Robert Oliver Papers, 1789-1810

This is an artificial collection of Robert Oliver's business and personal papers. Some appear to have been collected for the administration of his estate and others retained for their research value. The papers are largely in-coming letters with some copies of replies and some financial and legal papers. There are about 400 items which span the years 1789 to 1835.

The papers fall roughly into three categories: business, national politics and foreign affairs, and personal finance. Up until 1810, when Oliver curtailed his mercantile activities, the papers deal with his foreign trade. The letters are mainly from Oliver's London banker Baring Brothers and Co. and an associate in the Vera Cruz trade David Parish. Along with financial topics these letters deal with Oliver's claim against Great Britain for the capture (1806, 1807) of three of his ships. The letters also mention the difficulties imposed on merchants by the Embargo (December 1807-February 1809) and the Non-Intercourse Act which followed.

Oliver was a Federalist. As relations worsened with Great Britain, his Federalist friends wrote him letters critical of the U.S. administration and predicted war. Among the most detailed were two letters (1812, 1813) from former Secretary of the Navy and staunch Federalist Benjamin Stoddert. There are also letters (1812) from James McHenry and Nicholas Biddle. V. Moreau wrote apprising Oliver of Napoleon's activities in Spain (1809) and in Russia (1812) and of the possibilities of the U.S. entering the European hostilities. Oliver was a financial supporter of Federalist newspapers, and there are letters soliciting financial aid: J.E. Hall (1814, 1815) of the Law Journal and Chronicle and the Portfolio (Philadelphia); William Magruder (1816) for a federalist newspaper in Cumberland, Maryland; and Frederick G. Schaeffer,

Jr. (1821) of the Federal Republican. Oliver also received letters (1819-1825) from Robert H. Goldsborough, founder of the Easton (Md.) Gazette, about the state of Federalism in Maryland.

Oliver received letters from various U.S. consular officials relating to the state of affairs in the countries in which they were stationed. The most frequent of Oliver's correspondents was Christopher Hughes (1786-1849) who was in the foreign service for 30 years in Stockholm and the Netherlands. Hughes' lengthy letters (1818-1834) detail European affairs. Oliver also received several letters (1816-1818) from William Pinkney who mentioned his mission to Naples (1816) and Russia (1817-1818). Other consular correspondents were Alexander Hammett (Naples, 1825-1829) and William Stirling (Barcelona, 1826-1827).

Letters from relatives and friends, including Richard Caton and Michael Hogan, concerning financial matters are scattered throughout this collection of letters. Other material pertaining to Robert Oliver's family financial settlements are found among his estate papers (MS. 626.2). These family letters begin before Robert Oliver's death but because the financial matters discussed in the letters were not settled until after his death, the material is filed with his estate papers.

Other correspondents include Paul Bentalou, Robert Goodloe Harper, John Hoffman, Benjamin Chew Howard, Thomas Law, William Lorman, John Mercer, James Orr, Edward C. Pinkney, Joel R. Poinsett, J.W. Pomeroy, John Randolph of Roanoke, John S. Skinner, Roger B. Taney, L.W. Tazewell, Hugh Thompson, T. Tilghman, Charles B. Vaughn, John Campbell White, and William Wirt.