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Genet’s Versailles Origins
- Edmund Charles Genet grew up inside Versailles and entered diplomacy young, serving as a translator and at the Russian court by age 25.
- His upbringing and court experience shaped his fierce Republican disdain for European monarchy and fueled his revolutionary zeal.
Hero’s Welcome In Charleston
- Genet landed in Charleston in April 1793 and was an immediate celebrity among southern Jeffersonians who celebrated the French Revolution.
- He embraced the role, asking Americans to call him 'Citizen Genet' and quickly began commissioning privateers from U.S. ports.
Washington’s Neutrality Calculus
- Washington prioritized strict neutrality and believed the U.S. was too weak to enter European wars or revive old alliances.
- Hamilton backed an immediate neutrality policy while Jefferson wanted to wait for offers, and Washington sided with Hamilton's view.