Oswald, Richard

OSWALD, RICHARD. (1705–1784). British diplomat. Scotland. Married to Mary Ramsay, whom Robert Burns celebrated in one of his poems, he was related to the famous Continental artillery officer, Eleazer Oswald. Richard spent many years in America, first as a factor for his cousins' Glasgow firm and then for his own London company that specialized in the sugar, tobacco, and slave trades. During the Revolution he worked behind the scenes to try to persuade the government toward a policy of conciliation. In 1781 he put up fifty thousand pounds to bail his old friend Henry Laurens out of the Tower. In March 1782 Lord Rockingham selected Oswald, an ally of the earl of Shelburne, for the peace negotiations in Paris. Initially frustrated by the other members of the commission who represented Shelburne's opponents within the government, Oswald became the sole responsible British representative during the final peace negotiations following Lord Rockingham's death in July and replacement as chief minister by Shelburne. Oswald, like Shelburne and most British merchants, was most concerned to maintain profitable trade relations with the United States and worked to craft a final peace treaty that would protect British economic interests. Though the terms of the treaty led to the removal of both Shelburne and Oswald, the terms Oswald negotiated remained the final treaty agreed to in Paris in September 1783. Oswald died in London the following November.

SEE ALSO Oswald, Eleazer; Peace Negotiations.

                           revised by Michael Bellesiles