Christopher Hughes (February 11, 1786 – September 18, 1849) was an American attorney and diplomat who served as Chargé d'affaires in Sweden and The Netherlands in the 1820s and 1830s.

[7] Later in 1816 Monroe dispatched Hughes to New Granada (now Colombia) to negotiate with Spanish authorities, who had confiscated several American ships and their cargo and imprisoned the crews.

The authorities in New Granada had sold off the ships and cargo by the time Hughes arrived, but he was able to secure the release of most of the 50 crew members, excepting those who had died, escaped or already been freed.

[11] After John Quincy Adams became president, he honored Hughes's request for a new diplomatic posting, nominating him to serve as chargé d'affaires in The Netherlands.

In 1830 the United States decided to upgrade the post in The Netherlands to Minister Plenipotentiary, but disappointed Hughes by nominating William Pitt Preble of Maine.

At the time the King of The Netherlands had agreed to mediate the Maine-New Brunswick boundary dispute between the United States and Great Britain, and the Senate determined that U.S. interests would be better served by someone with first hand knowledge of the issue.