In his spare time he gave New York City its street grid and New York State the Erie Canal. His keen mind and his light, sure touch helped make our Constitution the most enduring fundamental set of laws in the world. In his private life, he suited himself; pleased the ladies until, at age fifty-seven, he settled down with one lady (and pleased her); and lived the life of a gentleman, for whom grace and humanity were as important as birth. He kept his good humor through war, mobs, arson, death, and two accidents that burned the flesh from one of his arms and cut off one of his legs below the knee.
Above all, he had the gift of a sunny disposition that allowed him to keep his head in any troubles. We have much to learn from him, and much pleasure to take in his company.
Background Information
The Founding Fathers are those men who participated in the country's principal documents, primarily the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Gouverneur Morris was a New York patriot during the American Revolution who served his country as a diplomat and public servant. The Constitution of the United States was originally crafted by debate and compromise at the Philadelphia convention of 1787. New York City at the mouth of the Hudson River is the largest city in America. New York State grew to be most populous state in the nineteenth century as a result of its strategic position in water transportation, both oceangoing and inland. The Erie Canal crossed upstate New York and connected the Hudson River with the waters of the Great Lakes, making New York City the most important port in America.