This post is a further exploration about how other countries
(and their leaders) reacted to the American Declaration of Independence.
 |
|
Late 18th century English cartoon on Catherine
the Great's territorial ambitions in Turkey. (The Granger Collection, New York)
|
Although the Russian diplomat in his
dispatch to the tsarist court was prudent not to mention high principles and
the natural rights of man, it is to his credit that he evaluated the
declaration and the courage of its creators very positively. ‘The publication
of this document,’ Lizakevich concludes, ‘as well as the proclamation of a
formal declaration of war against Great Britain offer evidence of the courage
of the leadership there.’
The Russian diplomat clearly
emphasized that the document was a declaration of war on Britain. The reports
of Russian diplomats from London, in particular the dispatch of Lizakevich,
served as an important source of information for the head of the College of
Foreign Affairs, Panin, and Catherine II (Catherine the Great) herself on the
situation in America and contributed to the formation, within the tsarist
government, of an opinion critical of Britain's policy toward her former
colonies. It is significant that the empress repeatedly observed that
separation of the American colonies from Britain was practically unavoidable
and that Panin and his close colleagues found the reasons for the rebellion in
North America in the "personal fault" of the British cabinet and
believed that the separation of the colonies from their mother country did not
conflict with the interests of Russia and might even be advantageous to her.”
The
American revolutionary government sent Francis Dana as the official
representative to the Court of St. Petersburg.
During his time in Russia, Empress Catherine the Great refused to meet
with him or to officially recognize the United States. However, the Empress did institute The First
League of Armed Neutrality. This union
consisted of Russia, France, and Spain against Great Britain. Members of the League all agreed to protect
the right of neutral powers to trade with warring powers, meaning they could
continue to trade with the United States without concern for British blockades
or attacks. Americans continued to
receive vital supplies from Europe throughout the war, allowing them to defeat
Great Britain. Catherine wasn’t exactly
on the side of the Americans; it was more of a case of disliking the British
and King George III. She had already
refused British use of the Russian army and navy. She had thought that King George had allowed the rebellion to
occur and that he should be taught a lesson.
The Russian reaction was more about the Empress gaining power over King
George than American independence. (see http://www.quora.com/What-was-Russias-reaction-when-America-declared-its-independence)
For a Russian translation of the
American Declaration of Independence and further reading: http://chnm.gmu.edu/declaration/russian.html
