slogan “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute”

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The slogan “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute” is a famous American rallying cry from the late 1790s expressing refusal to pay bribes to foreign powers while affirming willingness to spend heavily on national defense.

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Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf American slogan
political slogan
rallying cry
associatedWith American nationalism
Federalists
surface form: Federalist Party

Presidency of John Adams
surface form: John Adams administration

United States foreign policy toward France
anti-tribute sentiment
chronology emerged after diplomatic tensions with France in 1797–1798
circulatedIn American newspapers of the late 18th century
public speeches and pamphlets in the United States
countryOfOrigin United States of America
describedBySource American history textbooks
studies of political rhetoric in the early republic
works on early U.S. foreign policy
expresses principle of national honor
refusal to pay extortion or blackmail
resistance to foreign coercion
willingness to spend large sums on defense
genre political rhetoric
hasCulturalSignificance early example of U.S. defense-oriented nationalism
symbol of American resistance to foreign demands
hasInterpretation defense is legitimate public expenditure
moral stance against diplomatic bribery
paying tribute undermines sovereignty
hasPart Millions for defense
but not one cent for tribute
historicalContext Quasi-War
surface form: Quasi-War between the United States and France

XYZ Affair
influenced later American political slogans about defense spending
language English
mainSubject foreign policy
national defense
refusal to pay tribute
notableUsage used in speeches supporting naval appropriations in the 1790s
positionOnIssue opposition to paying bribes to foreign powers
opposition to tribute payments
support for strong defense spending
timePeriod late 1790s
topic diplomatic corruption
military funding
national honor in foreign relations
usedFor rallying American public opinion
supporting U.S. naval expansion
supporting military preparedness

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XYZ Affair hasEffect slogan “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute”