The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, 2 vols.

A two volume diary which Morris kept while he was Minister to France for the new American Republic from 1792-94. It provides much detail about the social life and political turmoil of Paris during a critical phase of the French Revolution.

Volumes in this Set:

Citation

The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, Minister of the United States to France; Member of the Constitutional Convention, ed. Anne Cary Morris (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1888). 2 vols.

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Related People

George Washington (Author)

Morris served as Washington’s envoy to France (1792–1794) and often acted as an informal advisor. Washington respected Morris’s political insight and his federalist leanings.
James Madison (Author)

While they didn’t always agree, Morris and Madison both played crucial roles in drafting the U.S. Constitution. Morris actually wrote much of its final language, including the famous preamble.
Alexander Hamilton (Author)

Both were strong nationalists and proponents of a robust central government. Morris helped defend Hamilton’s financial programs and shared his skepticism of pure democracy.

Connected Readings

Liberty Matters

The Constitutional Convention and the Peculiar Institution

Dennis Rasmussen

Read about Morris' abolitionism as part of this series.

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The Reading Room

The Written Legacy of Gouverneur Morris: Constitutional Wisdom We Cannot Afford to Forget

Melanie Randolph Miller

Learn more about the remarkable author of the Preamble to the US Constitution.

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The Reading Room

Gouverneur Morris on the Word “Liberty”: An Empty Sound?

Melanie Randolph Miller

What would Morris say about Americans of today? Would he believe we are suited to the constitution we have?

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Law & Liberty Essay

Gouverneur Morris on the Preamble to the Constitution

Mike Rappaport

While people set great store on the Preamble’s “We the People of the United States,” other versions of the Preamble might have had the same effect.

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Law & Liberty Essay

Gouverneur Morris’s Rewriting of the Constitution

Mike Rappaport

Gouverneur Morris penned the final draft of the Constitution and he changed many of the provisions in important ways.

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What to read next.

The Federalist (Gideon ed.)

Alexander Hamilton

Morris shared many Federalist principles. This will reinforce the political theories he supported.

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What to read next.

Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787

James Madison

For more detailed proceedings where Morris played a key role—this fills out the backstory of the Constitution’s framing.

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