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The Da Serra–American conflict was a diplomatic conflict between Portuguese Minister in Washington José Correia da Serra and the United States from 1819 to 1820. It was characterized by rising tensions over issues related to piracy, the maritime security of Portugal's colonial empire, and the growing influence of the U.S. in the Western Hemisphere.

Background

José Correia da Serra arrived in the U.S. in 1812. He developed a close relationship with Thomas Jefferson, who reserved a room for him at his mansion in Monticello, referring to it as "the Abbé's Room."

However, in the early 19th century, Portugal's political and diplomatic situation was drastically changing. In 1808, the Portuguese royal family fled to Brazil to escape the Napoleonic invasion, effectively making Rio de Janeiro the capital of the Portuguese Empire. As Portugal's new political and economic focus shifted towards Brazil, it faced increasing challenges from the U.S., which sought to exert its own influence in the Americas as a republican power in opposition to European monarchies.

Conflict

Maritime Dispute

During his mission, da Serra was tasked with addressing piracy and privateering that targeted Portuguese merchant ships along the U.S. eastern seaboard. American privateers had preyed on Portuguese vessels.

On November 23, 1819, da Serra sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams explaining the problem. In the letter, da Serra accused American ports of serving as hubs for privateers, noting that one port alone had armed 26 ships that attacked Portuguese vessels. He expressed frustration at the U.S. government’s unwillingness to stop these activities, stating:

One City alone on this coast has armed twenty-six ships which prey upon our vitals, and a week ago, three armed ships of this nature were in that port waiting for a favorable occasion of sailing for a cruise.

Da Serra's mission

Despite his frustration, José da Serra's diplomatic mission was not solely focused on piracy and trade issues. He also tried to position Portugal as a partner in the New World alongside the U.S., which had rapidly become a dominant power in the Western Hemisphere. However, this idea conflicted with the U.S.'s growing belief in the Monroe Doctrine, which aimed to keep European powers from getting involved in the Western Hemisphere.

John Quincy Adams, the U.S. Secretary of State, dismissed the idea of a joint "American system" that included Portugal, arguing that the U.S. would not tolerate European monarchies in the Western Hemisphere. Adams argued that as long as Portugal remained tied to the European monarchy of the House of Braganza, it would not be seen as an independent American power, and thus could not align itself with U.S. interests in the New World.

Monroe Doctrine

The tensions between Portugal and the U.S. reached its peak in the early 1820s, as the Monroe Doctrine was developed. The Monroe Doctrine declared that any European interference in the Western Hemisphere would be viewed as a threat to the U.S., it made it clear that European monarchies, including Portugal, had no place in the New World's political landscape.

Because of this, da Serra's efforts to secure Portugal's position in the Americas were increasingly seen as useless. His idea of an "American system" with Portugal became outdated because of the U.S.'s strong opposition to European colonialism in the hemisphere.

Aftermath

José Correia da Serra eventually left the United States in 1820, and with the independence of Brazil in 1822, Portugal's ability to influence the political landscape of the Western Hemisphere ended.

References

1. ^ Marques 2022.
2. Maxwell 2016, p. 84.
3. ^ Office 1873, p. 228.

• Marques, Viriato (July 25, 2022). "O sonho americano de Portugal. O Abade Correia da Serra em Washington (1816-1820)". Viriato Soromenho-Marques (in Portuguese). Viriato Soromenho-Marques.
• Office, U.S. (1873). Papers Relating to the Treaty of Washington [between the U.S. and Great Britain, May 8, 1871]. Vol. 3. U.S. Government Printing Office.
• Maxwell, Kenneth (September 2016). "Relações entre Portugal e Estados Unidos (1776-1820)" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Kenneth Maxwell.

• Portugal–United States relations
• 19th-century conflicts