The Papers of William Short is a born-digital documentary edition focusing on William Short (1759-1849), who was a knowledgeable and successful U.S. fiscal agent and diplomat in Europe, an enterprising businessman and philanthropist, and an early advocate of alternatives to slavery in the United States. This publication aims to bring to light this native Virginian, who lived 17 years in Europe and then almost half a century in Philadelphia, and who throughout his life, showed his capability to navigate confidently and with vision the choppy waters of an Atlantic world in full convulsion and reconfiguration, as well as an early United States in transformation and construction.

William Short was part of that second generation of early national Americans, who contributed actively to the shaping and development of the fledging American Union, as it passionately debated the future of its politics, economy, territory, and society. Hence, by making Short’s papers available to scholars and the general public, this digital publication contributes to re- evaluating key topics in the history of international relations, diplomacy, economy, politics, and finances of the late 18th century United States and Europe. It likewise highlights Short’s correspondence about slavery, colonization, and a proposed Black tenancy project. Finally, Short’s letter exchanges with his business partners, and his business papers, are untapped resources for early 19th century U.S. history of business, communications, finances, and entrepreneurship in the Early American Republic, in particular from 1810 through to 1848. In sum, Short’s long and active life makes him a key observer and, above all, a deeply involved actor of those transformative years.