing British policy at this time are also considered. Overall, it is the intention of this thesis, by moving away from character-based interpretations and towards an amalgamation of foreign and domestic policies, to explain the rapprochement in Anglo-American relations presided over by Andrew Jackson.