Washington, George, as First President

Manuscript document on parchment (13 1/2 x 14 3/4 in.; 343 x 375 mm). signed ("G:^{o Washington") and countersigned by Vice-President Jefferson ("Th:Jefferson"), presidential paper seal affixed with wax to upper left corner, Philadelphia, 12 January 1792, being the appointment of Gouverneur Morris as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of France; slight yellowing, signatures a trifle faded.}

Manuscript document on parchment (13 1/2 x 14 3/4 in.; 343 x 375 mm). signed ("G:o Washington") and countersigned by Vice-President Jefferson ("Th:Jefferson"), presidential paper seal affixed with wax to upper left corner, Philadelphia, 12 January 1792, being the appointment of Gouverneur Morris as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of France; slight yellowing, signatures a trifle faded.
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Washington's appointment of Signer of the Constitution Gouverneur Morris as ambassador to France on the eve of the collapse of its constitutional monarchy and subsequent reign of terror. Gouverneur Morris, one of the most gifted writers of his time, had drafted New York's first constitution along with Livingston and Jay.  He later used his unparalleled ability to shape the Constitution into its final literary form.

Morris left for Europe on business in 1789, arriving in Paris in February just in time to see drama of the French Revolution unfold. His commercial ventures in Paris introduced him to the most influential circles of French society, permitting him an insider's view of French politics and court intrigues. Morris was a key source of intelligence to Washington's administration prior to his appointment as minister in 1792. He wrote detailed reports of political events in France to Washington, Hamilton, Jay, Livingston, and others.   On 31 July 1789, he told Washington that the haughty and imperious French minister to the United States, the Comte de Moustiers, had his "Congé" (Washington Papers, Presidential Series 3:360), and would most likely be replaced by Jean-Baptiste de Ternant (Ternant ultimately was appointed and was much more to the liking of Americans than Moustiers). On 24 January 1790, he informs Washington that the "King is in Effect a Prisoner at Paris, and obeys entirely the national Assembly" (Washington Papers, Presidential Series, 5:48-56), which he then describes with his usual caustic wit.

In 1790, Morris was sent on special mission to London to settle disputes over debts, trading posts, impressments, and commercial privileges stemming from the peace treaty of 1783; the results of his negotiations were less than brilliant. In spite of his failure in London, Morris was the most logical successor to Jefferson as ambassador to France, and more than likely his close relationship with Washington factored into his nomination. Morris's reputation as a "monarchy man" was manifest in his distaste for the French Revolution; he offered asylum to refugees from the guillotine and even concocted a plan to whisk the King out of France to freedom and safety.  Considered a liability to Franco-American relations, he was recalled in 1794 at the request of the French government in a quid pro quo action for the dismissal of "Citizen" Genet. Morris, who had succeeded Thomas Jefferson as ambassador to France, was replaced by James Monroe.