Brief guide to manuscripts collections| William L. Clements Library The University of Michigan Richard Oswald Papers |
A Scot by birth, Richard Oswald was an army contractor in America during the French and Indian War. A successful merchant, he continued living in the colonies for a number of years and, by marriage, inherited sizeable estates in America and the West Indies. Through his American and mercantile interests, Oswald acquired a circle of international friends including Benjamin Franklin, Henry Laurens, the comte de Vergennes, Adam Smith, and the earl of Shelburne. During the Revolutionary War he was frequently consulted by the ministry on American matters. Shelburne used Oswald as his emissary to Franklin in Paris during the forst informal inquiries on American peace terms and, when Shelburne became prime minister, he appointed Oswald commissioner to treat with America. Oswald was largely responsible for the preliminary articles signed in November, 1782, and left office with Shelburne when the peace treaty was defeated in the House of Commons.
Memoranda and letters by Richard Oswald, merchant, British peace commissioner to Paris.
The first memorandum is 'General Observations, Relative to the present State of the War,' August 9, 1779, 72 pp., to which is added 'Supplement to the Papers of August 1779 Relative to the present State of the War,' September 21, 1779, 33 pp. The second is 'Plan for an alliance with Russia, in order to carry on the American War,' April 12, 1781, 19 pp. Two letters by Oswald, 1782 and 1783, are also included; one concerns Loyalists, the other Newfoundland fisheries.
Purchased, 1927-1934
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