Ever since 1783 there had been trouble with the British. 自从1783年以来，美国与英国之间一直麻烦不断，

　　They had not surrendered the posts on the Great Lakes, as the treaty of 1783 required them to do. 英国还没有按照1783年条约的要求交出在五大湖的据点。

　　They had oppressed American commerce. 他们曾经压制过美国贸易，

　　The American states also had broken the treaty by making laws to prevent the collection of debts due to British subjects by American citizens. 美国各州也曾经通过制定法律阻止美国人偿还欠英国人的债。

　　The Congress of the Confederation had been too weak to compel either the British government or the American states to obey the treaty. 众议院一直以来太软弱，它不能迫使英国政府或者美国各州来服从条约，

　　But the new government was strong enough to make treaties respected at home and abroad. 但是，新政府非常强大，它可以制定国内外都接受的协定。

　　Washington sent Chief Justice John Jay to London to negotiate a new treaty. 华盛顿派首席大法官约翰o杰伊到伦敦商谈一个新协定。

　　He found the British government very hard to deal with. 约翰o杰伊发现英国政府很难对付，

　　At last he made a treaty. But there were many things in it which were not at all favorable to the United States. 最终他与英国签订一个协定。但是，这个协定里有许多内容不利于美国，

　　For instance, it provided that cotton should not be exported from the United States, and that American commerce with the British West Indies should be greatly restricted. 例如，它规定不可以从美国出口棉花，这大幅削减了美国与英国西印度群岛的贸易。

　　215. Ratification of Jay's Treaty, 1795. 215．批准约翰o杰伊协定（1795年）

　　After a long discussion the Senate voted to ratify the treaty without these two clauses. 经过长时间的讨论，参议院投票批准通过这个协定，但去掉其中两个条款。

　　In the House of Representatives there was a fierce debate. 在众议院有一个激烈的辩论。

　　For although the House has nothing to do with ratifying treaties, it has a great deal to do with voting money. 尽管众议院与批准这些条款无关，但众议院有权对财政做出表决，

　　And money was needed to carry out this treaty. 而执行这个协定需要钱。

　　At last the House voted the necessary money. 最终，众议院投票拥护拿出必要的钱，

　　The British surrendered the posts on the Great Lakes, and the debts due to British subjects were paid. 英国交出他们在五大湖的据点，美国人偿还欠英国的外债。

　　Many people were very angry with Jay and with Washington for making this treaty. 许多人对约翰o杰伊和华盛顿签订这个协定感到非常不满，

　　Stuffed figures of Jay were hanged, and Washington was attacked in the papers as if he had been "a common pickpocket"-to use his own words. 人们四处挂起约翰o杰伊胀饱肚子的画像，报纸引用华盛顿的说辞来攻击他，似乎他做了"一名偷窃公众的扒手"。