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PROTEST OF INHABITANTS AND FREEHOLDERS OF WEST-CHESTER COUNTY, NEW-YORK.
County of West Chester, April 13, 1775.
Mr. RIVINGTON: Be pleased to insert the following, and you will oblige a number of your friends and subscribers.
On Thursday, the 11th instant, a very respectable number of freeholders and inhabitants of the County of West-chester, assembled at the White Plains, in the said County, agreeable to the notice given, that their sentiments might be known concerning the choice of a Committee to meet their Committee in the City of New-York, for the purpose of choosing Delegates to represent this Colony in the next Continental Congress.
The friends of order and Government met at the house of Captain Hatfield; those who were for a Committee, put up at another publick house in the Town. About twelve o’clock, word was brought to the gentlemen at Captain Hatfield’s, that the opposite party had already entered upon the business of the day; upon which they immediately walked down to the Court-House, although not half of their friends, who were expected, had yet appeared, where they found the other company collected in a body. The numbers on each side seemed, to be nearly equal, and both together might amount to two hundred, or, at most, two hundred and fifty. The friends to Government then declared, that as they had been unlawfully called together, and for an unlawful purpose, they did not intend to contest the matter with them by a poll, which would be tacitly acknowledging the authority that had summoned them thither; but that they came only with a design to protest against all Such disorderly proceedings, and to shew their detestation of all unlawful Committees and Congresses. They then declared their determined resolution to continue steadfast in their allegiance to their gracious and merciful Sovereign, King George the Third; to submit to lawful authority; and to abide by and support the only true representatives of the people of this Colony—the General Assembly. Then giving three huzzas, they returned to Captain Hatfield’s, singing, as they went, with a loyal enthusiasm, the grand and animating song of “God save great George our King.” “Long live our noble King,” &c., &c.
At their return, finding that many of their friends had arrived during their absence, and that many still kept coming in, they proceeded to draw up and sign the following Declaration, which they seemed to do with as much patriotick zeal as ever warmed the hearts of true and faithful subjects, and afterwards dispersed to their different habitations.
“We, the subscribers, freeholders and inhabitants of the County of Westchester, having assembled at the White Plains, in consequence of certain advertisements, do now declare, that we met here to declare our honest abhorrence of all unlawful Congresses and Committees, and that we are determined, at the hazard of our lives and properties, to support the King and Constitution; and that we acknowledge no Representatives but the General Assembly, to whose wisdom and integrity we submit the guardianship of our rights, liberties, and privileges.”
Frederick Philips,
Isaac Wilkins,
Samuel Seabury,
Luke Babcock,
John. Fowler, Judge,
Caleb Fowler, Judge,
Jona. P. Horton, Esq.,
William Sutten, Esq.,
David Oakly, Esq.,
Benja’n Fowler, Esq.,
William Davids, Esq.,
Wm. Anderson, Esq.,
Wm. Barker, Esq.,
Capt. Abram. Hatfield,
N. Underhill, Mayor,
George Cornwell, Esq.,
Philip Pell, Esq.,
Joshua Fell,
James Pell,
Edward Pell,
John Hunt,
Gilbert Horton,
Adrian Leforge,
Joshua Gidney,
Jonathan Gidney,
Lieut. Jona. Purdy,
Solomon Gidney,
Joseph Bude,
James Whitmore,
Moses Williams,
John Haight,
Isaac Brown,
Phillip Kelly,
James Hains,
Joseph Hains, Jun.,
James Hains, Jun.,
Matthew Hains,
Bartholomew Hains,
Gilbert Hains,
John Hains,
Elijah Hains,
Lieut. Solo’n Fowler,
Isaac Williams,
John McCollum,
Joseph Clark,
Joseph Oakly,
Caleb Ferris,
Capt. Benja’n Griffen,
Capt. Joshua Purdy,
James Mott,
Lieut. W. Laensberry,
Lieut. Samuel Purdy,
John Rustin,
Nathan Osburn,
Philemon Halstead,
Daniel Purdy,
John Crab,
Izrahiah Whetmore,
Capt. Abso’m Gidney,
David Haight,
John Brown,
Jasper Stivers,
Peter McFarthing,
Joshua Purdy, Jun.,
Haccaliah Purdy, Jun.,
James Tompkins,
Michael Chatterton,
Elnathan Taylor,
Gilbert Theal,
William Sexon,
Thomas Champeniers,
John Champeniers,
William Griffin,
Isaac Gidney,
John Bates,
Joseph Haviland,
Eleazer Hart,
Timothy Whetmore,
James Hunt,
Joseph Parker,
Joshua. Barns,
Joseph Purdy,
John Park,
Samuel Purdy,
Gilbert Purdy,
James Chatterton,
John Dewsenburgb,
Thomas Cromwell,
Solomon Horton,
Peter Bussing, t
Peter Bussing, Jun.,
James Kneffen,
Nath’l Underhill, Jun.,
Philip Fowler,
John McFarthing,
John Tompkins,
Joseph Hart,
Jacob Post,
Joseph Gidney,
James Baxter,
John Hart,
Cornelius Loosee,
Jesse Park, |
Roger Purdy, Jun.,
