Anthony Merry

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Anthony Merry was Britain's representative to the United States in Washington from 1803 to 1806.

When Merry arrived in America, he was received without any hospitality by Thomas Jefferson, who greeted him in casual clothes and was inclined to show all hostility towards Britain through Merry. Jefferson was so callous that he invited Merry and his wife to dinner at the presidential mansion along with the French ambassador and his wife, when the two countries were at war with one another.

From then on, Merry found himself disgusted by America. Soon after, Aaron Burr came to Merry seeking help with detaching the Ohio and Mississippi valleys from the Union. Merry wrote back to his Foreign Ministry that Burr was extremely willing and ready to seek revenge against the United States. In April 1805, Merry was again approached by Burr, who claimed that Louisiana was ready to leave the United States. Burr, however, after being dropped from the Presidential ticket, had not the money nor power to claim Louisiana. Thus, he asked Merry to ask Britain for it. Unfortunately for Merry and Burr, Britain had a new Foreign Secretary, Charles James Fox, who was friendly with America. He found the request treasonous, and on June 1, 1806, recalled Merry to Britain.