Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/454

" Life of Clinton" : " Morris was endowed by nature with all the attributes necessary to the accomplished orator, a fine and commanding person, a most graceful demeanor, which was rather heightened than impaired by the loss of one of his legs, and a voice of much "compass, strength, and richness." In person he so closely resembled Washington that he stood as a model of his figure to Houdon, the sculptor. When on his death-bed he said : " Sixty- five years ago it pleased the Almighty to call me into "existence here, on this spot, in this very room ; and how shall I complain that He is pleased to call fne hence?" On the day of his death he asked about the weathei-. Being told it was fine, he re- plied (his mind, like Daniel Webster's, recurring to Gray's " Elegy ") : " A beautiful day ; yes, but

' Who, to dumb forgetf ulness a prey,
This pleasing, anxious being ere resigned,
Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day.
Nor east one longing, lingering look behind ? ' "

He was the author of " Observations on the American Revolution " (1779) ; " An Address to the Assembly of Pennsylvania on the Abolition of the Bank of North America" (1785) ; " An Address in Celebration of the Deliverance of Europe from the Yoke of Military Despotism " (1814) ; an " In- augural Discourse " before the New York historical society on his appointment as its president, and funeral orations on Washington, Hamilton, and Gov. George Clinton. He also contributed, toward the close of his life, political satires in prose and verse to the newspaper press. See '* Memoirs of Gouverneur Morris, with Selections from his Papers and Correspondence," by Jared Sparks (3 vols., Boston, 1832), and " Gouverneur Morris," by Theo- dore Roosevelt, in the " American Statesman Series " (1888). His granddaughter, Axxie Cary, is now (1888) preparing for publication the " Jour- nals and Letter's " of her grandfather. — Lewis the signer's son, Jacob, soldier, b. in Morrisania, 28 Dec, 1755 ; d. in Butternuts. Otsego co., N. Y., 10 June, 1844, was educated for a merchant's career, but, yielding to patriotic impulses, offered his ser- vices to congress, and was appointed aide-de-camp to Gen. Charles Lee, with whom he went to the south and served with credit at Fort Moultrie and in many other engagements. He also was attached to the staff of Gen. Nathanael Greene. On the dec- laration of peace he returned to New York city, and was subsequently elected to both the lower and upper branches of the legislature. In 1787 he re- moved to Butternuts, Otsego co., N. Y.— Jacob's nephew, Lewis Nelson, b. in Albany, N. Y., in 1800: d. at Monterey, Mexico, 21 Sept.. 1846, was the son of Staats Lewis, who served on the staff of Gen. Anthony Wayne. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy, and made 2d lieutenant in the artillery corps, 1 July, 1820. He was promoted 1st lieutenant, 3d infantry, on 31 Dec, 1825, and captain, 31 Oct., 1833. After being engaged for more than twenty years on frontier duty, he served in Texas in 1845-"6 during its occupation by U. S. troops, and in the campaign in Mexico in 1846. taking part in the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Monterey, in which latter engage- ment he was killed while gallantly leading his regiment in an assault on the enemy's works. He was brevetted major for meritorious conduct at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. — Lewis N.'s son. Lewis Owen, soldier, b. in Albany, N. Y., 14 Aug., 1824 ; d. in Cold Harbor. Va.. 3 June. 1864, received a commission as 2d lieutenant in the tj. S. army, 8 March, 1847, and took part in the siege of Vera Cruz, and the subsequent advance on the city of Mexico. At the beginning of the civil war he had attained the rank of captain in the 1st artillery. During the winter of 1860-"1 he was stationed in Texas, and his battery was the only one that did not surrender to the Confederates. In the winter of 1861-'2 he was designated to direct the opera- tions against Fort Macon, N. C, which he captured and afterward commanded. The following sum- mer he was appointed colonel of the 113th New York volunteers, which, reaching Washington when the city was menaced by Gen. Robert E. Lee, was converted into a heavy artillery regiment. It was stationed at Fort Reno, one of the works defend- ing the National capital, but the inactive life did not suit Col. Morris, and he pleaded repeatedly to be sent to the field. At the beginning of the campaign of 1864 his wish was gratified, and during all the engagements from Spottsylvania till his death he commanded a brigade. He fell in the battle of Cold Harbor when, like his father, he was cheering his men in an assault. He was greatly beloved and admired as an officer.

MORRIS, Robert, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. in Liverpool, England. 20 Jan., 1734; d. in Philadelphia, 8 May, 1806. When he was about thirteen years of age he came to this country with his father, and soon after his arrival he was placed in the counting-house of Charles Willing, a wealthy Phila- delphia merchant. By his diligence and activity he grew in favor and commanded confi- dence. After the death of Mr. Will- ing he was taken into partnershi[) by the latter's son,

Thomas, in 1734,

and this connection was maintained until 1793. At the beginning of the Revolution the firm of Willing and Morris was one of the largest and most prosperous among the commercial houses of Philadelphia. Although he was warmly attached to the mother-country, Morris opposed the stamp-act ; and, although it was con- trary to his business interests, he signed the non-importation agreement of 1765. In 1775 he was sent as a delegate to the Continental congress, and while serving in that capacity he voted, 1 July, 1776, against the Declaration of Independence, and on 4 July declined to vote. But when the Declaration was adopted he appended his name. He was re-elected to congress in 1777, and again in 1778. When hostilities began, his services became more and more valuable. As member of the committee of ways and means he worked hard, and gave to the government the full benefit of his credit. Without Morris's help the campaigns of 1780 would have been impossible. In the former year he supplied Gen. Nathanael Green with munitions of war, and in the latter year he raised $1,400,000 to assist Washington in the movement that resulted in the capture of Yorktown. In February, 1781, he was unanimously elected superintendent of finance. In December of the same year, when the financial situation had become desperate, the government being |2,500.000 in debt, he organized the Bank of North America, subscribing $10,000. The bank was incorporated by congress, 31 Dec, 1781, and went into operation, 7 Jan., 1782, with a capital