Gilbert Pugsley,
Abraham Leadu,
Benjamin Brown,
Isaac Keed,
Aaron Buis,
Moses Weymen,
Israel Underhill,
John Baizley,
David Oakly, Jun.,
Isaac Smith,
John Hyatt,
Hezekiah Cudney,
Abraham Odall,
Thomas Lawrence,
John Seyseon,
Jeremiah Travies,
Griffen Curey,
Isaac Forsheu,
Gabriel Requeaw,
Samuel Webb,
Banjamin Downing,
Gabriel Archer,
Elias Secord,
Thomas Veal,
James Peirce,
Edward Bugbe,
David Haight,
Sylvanius Lyon,
Daniel Haight,
John Williams,
Joseph Purdy,
Ezekial Halstead,
John Hunt, Jun.,
Isaac Purdy,
Elijah Purdy,
Abraham Loosee,
Isaac Tompkins,
William Gray,
Nathaniel Merit,
Joseph Paulding,
Hendricus Storm,
Francis Secord,
John Parker,
Gilbert Hatfield,
Gabriel Purdy,
Alexander Hains,
Benjamin Ogden,
Thomas Meritt,
Gilbert Bates,
John Gidney,
Stephen Arnode,
Israel Secord,
John Arnode,
David Purdy,
David Blecher,
Jordon Downing,
Levi Devoe,
Abraham Acker,
Corn. Van Tassell,
Elisha Meritt,
Jacob Schureman,
Joseph Appleby,
John Tompkins, Jun.,
Job Hadden, Jun.,
Patrick Cary,
James Hart,
Gilbert Ward,
Joseph Hart,
Monmouth Hart,
William Dunlap,
Joshua Ferris,
Timothy Purdy,
James Macquire,
James Regnaw,
Daniel Shadin,
Samuel Purdy,
Sylvanus Purdy,
William Dalton,
David Davids,
Elijah Purdy, Jun.,
Elijah Tomkins,
Daniel Jerow,
Charles Lawrence,
Joseph Purdy, Jun.,
James Sniffn, Jun.,
Thomas Valentine,
Gilbert Valentine,
Abraham Rich,
Andrew Gerow,
Gilbert. Hunter,
Lieut. Peter Bonnett,
Samuel Sneeden,
Peter Fashee,
Jesse Lawrence,
William Sneeden,
Lieut. Daniel Knap,
Solomon Dean,
Charles Vincent, Sr.,
Lieut. Thomas Hyatt,
James Gidney,
Wm. Woodward, |
Jonathan Budd,
John Whetmore,
Wm. Underhill,
Thomas Brown,
Lieut. Isaac Gidney,
Nehemiah Tompkins,
Henry Leforge,
Everet Brown,
Benjamin Beyea,
Barthol’w Gidney,
Josiah Brown,
Seth Purdy,
Peter Huggeford,
Jacob Gidney,
John Loce,
Elnathan Appleby,
John Baker,
Jonathan Underhill,
James McChain,
Benjamin Seacord,
Joshua Hunt,
Betts Chatterdon,
William Landrine,
Enoch Hunt,
Peter Corne,
Dennis Kennedy,
James Hains,
Andrew Bainton,
Hezekiah Simmons,
Nathaniel Tompkins,
Caleb Archer,
Benjamin Bugbe,
Francis Purdy,
William Odell,
Israel Hunt,
Thomas Tompkins,
Frederick Underhill,
Peter Post,
Benjamin McCord,
John Williams,
John Ackerman,
Peter Rusting,
Thomas Barker,
Jeremiah Hunter, *
Abraham Storm,
Peter Jenning,
Isaac Merritt,
Edward Merritt,
John Gale,
John Smith,
Roger Purdy.
James Hart, Jun.,
Jona. Purdy, Jun.,
Monmouth Hart, Jr.,
Christopher Purdy,
Gilbert Purdy,
Edw’d Merritt, Jun.,
Elijah Miller,
Henry Disborough,
Benjamin Hunt,
Elnathan Hunt,
William Van Wart,
Abraham Storm,
Thomas Berry,
Lancaster Underhill,
Charles Merritt,
Benjamin Underhill,
Benj. Griffin, Jun.,
Jeremiah Coone,
John Hall,
James Angevine,
Jacob Coone,
Jer. Anderson, Jr.,
Gilbert Williams,
Win. Barker, Jun.,
Gideon Arden,
William field,
Joseph Purdy,
George Storm,
Jacob Vermiller,
Samuel Heusted,
Barthol’w Underhill,
Lieut. John Warner,
Nathaniel Purdy,
Isaac Bennett,
Samuel Baker.
John Cornwell,
John Storm,
Andrew Fowler,
Joshua Secord,
George French,
John Underhill,
Caleb Gidney,
Wm. Underhill, Jun.,
James Hill,
William Watkins,
John Rustin,
Richard Baker,
William Ascough,
Bishop Heustice,
James Miller,
Phineas Hunt. |
The following persons, not being able to attend at the Plains, requested, by their friends, that their names might be added to the list of protesters, viz:
John Hunt, Esq.,
Jeremiah Hitchcock, |
Philip Palmer, Esq.,
William Bond, |
John Hitchcock,
Joseph Bond. |
The foregoing account is strictly true, as can be proven by the testimony (or, if necessary, by the affidavits) of a number of persons of the most unquestionable character in this County. What, then, must we think of such persons as have propagated a report, that the friends of Government were, upon this occasion, out-numbered five to one, and that many of the persons whose names were subscribed to the foregoing Declaration, were not on that day present at the
* NORTH-CASTLE, May 8, 1775.— Mr. Rivington In your paper lately I saw my name to a Protest. I never signed it, but went into Captain Hatfieid’s house, and was asked whether I was a Whig or a Tory? I made answer, that I did not understand the meaning of those words, but vas for liberty and peace. Upon which some body put down my name. Now, sir, I desire you will print this, to show the world that I have not deserved to be held up in the light of a protester.
JEREMIAH HUNTER.
† That our names were not subscribed to the Protest of Westchester, either by ourselves, or our orders, or permission, directly or indirectly, is certified by us, each for himself.
| PETER BUSSING. | | JOHN BUSSING. |
May 4, 1775.
† Mr. Rivington: I did sign a Protest which was printed in your paper; but I did so because I was told that the intent of signing it was to show that I was for the liberties of the Country.
SAMUEL BAKER.
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