Newt Gingrich (2:40)
On this episode of newtsworld. The lives of these men are essential to understanding the American form of government and our ideals of liberty. The Founding Fathers all played key roles in securing American independence from Great Britain and in the creation of the government of the United States of America. One of those key men was Gouverneur Morris. Morris was born January 31, 1752, into one of New York's prominent Tory families. Tory meaning very pro King. He was born on the family estate Morrisania. Now think about that for having some sense of identity. Hi, I'm Governor Morris of Morisania on the north side of the Harlem river, which was then in Westchester county but is now part of the Bronx. Interestingly, he was named after his mother Sarah's maiden name, Governor, which means governor in both Dutch and French, which is spelled G O U V E R N E U R. So he lived with that his whole life. And he'd walk up to Bill and say, hi, I'm Governor Morris. Now, you might have thought they thought he was a governor, but they didn't. They figured out, oh, that's his name. Morris's father died in 1762 when Morris was 10 years old. And in his will, he indicated, quote, it is my desire that my son, Gouverneur Morris, may have the best education that is to be had in England or America. Part of that occurred when Morris received a scholarship to King's College of New York, which is now Columbia university. He was 12 years old. They had a very different sense of when you went to school back then and when you went to work. He graduated with both a bachelor's degree in 1768 and a master's degree in 1771. He studied law with Judge William Smith and gained admission to the bar in 1775. Remember, this is a period where you didn't go to law school. That's a 19th century invention. But you went and you've studied with a lawyer and learned from doing things with them, something which Jefferson had done down at Williamsburg during a visit home at the age of 14, Morris's right arm was badly burned when a pot of hot water fell on him. His arm became badly crippled. In later portraits, Morris right arm is often hidden. Immediately after graduating, Morris was studying law in the office of William Smith, who eventually became Chief justice of the province of New York. Notice. Not yet a state Chief justice of the province of New York, Morris was licensed to practice law three months before his 20th birthday. Now, if you get to be a lawyer at 19 again, it tells you a difference in how that society operated. People died younger, they went to work younger, they studied younger. It was a very different kind of experience. Due to his aristocratic background, Morris initially favored reconciliation with England rather than pursuing independence. He was one of those people who had a deep psychological commitment to the King. In 1774, Morris wrote in a paper, taxation is the chief bar and a safe compact. Seems, in my poor opinion, to be now tendered internal taxation to be left with ourselves. Reunion between the two countries is essential to both. I say essential. It is for the interest of all men to seek reunion with the parent state. The spirit of the English constitution has yet a little influence left, and but a little. The remains of it will give the wealthy people a superiority this time. But would they secure it? They must banish all schoolmasters and confine all knowledge to themselves. This cannot be. The mob begin to think. The gentry begin to feel this. Their committee will be appointed. They will deceive the people and again forfeit a share of their confidence. And if these are instances of what with one side is policy, with the other, perfidy. Farewell, aristocracy. I see and I see it with fear and trembling that if the disputes with Britain continue, we shall be under the worst of all possible dominions, the dominion of a riotous mob. Remember, this is a period when you have, for example, patriots who disguise themselves as Indians and throw tea in Boston Harbor. So riotous mob was not totally irrelevant, but it's also the challenge that for many people in America is very deep and very real. They enjoyed being English. They wanted to be part of the British system. They admired the king and felt loyal to him. But at the same time, they had increasing problems. And gradually, inch by inch, people began to realize that, you know, there's something profoundly wrong in this relationship. As the conflict continued, his views shifted. He began to argue that maintaining a connection with Great Britain was no longer possible and independence is absolutely necessary for the future of America. In a sense, as you watch Gouverneur Morris gradually transition from totally loyal British subject to beginning to see that maybe America has to go a different way. You're watching what's happening to thousands and thousands of people across the 13 provinces. In a May 1776 speech to New York's Provincial Congress, Morris says, quote, a connection with Great Britain cannot exist. And Independence is absolutely necessary. Remember, he's saying this in May. They don't actually issue the Declaration of Independence until July. So let me pick up again. Independence is absolutely necessary. I cannot balance between the two. We run a hazard in one path, I confess, but then we are infallibly ruined if we pursue the other. Some, nay, many persons in America dislike the word independence. For my own part, I see no reason why Congress is not as good as States General or Parliament. And it is a mighty easy matter to please people when a single sound will affect is quite a hackneyed topic. Boldly insisted on, though very lightly assumed, that the instant American independence is declared, we shall have all the powers of Europe on our backs. Experience, sir, has taught those powers and will teach them more clearly every day, that an American war is tedious, expensive, uncertain and ruinous. Nations do not make war without some view. Should they be unable to conquer America, it would cost them more to maintain such conquest than the fee simple the country is worth. Morris has detected two things that many people have not yet realized. The first is the other European countries are not so afraid of an American revolution that they're going to side with the British monarchy. In fact, most of them have been fighting with Great Britain. So they're going to see this as an opportunity to help the Americans rebel against the British for the purpose of weakening Great Britain. And in fact, this had been a long view held by the French foreign minister who realized that if he allowed the British to continue to occupy the eastern part of North America, they would become so big that they would not be capable of France opposing them. So all of a sudden you have people who are willing to send money, troops, and in the case of France, both an army and a navy. And Morris sort of intuited this. But second, Morris understood something which Washington really understood, and that is this is a huge country. Back then, Washington was fully prepared, if he had to, to retreat into the mountains. Well, the British could never have dug him out. So from Morris perspective, it's very likely that an American rebellion will succeed eventually. And he was deeply involved in trying to think through that transition. In fact, Morris influenced and shaped the New York Constitution. On July 19, 1778, during a lengthy speech, Morris argued about the necessity of a strong executive leader, stating, quote, the executive magistrate should be the guardian of the people, even of the lower classes, against legislative tyranny, against the great and the wealthy, who in the course of things will necessarily compose the legislative body. A quote which I suspect President Trump would like. Morris was an advocate against slavery, introduced a resolution prohibiting it in New York's Constitution, but was unsuccessful in getting it adopted at that time. But it's a useful reminder. There were many people who were opposed to slavery and who recognized that there was an inherent contradiction between saying, we're endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, but it doesn't apply to everybody. And Morris is one of those who thought, you know, we really have to confront this. In fact, the resolution he introduced argued, quote, whereas with regard to the rights of human nature and the principles of only religion loudly call upon us to dispense the blessings of freedom to all mankind, and inasmuch as it would at present be productive of great dangers to liberate the slaves within the state, it is therefore most earnestly recommended to the future legislature of the State of New York to take the most effectual measures consistent with the public safety and the private property of individuals for abolishing domestic slavery within the same so that in future ages every human being who breathes the air of the state shall enjoy the privileges of a free man. Now that is a long jump. And if you are in Georgia or Virginia or South Carolina, it was a little scary and will of course come back about 70 years later and suddenly lead to the great crisis of the survival of the