gouverneur morris

English - English

Definition of gouverneur morris in English English dictionary

born , Jan. 31, 1752, Morrisania house, Manhattan died Nov. 6, 1816, Morrisania house American statesman and financial expert. He was admitted to the bar (1771) and served in the New York Provincial Congress (1775-77) and the Continental Congress (1778-79). He distrusted the democratic tendencies of colonists who wanted to break with England, but his belief in independence led him to join their ranks. As assistant superintendent of finance (1781-85), he proposed the decimal coinage system that became the basis for U.S. currency. A delegate to the Constitutional Convention, he helped write the final draft of the Constitution of the United States. He served as minister to France (1792-94) and as a U.S. Senator (1800-03), and he was the first chairman of the Erie Canal commission (1810-16)

Hyphenation

Gou·ver·neur Mor·ris