United States Founding Fathers

Gouverneur Morris

Quotes

Bible

  1. "The reflection and experience of many years have led me to consider the holy writings not only as the most authentic and instructive in themselves, but as the clue to all other history. They tell us what man is, and they alone tell us why he is what he is: a contradictory creature that seeing and approving of what is good, pursues and performs what is evil. All of private and public life is there displayed. ... From the same pure fountain of wisdom we learn that vice destroys freedom; that arbitrary power is founded on public immorality." - United States Founding Father, Signer and Penman of the Constitution, Gouverneur Morris, "Collections of the New York historical Society for the Year 1821", (New York: E. Bliss and E. White, 1821), p. 30, from "An Inaugural Discourse Delivered Before the New York Historical Society byt the Honorable Gouverneur Morris", September 4, 1816

Democracy

  1. "We have seen the tumult of democracy terminate ... as [it has] everywhere terminated, in despotism. ... Democracy! savage and wild. Thou who wouldst bring down the virtuous and wise to thy level of folly and guilt."- United States Founding Father, Signer and Penman of the Constitution, Gouverneur Morris, "An oration Delivered on Wednesday, June 29, 1814, at the Request of a Number of Citizens of New-York, in Celebration of the Recent Deliverance of Europe from the Yoke of Military Despotism", (New York: Van Winkle and Wiley, 1814), pp. 10, 22

Education

  1. "Religion is the only solid basis of good morals; therefore education should teach the precepts of religion and the duties of man toward God."- United States Founding Father, Signer and Penman of the Constitution, Gouverneur Morris, "The Life of Governeur Morris", Jared Sparks, (Boston: Gray and Bowen, 1832), Vol. III, p. 483, from his "Notes on the Form of a Constitution for France"

Government

  1. "For avoiding the extremes of despotism or anarchy ... the only ground of hope must be on the morals of the people. I believe that religion is the only solid base of morals and that morals are the only possible support of free governments." - United States Founding Father, Signer and Penman of the Constitution, Gouverneur Morris, "A Diary of the French Revolution", (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1939), Vol. II, p. 172, April 29, 1791; Vol. II, p. 452, to Lord George Gordon, June 28, 1792

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