"General Swartwout has come to this city, to ask an introduction from me to you, . . . . He is aware, that it is only in my character as a citizen, that I can say any thing, in furtherance of his views, and, in that, only, has he requested it. . . . I held with him in the late War, an official relation, which, from the state of public affairs, led to much communication, on the most important subjects, and in which, very great confidence and extensive power were committed to him. His conduct was in all respects, perfectly satisfactory, to the late chief magistrates as it was to me. His extensive monied transactions were settled with scrupulous exactness & integrity. He is now engag'd with his respectable brother in the improv'ment of a large body of smooth Land near N[ew] York, in which, as I am assured & believe, they have had considerable success; but so vast was the undertaking, & great the sum necessary to accomplish it, that they are now at a point when, according to their good or ill fortune in obtaining the aid which they stand in need of, they may realize their hopes, by securing to themselves & their families this rich reward of their Labours or see it wrested from them for a trifling sum, and themselves ruined. We have often seen bold and useful enterprizes fail in this manner, in the hands of those who undertook them, merely from the want of timely aid, while others without merit have profited of their misfortune. A case more interesting than the present one can hardly present itself to view, at least, in which the generous feelings of honorable minds are more likely to simpathize. It is from my sincere regard for the welfare of General Swartwout & his brother, founded on the good opinion which I entertain of their merit, that I have taken the liberty to submit their claim to your consideration, in full confidence that you will view it with candour and take that part in it, which guarding the institution from possible loss may be expected from a generous administration of its funds."
With--Robert Swartwout. ALS, to President James Monroe, sending a copy of a loan application [not present], explaining why $70,000 is needed, giving an estimate of the value of the land in Hoboken that Swartwout plans to use as security, and requesting that he use his "great influence with the President of the Bank of the United States in obtaining a loan of 70,000 dollars for our relief." 2½ pages, 4to, written on folded sheet. Washington, 26 December 1817.
In 1820, Robert Swartwout and his brothers Samuel and John chartered the New Jersey Salt Marsh Company, and two years later, the Hoboken Banking and Grazing Company.