MORRIS, GOUVERNEUR ( 1752-1816 ) . An American statesman and diplomat. He was born at Morrisania. N. Y.. January 31, 1752, and graduated at King's (now Columbia) Col lege in 1768. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1771. In 1775 he was chosen to represent Westchester County in the first Pro vincial Congress of New York, and took a promi nent part in the advocacy of the American cause. He served in two succeeding Congresses in the same and the following year. He was one of the recognized leaders of the Congresses; served on nearly all the important com mittees. among them the committee that drafted the Constitu tion of the State of New York; and with Jay and Livingston had much to do with framing the plan of government for the State. In 1777, when only twenty-tive years of age. lie was elected to the Continental Congress, in which he served until 1780. Immediately upon taking his seat he was appointed on a committee to investi gate the condition of the army at Valley Forge, and afterwards devoted his energies to securing the adoption by Congress of Washington's plans for the organization and pay of the army. 11 is ability won for him the chairmanship of the committee to confer with the British commis sioners on reconciliation who arrived in 1778. As chairman of the committee to publish an address to the people of the colonies on the exist ing condition of affairs, lie drew up a masterly aecount of the causes of the war. the efforts that hail been made to achieve independenee, and the transactions with the IIritish eommissioners. The address was entitled Observations on the .Imerican Mcrolation. In 1779 he was chairman of three other important committees and per formed the whole duties of each. During his career in Congress 'Morris drew up several re ports and papers on finance which showed evi dence of marked ability. Tlis services were recognized by his appointment as assistant super intendent of finance in 1781, a position which lie held with great credit. until 1785. It was
in this capacity that lie drew up a scheme for a systi'lll Of coinage which. Honig]] not adopted at the time. ultimately became the basis of our pres ent system. 11c represented Pennsylvania in the Constitutional Convention of 1787 at Philadel phia ; took a leading part in the debates of that body. mind the published proceedings showed that he made mote speeches than any other member, always championing a strong national govern ment. He urged the proportional representation of the States in the Senate, and favored a free hold ‘ifirrage, a good behavior tenure for the executive. and representation in Congress appor tioned according to the number of free inhabit ants. In 1789 Morris went to France on private business, and was in Paris at the outbreak of the French Revolution. He kept a diary dur ing his stay, and wrote letters which threw much light on the character of the events which he witnessed. In 1790 he went to London as private agent to the British Government to conduct negotiations regarding the unfulfilled stipulations of the treaty of 1783. Ills mission was not successful, and he again returned to the Continent. In 1792, while still in Europe, he was appointed Minister to France, and served in that capacity during the stormy scenes of the two ensuing years. In 1794 the French Govern ment requested and obtained his recall. He re mained in Europe until 1798. In 1800 he was elected from New Yo•k to the United States Senate, where he acted with the Federalists. After his retirement from the Senate in 1803 he took great interest in the Erie Canal project, and served as chairman of the Canal Commis sion from 1810 to the time of his death, which occurred November 6, 1816. His biography has been written for the "American Statesmen Series" by Theodore Roosevelt (Boston, 1900). An elaborate biography was prepared by Jared Sparks (3 vols., Boston• 1832). Morris's diary and letters have been published in two volumes (New York, 1888).