The XYZ Affair
Although Adams appeared competent for the position, he would have several issues affect his term in office. For starters, the nation’s relationship with France was rather rocky since the inception of Jay’s Treaty, in which the British had to relinquish forts in the Northwest and improve trade relations. France took this new trade agreement as favoritism towards the British, and as a result, they began seizing American ships in French harbors. In an attempt to avoid war, in 1789 Adams sent representatives to Paris to try to improve the United States’ relationship with the French. However, when American officials arrived in Paris they were greeted by a group of secret operatives, or spies.
The three French spies, who identified themselves only as X, Y, and Z, informed the officials that they had been sent by the French Foreign Minister. They also told the Americans that the only way they were going to meet with the Minister was if they paid the spies $250,000 and provided the French with a loan of 10 million dollars. This incident became known as the XYZ Affair. The Americans refused to pay the money and returned back to the States. Outraged by the French, Americans prepared for battle. They were not going to be intimidated into paying the money. The “war” that they engaged in with the French amounted to attacking and seizing each other’s ships. However, the events are significant when discussing issues that plagued Adams’ presidency.