1795 dated North American Land Stock signed by Robert Morris - Financier and Pennsylvania Signer of the Declaration of Independence - Exact Piece Shown - Erosion in the Signature Usually Seen

Early Stock Robert Morris signs as President. Also signed by James Marshall as Secretary. Exact Piece Shown. Erosion in the Signature Usually Seen.

Robert Morris, Jr. (January 20, 1734 – May 8, 1806) was an English-born merchant who is acknowledged as a Founding Father of the United States. He served in various capacities, including the Pennsylvania legislature, the Second Continental Congress, and the United States Senate. Morris was a signatory of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution. From 1781 to 1784, he held the position of Superintendent of Finance for the United States, earning the designation "Financier of the Revolution." Alongside notable figures such as Alexander Hamilton and Albert Gallatin, he is regarded as one of the key architects of the financial system of the United States. In light of the severe financial challenges faced during the Revolutionary War, Congress created the position of Superintendent of Finance in 1781 to oversee financial matters. Morris accepted this role and also took on the duties of Agent of Marine, responsible for the Continental Navy.

He was instrumental in supplying the Continental Army under General George Washington, significantly contributing to Washington's decisive victory at the Battle of Yorktown, with the assistance of his frequent collaborator, Haym Salomon. Morris introduced reforms in government contracting and established the Bank of North America, which was the first national bank chartered by Congress in the United States. He maintained that the national government could not achieve financial stability without the power to levy taxes and tariffs; however, he was unable to convince all thirteen states to support an amendment to the Articles of Confederation. In May 1783, Morris tasked the young John Brown with approaching Luis de Unzaga, known as 'le Conciliateur,' who served as an intermediary in a covert operation to facilitate trade with the United States through bills of exchange from the bankers Le Couteulx. This clandestine mission was successful, enabling the payment of the Continental Army and averting a potential uprising that could threaten the delicate peace between the emerging United States and England.

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