The Life of Gouverneur Morris: With Selections from His Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers ; Detailing Events in the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and in the Political History of the United States, Volume 3

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Gray & Bowen, 1832 - France

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Page 263 - Constitution, which we now present, is the result of a spirit of amity, and of that mutual deference and concession which the peculiarity of our political situation rendered indispensable.
Page 144 - Know then, that one tenth of the expense borne by Britain in the last campaign would enable ships to sail from London through Hudson's river into lake Erie. As yet, my friend, we only crawl along the outer shell of our country. The interior excels the part we inhabit ia soil, in climate, in everything.
Page 50 - Could trammel up the consequence, and catch With his surcease success : that but this blow Might be the be-all and the end-all here, But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, We'd jump the life to come. But in these cases We still have judgment here ; that we but teach Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return To plague the inventor ; this even-handed justice Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice To our own lips.
Page 192 - I always thought, when we should acquire Canada and Louisiana, it would be proper to govern them as provinces and allow them no voice in our councils. In wording the third section of the fourth article, I went as far as circumstances would permit to establish the exclusion. Candor obliges me to add my belief that had it been more pointedly expressed, a strong opposition would have been made.
Page 185 - I knew as well then, as I do now, that all North America must at length be annexed to us. Happy, indeed, if the lust of dominion stop there. It would, therefore, have been perfectly Utopian to oppose a paper restriction to the violence of popular sentiment in a popular government.
Page 401 - I would not only throw a shield before it, I would build around it a wall of brass. But I am too weak to defend the rampart against the host of assailants. I must call to my assistance their good sense, their patriotism and their virtue. Do not, gentlemen, suffer the rage of passion to drive reason from her seat. If this law be indeed bad, let us join to remedy the defects. Has it been passed in a manner which wounded your pride, or roused your resentment ? Have.
Page 108 - SIR, It is a very long time since I had the pleasure of receiving a line from you or of writing to you. You may have reason to think that I am principally to blame since I had the last letter from you. I delayed writing in hopes of having some subject to write on & tho' I expected such I was disappointed.
Page 65 - I have observed before, while their own sufferings during the war with the latter had not been forgotten. It is well known, that peace has been (to borrow a modern phrase) the order of the day with me since the disturbances in Europe first commenced. My policy has been, and will continue to be, while I have the honor...
Page 414 - One half of your resources will be in their hands, and they will laugh at your feeble attempts with the other half. It is the interest of this country, that the possessions of European powers in the West Indies should be secured to them : and in this view of the subject, it is important that the island of St. Domingo should be subjected by France; it would, therefore, have been wise to have aided in that subjugation. There is, indeed, a special reason for it beyond the considerations of external...
Page 402 - Cast not away this only anchor of our safety. I have seen its progress. I know the difficulties through which it was obtained. I stand in the presence of Almighty God, and of the world ; and I declare to you, that if you lose this charter, never ! no, never will you get another! We are now, perhaps, arrived at the parting point. Here, even here, we stand on the brink of fate. Pause — Pause — For Heaven's sake, Pause ! ! SPEECH OF JAMES A.

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