Synopses & Reviews
Edited by J.C.A. Stagg, Jeanne Kerr Cross, and Susan HolbrookPerdue
This carefully annotated and indexed volumesheds new light on many of the domestic and foreign tensions that were soon toculminate in the War of 1812.
The twelve-monthperiod covered in this volume was dominated by foreign policy concerns, as Madisonsought ways to compel Great Britain to respect America's neutral rights. Thedocuments chronicle the consequences of Madison's decision to impose non-intercourseagainst Great Britain to force a repeal of the orders in council followingNapoleon's claim that he had repealed French trade restrictions. British doubts thatthe French appeal was valid--shared by many Americans and possibly even Madisonhimself--are amply documented. The apparent failure of the diplomacy of commercialrestrictions increasingly brought Madison under pressure at home to change hispolicies, and by November 1811 he was ready to request Congress to prepare forwar.
Madison's attention was also occupied duringthe year by the continuing disintegration of the Spanish colonial empire. Hiscorrespondence addresses the consequences arising from the annexation of WestFlorida, and records America's first diplomatic contacts with other rebelliousSpanish-American colonies.
On the domestic front, this volume illuminates Madison's painful decision to dismiss Secretary of StateRobert Smith and replace him with James Monroe.