of the same Land, by means whereof the publick peace hath been disturbed, and the course of publick justice obstructed.

Upon the subject of those claims, it was proposed by Governour Tryon, and agreed to by the Board, that such of the grants made by the Governour of New-Hampshire to the West of Connecticut River as have not yet been confirmed, and do not interfere with any grants made by the Government of New-York, or that of Canada before the conquest, should now be confirmed to the present occupants and possessors, subject to the payment of the quitrent reserved upon all Lands granted in New-York.

That with regard to those grants made by the Governour of New-Hampshire, of Lands in those districts, which do either interfere with grants made by the Governour of New-York, or the Governour of Canada before the conquest, it would be advisable to recommend the having some question stated, that should comprehend the whole of the case, so as to include every claim, and an action brought thereupon in the Supreme Court of New-York, upon such grounds that, either by means of special verdict, or upon some plea of errour, an appeal might lie from the judgment of the said Court to the Governour and Council, and from them to His Majesty in his Privy Council; or otherwise, that the matter should be left to be settled by arbitration, in any mode that should be satisfactory to the different parties.

At a Meeting of His Majesty’s Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, Thursday, March 9th, 1775. Present: Mr. Jenyns, Lord Robert Spencer, Mr. Gascoyne, Mr. Jolliffe, Mr. Keene.

The Earl of Dartmouth, one of His Majesty’s principal Secretaries of State, attends.

The Governour of New-York attending without, with Mr. Burke, agent for that Province, and also Colonel Read, lately arrived from thence; they were called in, and their Lordships resumed the consideration of the state of the disputes touching the propriety of Lands in New-York between Hudson River and Connecticut River; and Colonel Read, who is largely interested in those lands, having stated that he had material evidence and information to lay before their Lordships touching this matter, it was agreed to reconsider the propositions stated in the Minutes of the 2d instant, when Governour Tryon, who was going to Bath on account of his health, should return from thence.

Their Lordships being of opinion that it would be proper, in order to prevent any further survey or location of Lands in King’s District, and on the other Lands surrendered by Mr. Van Rensselaer, that a copy of the Minutes of their Lordships’ proceedings on this subject should be sent to Lieutenant Governour Colden, the Secretary was ordered to transmit a copy of those Minutes, and also to give another copy thereof to Mr. Savage.

A true copy:

J. POWNALL.

Committee Chamber, New-York, 15th March, 1775.

The Sub-Committees appointed by this Committee to join with the Vestrymen of each Ward in this City, in superintending the polls held this day, in the said Wards, for taking the votes of the Freemen and Freeholders on the question, “Whether they would choose Deputies for this City and County, to meet such Deputies as the Counties may elect, and join with them for the sole purpose of appointing out of their body Delegates for the next Congress?” And if yea, who such Deputies should be;

Reported, That they had accordingly attended the said polls, and delivered to the Committee the several poll-lists by them taken, under their hands, and the hands of the Vestrymen of such Wards, from which it appears that eight hundred and twenty-six Freeholders and Freemen voted for Deputies, and elected the eleven persons nominated by this Committee; and that one hundred and sixty-three voted against the measure of appointing Deputies. The said Sub-Committees also informed this Committee that almost all those who voted against the appointment of Deputies, declared they were nevertheless for Delegates.

Ordered, That the said reports and poll-lists be lodged with the Secretary, and that Circular Letters be written to all the Counties in the Colony, informing them of the appointment of Deputies for this City and County, and requesting them, with all convenient speed, to elect Deputies to meet in Provincial Convention at the City of New-York, on the 20th day of April next, for the sole purpose of appointing Delegates to represent this Colony at the next Congress to be held at Philadelphia, the 10th day of May next.

Ordered, That the above extracts from the proceedings of the Committee be published.

By order of the Committee:

JOHN ALSOP, Deputy Chairman.

LETTER FROM THE GENERAL COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK, TO ALL THE COUNTIES IN THE COLONY.

New-York, l6th March, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: The late Congress having deemed it expedient that, in the present critical state of American affairs, another should be held at Philadelphia the 10th of May next; and the neighbouring Colonies having already appointed Delegates for that purpose, we beg leave to call your attention to that subject, and to remark, that the honour, as well as the interest of the Province requires that we also should be fully and properly represented.

Influenced by these considerations, this City and County conceive it, highly necessary that a Provincial Convention should, without delay, be formed of Deputies from all the Counties, for the sole purpose of appointing out of their, body Delegates for the next Congress; and, therefore, have already chosen their Deputies. They prefer this mode to any other, as it tends to unite the Counties, and to preserve that harmony between them so essential to the interest of our common cause.

Be pleased to communicate this letter to the inhabitants: of your County; and should they concur with us in sentiment, we beg they will consider whether it would not be best to choose their Deputies so soon as that they may be down here by the 20th of April next; which day we take the liberty of proposing to you as proper for the meeting of the Convention.

We forbear urging any arguments to induce your concurrence, being well persuaded you are fully sensible that the happiness of this Colony, and the preservation of our rights and liberties depend on our acceding to the general union, and observing such a line of conduct as may be firm, as well as temperate.

By order of the Committee:

ISAAC LOW, Chairman.

ELECTION OF DEPUTIES TO THE CONVENTION IN NEW-YORK.

New-York, March 16, 1775.

On Monday, the 6th instant, the Freeholders and Inhabitants of this City and County, by a very great majority, assented to the following mode of proceeding, viz:—That the General Committee should nominate eleven persons to be, on Wednesday, the 15th, proposed to the choice of the Freemen and Freeholders, as Deputies, to meet on the 20th of April such Deputies as the other Counties might elect, and join with them, for the sole purpose of appointing out of their body Delegates for the next General Congress, agreeable to the recommendation of the last. Accordingly the Committee nominated the following persons, viz: Philip Livingston, John Jay; James Duane, John Alsop, Isaac Low, Francis Lewis, Abraham Walton, Abraham Brasher, Alexander McDougall, Leonard Lispenard, and Isaac Roosevelt.

From the time of the nomination every artifice was used, (by the same party who have constantly exerted their utmost abilities to obstruct and disconcert every measure of opposition to the tyrannical acts of the British Ministry,) in order to prevent the election of the Deputies nominated by the Committee, and to frustrate the design of a Provincial Congress, and of sending Delegates (at least with full powers from the whole Province) to the next General Congress. Before the day of election a great number of pieces were published on both sides, full of artifice and specious pretences on the Ministerial part, and of sound weighty argument on the other. Between the two, the