‘246 
ardently wished a more energetic form 
of state government than could exist 
under asingle legislature, and numerous 
executive council; and, could the legis- 
Jature have dispensed with his services, 
er had there been any man among the 
party in power capable of fulfilling the 
trust, it is probable that he would not 
have been appointed to it. ‘That man, 
however, did not exist. The manner in 
which Mr. Merris executed it, showed 
hew well he merited tie confidence of 
the legislature, and also a skilfulness of 
management, which none but himsclf 
could have effected.* 
Tn the year 1786, Mr. Morris served 
as a representative of Philadelphia, in 
ibe state legislature. Always ready 
to lend the aid, either of his talents, 
aime, or purse, when required by the 
cause of his country, or state, he yielded 
to the wishes of his fellew-citizens in 
slanding as a candidate, for the express 
purpose of exerting his influence in 
favour of the renewal of the charter of 
the bank of North America, which had 
been taken away fron that institution by 
the preceding assembly. The ostensible 
reasons for this unjust measure were ill- 
grounded fears of the evil effects of the 
bank on society, {and especially the 
agricultural interest,) its éseompatibi- 
fity with the safety and welfare of the 
state; an improbable possibility of un- 
due influence from it on the legislature 
itself; with other arguments of equal 
weight and truth. But the real cause 
must be ascribed to the continuance of 
the spirit ef the same party which had 
been so vielently opposed to Mr. Mor- 
ris, and the society with which he asso- 
ciated during the whole of the American 
war. The debates on the occasion, 
awhich excited great interest among all 
elasses of society, were accurately taken 
down, and published in a pamphlet. 
Mr. Morris replied to all the arguments 
of his opponents with a force of reasoning 
that would have produced conviction in 
the mind of any man, not previously de- 
termined to destroy the bank, if possible, 
atall hazards. ‘The question, however, 
was lost by.a majority of 13, (28 to 41). 
The succeeding legislature restored the 
eharter, 
The next public service rendered by 
Mr. Morris to his country, was as a 
* See the Statement of his Finance Ac- 
counts, before referred to. 
+ For this interesting document, we are 
indebted to Mr, Mathew Carey, as writer 
aud publisher. 
Memoirs of the Life of Robert Morris. 
[Gct. 1, 
member of the convention that formed 
the federal constitution in the year 1787. 
He had, as a part of his colleagues, 
Benjamin Franklin, George Clymer, 
and James Wilson, with whom he as- 
sisted in the councils that led to the 
memorable and decisive measures of 
the year 1776; and now with them again 
united in forming the bond of union, 
which was to Jay the foundation for the 
future and permanent prosperity ef-their 
country. The want of an efficient fe- 
deral government in conducting the war, 
had been severely felt by all those at the 
head of affairs, either in a civil or mi- 
litary capacity, and most particularly 
by Mr. Morris, while a member of Con- 
gress, and afterwards when the financial 
concerns of the Union were exclusively 
committed'to him; and the necessity of 
it, “one, whieh would draw forth and 
direct the combined efforts of United 
America,” was strongly urged by him, 
in the conclusion of his masterly pre- 
face to the “‘ Statement of his Finance 
Accounts,” already referred te. 
The confidence of his fellow-citizens 
was again shown, in bis election as one 
of the representatives from Philadelphia, 
in the first Congress that sat at New 
York after the ratification of the federal 
compact by the number of states re- 
quired thereby, to establish it as the 
grand basis of the law of the land. 
It adds not a little to the merit of 
Mr. Morris, that notwithstanding his 
numerons engagements as a public and 
private character, their magnitude, and 
often perplexing nature, he was enabled 
to fulfil all the private duties which his 
high standing in society necessarily im- 
posed upon him. His house was the 
scat of elegant but unostentatious hos- 
pitality, and his domestic affairs were 
managed with the same admirable or- 
der which lfad so long and so prover- 
bially distinguished his counting-house, 
the office of the secret committee of 
congress, and that of finance. An in- 
troduction to Mr. Morris was a matter 
in course with all the strangers in good 
society, who for half a century visited 
Philadelphia, either on commercial, 
public, or private, business ; and it is not 
saying too much to assert, that during 
a certain period, it greatly depended 
upon him to-do the ‘honours of the city ; 
and certainly no one was more qualified 
or more willing to Support them. Ab 
though active in the acquisition of 
wealth as a merchant, no one more 
freely parted with bis gains for public 
or private purposes of a meritorious 
3 nature, 
