International Relations Between Britain and America, 1796-1848

Sir Charles Vaughan (1774-1849) was a career diplomat who served as British Ambassador to the United States during the period 1825-1835. This collection contains Vaughan's personal and professional papers from before, during, and after his time in Washington.

The papers shed light on a number of important subjects and events, from transatlantic trade and the question of the North East boundary to slavery and the experience of Native Americans under the Jackson administration.

In addition, the collection includes the papers of one of Vaughan's predecessors, Sir Robert Liston (1742-1836), which provide a unique insight into Anglo-American relations in the late 18th century.

Featuring the American Papers of Sir Charles Richard Vaughan from All Souls College, University of Oxford

I began my mission to the United States with a conviction that the British government attaches great importance to its relations with this country. A spirit of conciliation possessed both Governments.

Sir Charles Vaughan,

Insights

Vaughan and Liston's personal correspondence provides an insight into the day-to-day life of a diplomat in the United States.

This collection is mostly comprised of correspondence between Vaughan and various British and American diplomats and politicians during the period 1825-1835. The Liston papers (1796-1801) are a much smaller component of the collection.

It is clear that the disputed American-Canadian border was a major concern for the British government during Liston and Vaughan's time in the United States. It appears more frequently in the correspondence and dispatches than any other subject.

Transatlantic commerce and the slave trade also feature heavily in the correspondence and dispatches.