He went to France on business in 1789 and served as Minister Plenipotentiary to France from 1792 to 1794.
His diaries during that time have become a valuable chronicle of the French Revolution, capturing much of the turbulence and violence of that era, as well as documenting his affairs with women there.
Unlike Thomas Jefferson, Morris was far more critical of the French Revolution and considerably more sympathetic to the deposed queen consort, Marie Antoinette.
Commenting on her grandfather's sometimes Tory-minded outlook of the world, Anne Cary Morris said, "His creed was rather to form the government to suit the condition, character, manners, and habits of the people.
In France this opinion led him to take the monarchical view, firmly believing that a republican form of government would not suit the French character."
The "French character" in the Age of Revolution was one of two socio-political extremes: absolutism and autocracy.

Morris was "the only foreign representative who remained in his post throughout the worst days of the Terror."
 On one occasion, when Morris "found himself the centre of a hostile mob in favour of hanging him on the nearest lamp-post, he unfastened his wooden leg, brandished it above his head, and proclaimed himself an American who had lost a limb fighting for liberty", upon which "[t]he mob's suspicions melted into enthusiastic cheers" (even though, as noted above, Morris had in fact lost his leg as a result of a carriage accident).

While Morris was minister, Marquis de Lafayette, who had been an important participant in the American Revolution, was exiled from France and his family imprisoned, and Thomas Paine, another important figure, was arrested and imprisoned in France.
 Morris' efforts on their behalf have been criticized as desultory and insufficient.
 After a change of the French government, and after Morris was replaced as minister, his successor, James Monroe, was able to secure Paine's release.
He went to France on business in 1789 and served as Minister Plenipotentiary to France from 1792 to 1794. His diaries during that time have become a valuable chronicle of the French Revolution, capturing much of the turbulence and violence of that era, as well as documenting his affairs with women there. Unlike Thomas Jefferson, Morris was far more critical of the French Revolution and considerably more sympathetic to the deposed queen consort, Marie Antoinette. Commenting on her grandfather's sometimes Tory-minded outlook of the world, Anne Cary Morris said, "His creed was rather to form the government to suit the condition, character, manners, and habits of the people. In France this opinion led him to take the monarchical view, firmly believing that a republican form of government would not suit the French character." The "French character" in the Age of Revolution was one of two socio-political extremes: absolutism and autocracy.
Morris was "the only foreign representative who remained in his post throughout the worst days of the Terror."  On one occasion, when Morris "found himself the centre of a hostile mob in favour of hanging him on the nearest lamp-post, he unfastened his wooden leg, brandished it above his head, and proclaimed himself an American who had lost a limb fighting for liberty", upon which "[t]he mob's suspicions melted into enthusiastic cheers" (even though, as noted above, Morris had in fact lost his leg as a result of a carriage accident).
While Morris was minister, Marquis de Lafayette, who had been an important participant in the American Revolution, was exiled from France and his family imprisoned, and Thomas Paine, another important figure, was arrested and imprisoned in France.  Morris' efforts on their behalf have been criticized as desultory and insufficient.  After a change of the French government, and after Morris was replaced as minister, his successor, James Monroe, was able to secure Paine's release.
Gouverneur Morris