The son of a
London wine merchant, Anthony Merry served in various diplomatic posts in
Europe between 1783 and 1803, holding mostly consular positions. In 1803 he married Elizabeth Leathes, widow of John Leathes of Herringfield House,
Suffolk. He was
Chargé d'Affaires in Madrid in 1796 and again in
Copenhagen about 1799, and Minister
ad interim in
Paris in 1802. Merry was
Britain's
representative to the
United States in
Washington, D.C. from 1803 to 1806. When Merry arrived in the United States, he was received without any hospitality by
President Thomas Jefferson, who greeted him in casual clothes and bedroom slippers and was inclined to show hostility towards Britain through Merry. Merry and his wife were invited to dinner at the
White House along with the
French ''chargé d'affaires'' and his wife at a time when the two countries were at war with one another, a notable breach of etiquette. When Merry made a complaint about protocol to
James Madison, Madison increased the offence by referring to it as "a matter of very little moment". Jefferson's hostility extended to Mrs. Merry, whom he called a "virago", though
Aaron Burr greatly admired her. 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 reported back to the
Foreign Office 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 seize Louisiana. He, therefore, sought assistance from Britain through Merry. Unfortunately for Merry and Burr, Britain had a new
Foreign Secretary,
Charles James Fox, who was friendly with America. Fox found the request
treasonous, and on 1 June 1806, recalled Merry to Britain. According to
Henry Adams, Burr's intention was to exploit the dissatisfaction of the populace of Louisiana with the purchase. Merry did not expect to be employed again, but in 1807 the new British government sent him to Copenhagen to conciliate the Danes over the bombardment of Copenhagen. Merry was then sent as
British Minister to Sweden from 1808, a post from which he retired in 1809. He then lived at
Dedham, Essex until his death in 1835. ==References==