Henry Augustus Smythe[1] (1817 – May 19, 1884)[2] was an American politician who served as a Collector of Customs from 1866 to 1869.

[4][1] In 1856, while traveling in a carriage from Bern to Basel in Switzerland, Smythe met and befriended novelist Herman Melville, who he later secured a job for as an inspector of customs when Smythe was the Collector of the Port of New York.

[2] In 1857, he established the house of Smythe, Sprague & Cooper, along with Marvelle Wilson Cooper,[7] where he was the managing partner until 1864 when he retired upon his election as president of the Central National Bank, which he also helped establish.

[8] He is most well known for his impeachment in March 1867, which accused him of corruption and,[9] with a resolution for his removal of office from the House, was ultimately ignored by President Andrew Johnson.

[10] In 1869, Smythe was tabled by the Senate for the position of United States Ambassador to Russia and did not receive his commission and Andrew Gregg Curtin was appointed by President Grant instead.