Grant Administrations - Foreign Issues
Foreign Issues
Foreign affairs played a secondary role during the administrations of Grant. With relative peace abroad but the problems of Reconstruction and a major recession at home, the public had little interest in foreign affairs. The only pressing issue that Grant faced coming into office were outstanding claims against Great Britain for its assembly and protection of Confederate warships during the American Civil War (1861–65). Grant did have foreign policy interests of his own and made some effort to put them into practice during his administration. In particular Grant sought to expand U.S. influence in the Caribbean basin. He sent several surveys to Panama to explore the feasibility of a canal, but it would be many years before real action was taken on this issue. Conflict with Congress over foreign policy, and particularly with Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts and the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, cut short...
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