The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. 2 - Online Library of ...
The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. 2 - Online Library of ...
The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. 2 - Online Library of ...
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<strong>Online</strong> <strong>Library</strong> <strong>of</strong> Liberty: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Diary</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Letters</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Gouverneur</strong> <strong>Morris</strong>, <strong>vol</strong>. 2<br />
[Back to Table <strong>of</strong> Contents]<br />
CHAPTER XL.<br />
<strong>Morris</strong> bids farewell to his friends in Europe. Returns to America. Difficulties <strong>of</strong> the<br />
voyage. Rebuilds his house at <strong>Morris</strong>ania. Pressed by friends once more to enter<br />
public life. Hamilton especially solicitous that he should do so. Death <strong>of</strong> Washington.<br />
<strong>Morris</strong> pronounces his funeral oration. Elected United States Senator in April.<br />
Journey to Northern New York. Niagara. Letter to James Parish. Enthusiastic<br />
description <strong>of</strong> the climate <strong>and</strong> prospects <strong>of</strong> America.<br />
<strong>The</strong> time <strong>Morris</strong> had fixed for his return to America drew near, <strong>and</strong> regretfully he<br />
bade a final farewell to the society at Frankfort. “<strong>The</strong> Prince de Reusse, Mr. Crauford,<br />
<strong>and</strong> M. Simolin call to take leave <strong>of</strong> me,” he says, June 14th. “<strong>The</strong> Prince <strong>and</strong><br />
Crauford, are strongly affected, <strong>and</strong> even Simolin is more so than I should have<br />
suspected.”<br />
From Frankfort he went to Altona, there to make preparations for crossing the<br />
Atlantic; for it required time <strong>and</strong> much judgment to find <strong>and</strong> examine a ship, proper in<br />
its appointments <strong>and</strong> condition, for so long <strong>and</strong> perilous a voyage. Madame Leray <strong>and</strong><br />
her children were to be <strong>Morris</strong>’s companions on shipboard—making the choice <strong>of</strong> a<br />
vessel even more than ordinarily important. But although annoyed by much tiresome<br />
preparation for his journey, <strong>Morris</strong> still continued the entries in his diary, recording<br />
the public news, the kindness <strong>of</strong> friends, <strong>and</strong> various more or less interesting items <strong>of</strong><br />
gossip; among them, the news that Baron d’Escar “has married Madame de Nadaillac,<br />
who has gone back to France, leaving the Baron at Hamburg.” “<strong>The</strong> Baron,” <strong>Morris</strong><br />
says, “tells me that the Court <strong>of</strong> Berlin will submit to anything rather than quarrel with<br />
France.” “<strong>The</strong> French have taken Malta [July 12th], the news <strong>of</strong> which arrived<br />
yesterday morning. <strong>The</strong>re are flying reports that hostilities are to begin again in<br />
Germany.”<br />
“M. de Lafayette called on me [July 24th], <strong>and</strong> asked my advice whether he should go<br />
out immediately to America, or stay a while longer. I tell him that he had made up his<br />
mind to stay; this he blushingly acknowledges. I then tell him that it would have been<br />
well to have gone out immediately, but as he has staid so long I don’t think it can<br />
make any difference should he remain a little longer. He again consults me as to his<br />
future motions, but as I know that this is more the effect <strong>of</strong> habit than anything else, I<br />
take little heed as to the answer. Always declaring his resolution to lead a private life,<br />
he sighs still for an opportunity <strong>of</strong> appearing again on the public theatre.”<br />
“It is said [August 1st] that the news from Rastadt are pacific. <strong>The</strong> French Directory<br />
seem a little alarmed at the state <strong>of</strong> things in America, <strong>and</strong> desirous <strong>of</strong> reconciliation.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re has been an embargo laid in France on American ships.”<br />
“All the letters from Italy [August 10th] announce a victory over the French in the<br />
Mediterranean.”<br />
PLL v6.0 (generated September, 2011) 194 http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/1170