Talk:Gouverneur Morris

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Could someone add a note on how to pronounce his given name? I've always wondered. (Well, not always - but intermittenly over a long period of time.) Adam 03:49, 16 Jan 2004 (UTC)

Good question, Adam. I have always heard it pronounced like the English word "governor," but I wouldn't claim authority on it. Decumanus 05:46, 16 Jan 2004 (UTC)

Is Gouverneur, New York named for this gentleman? I used to play against their sports teams in high school, the town name is pronounced Gover-noor. Yes: the town of Gouverneur is on land originally owned by Morris and settled at his instigation. The town museum has the original deed. He had a summer house there, and visited a few times. The house still stands. Mrandolph 19:38, 4 January 2007 DigiBullet 19:30, 20 Jan 2004 (UTC)

It is a French word (of course, cognate with 'governor'). In French, it is pronounced (aprox.) Gwoh-ver-nur, with that throaty French R and the U pronouned as in 'tu' or German "Uber". It is a very cool and unique name- never heard it on another person.

I always thought it was pronounced Goovenor. Strange name.

It was his mother's maiden name, and I've seen several different ways to pronounce it.--Linden Salter 05:42, 15 February 2006 (UTC)

He actually signed the Constitution as Robert Morris.Hemhem20X6 05:42, 15 September 2006 (UTC) No, this is not correct. Robert Morris (no relation to Gouverneur Morris) was a friend and mentor of Gouverneur, and they worked together during the Revolution (GM was his assistant when RM was made Superintendant of Finances) and then in business after the war. Mrandolph 19:39, 4 January 2007

Contents 1 reverting vandalism 2 Relationship with Thomas Paine 3 Rewrite and additions 4 Neutrality

[edit] reverting vandalism

Hi, I noticed that not all edits by User:24.190.151.22 were reverted. For example it reads now "at the age of thirteen" where the text originally stated "at the age of twelve". Each of his changes which I checked turned out to be valdalism. Maybe somebody with knowledge about Gouverneur Morris should have a look and revert as necessary. --Jochen 20:19, 29 Mar 2005 (UTC)

(somebody also had put "Early awesome Years" for some reason. Edited.

[edit] Relationship with Thomas Paine

There is no mention of how Morris tried to have the French secretly, indefinitely incarcerate Thomas Paine. See under the External links section on Thomas Paine: "Major and Minor Works" and search under Washington. The first letter details Morris's actions. freestylefrappe 21:34, September 5, 2005 (UTC)

I've briefly dealt with this in the new section on the French Revolution; for more details see the biographies of Morris which defend him against Paine's accusation.--Linden Salter 05:28, 15 February 2006 (UTC)

I would unashamedly refer you to the chapter on Thomas Paine in Envoy to the Terror; or, for more detail, to the underlying dissertation, by me,Melanie Randolph Miller These convincingly rebut the still-repeated falsehood that Morris had Paine put under arrest and did his best to keep him there. Not so at all. Paine was arrested for his activities as a friend of the Girondin government and when the Girondins fell -- they were executed in October 1793 -- Paine was able to lie low for a couple of months but finally got arrested in December. He asked Morris to try and get him out on the basis of being of an American, but he had no diplomatic immunity on that basis and was in fact incarcerated for his activities as an honorary French citizen and deputy to the French National Convention. Paine, naturally, didn't see it that way, and never stopped blaming Morris for the time spent in the Luxembourg. ~~M.Miller

[edit] Rewrite and additions

I've done some rewriting, based on the two additional biographies I've listed. In particular, I've considerably expanded the einformation about Morris's years in France, and his Diary of the French Revolution. I've also amended the entries on Thomas Paine and Adelaide Filleul to make them consistent with what I've written here.--Linden Salter 05:42, 15 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Neutrality

The section on his political career is extremely non-neutral (is that a word?). Does anyone else agree?

whats up people?

Indeed, could you please indicate what your concerns are? Also please sign your posts on talk pages with ~~~~. Thanks. --Bduke 00:39, 12 December 2006 (UTC)

The most obvious concern to me, which is why I have tagged the article, is the use of phrases like "brilliant mind". By WP:PEACOCK, we don't use phrases like that; we allow the reader to reach such conclusions from the facts. Septentrionalis PMAnderson 14:11, 29 August 2007 (UTC)