A View of the Conduct of the Executive, in the Foreign Affairs of the United States

The pamphlet "A View of the Conduct of the Executive, in the Foreign Affairs of the United States" was published by James Monroe in 1797. It defended his actions as the U.S. minister to France and criticized President George Washington's administration, particularly regarding the Jay Treaty with Great Britain. Monroe believed the treaty violated U.S. commitments to France and that Washington's administration was not properly representing the nation's interests. This publication caused a rift between Monroe and Washington, though Monroe later revised his opinions of both Washington and John Jay. The pamphlet was a significant event in early American foreign policy debates, highlighting the partisan divisions of the time.1