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Harper, Robert Goodloe : Observations on the Dispute Between the United States & France. Addressed by Robert Goodloe Harper, of South-Carolina, to His Constituents, in May, 1797. Fourth American Edition. To Which Is Annexed, His Speech, in Congress, on the Foreign Intercourse Bill, in Reply to Mr. Nicholas, Mr. Gallatin, and Others. Delivered March 2, 1798

Printed for the Subscribers, Boston, MA, 1798

Fourth American Edition of the first part ("Harper's Observations"). First Edition of the second part ("Harper's Speech"). Original publisher's beige paper wrappers. Spine possibly repaired. 5 1/2" x 8 1/2." 151 pages, complete. Pages are very clean and intact except for age toning, occasional foxing, and light offsetting from the printed text. Covers are very clean and intact except for a few small chips to the edges, slight rippling, age toning, and a few spots of foxing or discoloration. A Very Good copy. A pamphlet containing Robert Goodloe Harper's Observations on the Dispute Between the United States & France (1797) on Pages 7-96 and Harper's Speech, in Congress, on the Foreign Intercourse Bill (1798) on Pages 97-151. Pages 3-6 constitute the Preface to the Fourth Edition. Robert Goodloe Harper (1765-1825) was an American politician, lawyer, author, and Federalist. Harper served in the American Revolutionary Army after which he went to school to become a lawyer. Harper then started a political career and served as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives (1790-1795), a representative from South Carolina in the United States House of Representatives (1790-1801), a U.S. Senator from Maryland (1816), and a Maryland State Senator (1820; Harper was elected in 1819 but extensive travel in Europe prevented him from serving that year). He also served in the War of 1812. Over the years, Harper changed his political views. While he was once the vice president of the pro-French Jacobin Society in Charleston, Harper became an ardent Federalist. At the time, there were two American political parties, the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. The Federalists were generally pro-British and opposed to France while the Democratic-Republicans were pro-French. By the time of this publication, Harper was decidedly Federalist. In his two speeches, Harper vehemently states his opposition to France amid U.S.-France escalations in the 1790s. In his latter speech, Harper gives scathing rebuttals to Democratic-Republican politicians such John Nicholas (1764-1819) and Albert Gallatin (1761-1849). This publication proved to be very popular in England given Harper's pro-British views. The series of escalations between the U.S. and France eventually led to the Quasi-War (1798-1800), an undeclared naval war which the two countries fought in the Caribbean and the East Coast. The causes of the hostilities between the U.S. and France were numerous but stemmed from the U.S. maintaining neutrality during the War of the First Coalition (1792-1797), the U.S. continuing to trade with Britain (the main opponent of France at the time) through the Jay Treaty (1794), and differing interpretations of the Treaty of Alliance (1778) and Treaty of Amity and Commerce (1778). Political tensions also increased following failed diplomatic negotiations in the XYZ Affair (1797-1798). The Quasi-War eventually ended with the Convention of 1800 (Treaty of Mortefontaine) which voided the 1778 treaties and arguably facilitated the Louisiana Purchase (1803).. Book. Book Condition: Very Good. Binding: Soft cover

4th Edition

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