Gouverneur Morris- Writer and Signer of the Constitution

"In adopting a republican form of government, I not only took it as a man does his wife, for better for worse, but what few men do with their wives, I took it knowing all its bad qualities."

Those words were penned by the main author of the Constitution, Gouverneur Morris.  He was born January 31, 1752 in Morrisania, New York and he died November 6, 1816 in the same place.

Gouverneur Morris was a member of the prominent, even aristocratic, Morris family of New York.  Morris was the only son of his father's second marriage.  He enrolled at King's College (present Columbia University) at the age of twelve.  He graduated from King's College in 1768 after which he went on to study law under William Smith.  Because of Smith, Morris was introduced to John Jay and Alexander Hamilton who became his friends in the Patriot cause. 

Gouverneur Morris was elected to the New York Provincial Congress in 1775.  He was known for his bluntness and sarcasm in dealing with other legislators.  As the Revolutionary War began, Morris joined the militia and started two complete regiments.  He didn't have to serve because of his legislative duties and a disability he had, but he felt it was his duty to serve in the cause for independence.  In 1777 he served as a member of the New York Committee of Safety.  He also served in Continental Congress and, after visiting Valley Forge, he became the Continental Army's spokesperson in congress.  In 1779, Morris moved to Pennsylvania after he felt he was being treated poorly by New York.  He worked in Pennsylvania as a lawyer and merchant until being called to public service once again.  He worked as a financial assistant to Robert Morris (no relation) and in 1782 he developed the idea of decimal coinage and he invented the term "cent".

It came as a great surprise to Gouverneur Morris when Pennsylvania asked him to be a delegate to the Constitutional Convention.  He considered himself "in some degree as a representative of the whole human race". He had a completely different demeanor at the convention as he helped smooth over issues that would have divided delegates.  Like Thomas Jefferson was with the Declaration of Independence so was Gouverneur Morris with the Constitution.  Morris drafted almost the whole Constitution and the words "We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union" were his.  Morris said that "in every society the members have a right to the utmost liberty that can be enjoyed consistent with the general safety".  Morris defended:  freedom of religion,  opposed slavery, held that the right of property was a foundation for society, and agreed with the idea of government having power only by the consent of the governed.  William Pierce wrote the following about Gouverneur Morris:

"One of the geniuses in whom every species of talents combine...No man has more wit... than Mr. Morris" 

Gouverneur Morris was a very important man in forming our country.  Morris, as a founder, contributed greatly to the Constitutional Convention as he was the main draftsman of the Constitution of the United States.