The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. 2 - Online Library of ...

Online Library of Liberty: The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. 2
here and have written to you. I drew the heads of his will, poor fellow, the day he
died, and when his extremities were already cold. I called on him in the afternoon,
with M. Vicq d’Azyr, first physician to the Queen, and he was then a corpse. It was
somewhat singular that he, who detested the French Revolution and all those
concerned in it, should have been followed to the grave by a deputation from the
National Assembly, and that I should have had in one of your gazettes some svery
severe reflection on me for not paying him due respect; I, who during his life had
rendered him all possible service and possessed his confidence to the last, so that he
wished to name me with you for executor. But such is the world, whose mistakes
frequently amuse me, and on more serious occasions. Before I quit Paul Jones I must
tell you that some people here who like rare shows wished him to have a pompous
funeral, and I was applied to on the subject; but as I had no right to spend on such
follies either the money of his heirs or that of the United States, I desired that he
might be buried in a private and economical manner. I have since had reason to be
glad that I did not agree to waste money of which he had no great abundance, and for
which his relatives entertain a tender regard. I promised them to entreat your attention
to their requests, which will no doubt be somewhat troublesome, and consume the
moments you can badly spare. A preview of this made me desire Jones to think of
some other executor, but the poor fellow was so anxious, telling me that as we alone
possessed his full confidence he could not think of losing the aid of both, etc., and as
what he said, besides his natural stammering, was interrupted by the strugglings
against death, I was obliged to quit my opposition. Thus, my dear friend, I have given
you a history which ought to have been communicated long ago. You will probably
find it somewhat tedious now. . . .
“The communication with England, and, indeed, with all foreign countries, was never
in the memory of man so difficult and uncertain as in the present moment. I know
nothing of what passes in London, even as to my own affairs. This is extremely
disagreeable. I could indeed send a messenger, but to that effect I must ask passports
as for one carrying my public despatches, and I do not choose, even in matters of
indifference, to make my public character subservient to private purposes.”
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