Citizen Genet (Noun)
Meaning
French diplomat who in 1793 tried to draw the United States into the war between France and England (1763-1834).
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- Citizen Genet's defiance of George Washington's proclamation of neutrality exacerbated the already strained relations between France and the United States.
- As the French diplomat to the United States, Citizen Genet attempted to turn American public opinion against the English by highlighting their treatment of American shipping.
- Citizen Genet's actions led to a major diplomatic crisis, and George Washington demanded that France recall the troublesome diplomat.
- Despite being ordered to leave the country, Citizen Genet was saved from prosecution by marrying a woman named Cornelia Clinton, a member of the prominent Clinton family.
- Citizen Genet went on to live a quiet life with his wife in New York, abandoning his French citizenship and later retiring to a small farm in Rensselaer County.