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justly alarmed and incensed by the slaughter of their fellow-subjects, they naturally fled to arms for their defence.
Resolved, secondly, That the inhabitants of this Colony justly boast the most unshaken loyalty to their Sovereign, the warmest attachment to the succession of the Crown in the illustrious House of Hanover, the highest veneration for the principles of the Revolution, the most tender affection for their brethren in Great Britain and Ireland, and an ardent desire to maintain the ancient union of the two Countries on constitutional principles, notwithstanding the unexampled severities of the present Administration; that, retaining the principle of their ancestors, that allegiance and protection are so inseparably connected that the former cannot exist where the latter is withheld, if any thing has appeared in the conduct of any that would countenance a charge of withholding their allegiance from their Sovereign, it must be attributed to an apprehension that all protection was withdrawn from them; that when the present unhappy controversy is settled on equitable principles, which is the sincere wish of every good man, His Majesty will find his American subjects as ready to afford him every mark of their affection and loyalty as they manifested before the commencement of the present troubles, unless, by the long continuance of this unnatural war, their affection should be stifled by acts of oppression, and drowned in blood.
Resolved, thirdly, That this Congress conceive it highly necessary and expedient that His Majesty should know the sense of this Colony on the Parliamentary Resolution of the 24th February, in such a way as his Excellency may conceive to be most constitutional, and they cannot but consider the Governour's address to the inhabitants, as a mark of his affection to them, and as proceeding from an anxious desire for a re-establishment of that harmony that has been so long interrupted by the misrepresentations and artifices of evil and designing men.
Resolved, fourthly, That this Congress cannot but express their concern that his Excellency has thought it expedient for his personal safety to withdraw for some time past from the usual place of his residence; that should he think proper to return to this city, which is the sincere wish of the people, this Congress conceive it to be the bounden duty of the inhabitants to protect him both in his person and property.
After many debates on the said motion, and the Resolutions thereto annexed, in pursuance of one of the rules of this Congress, at the request of the Members of Albany, Ulster, and Dutchess Counties,
Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed till next Monday.
The Committee appointed to open and examine all the Letters taken from Speight, reported, that they had opened and examined all the said Letters; that they are of opinion, that only two of the said Letters contain any such publick intelligence as that they should be read in Congress, to wit: A Letter from Colonel Maunsell to Peter Van Schaack, and a Letter from Miles Cooper to Doctor Auchmuty, Each of the said Letters were accordingly read.
Ordered, That the Secretaries take a copy of the said Letter from Colonel Maunsell to Mr. Van Schaack, and a copy of the Letter from Miles Cooper to Doctor Auchmuty; and that all the other Letters be sealed by the said Committee who examined them, and put them in such way that they may be forwarded agreeably to their respective directions.
The Congress adjourned until to-morrow morning.
Die Sabbati, 10 ho. A. M., December 9, 1775.
The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.
Present: Nathaniel Woodhull, Esq., President.
For New-York.—Colonel McDougall, Mr. Thomas Smith, Colonel Brasher, Mr. Beekman, Mr. Van Zandt, Mr. Roosevelt, Mr. Ray, Captain Rutgers, Mr. Sands, Mr. Scott.
Albany.—Colonel Nicoll, Colonel Rensselaer, Captain Cuyler, Mr. Bleecker, Mr. Gansevoort.
Dutchess. —Mr. Humphreys, Mr. Schenck, Mr. Gilbert Livingston.
Ulster.—Mr. Cantine.
Goshen, Orange County.—Mr. Clowes.
Suffolk.—Mr. Woodhull, Mr. Hobart, Mr. Strong.
Westchester.—Colonel L. Graham, Colonel Joseph Drake, Colonel Gilbert Drake.
King's.—Mr. Leffertse, Mr. Vanderbilt.
Ordered, That Mr. Vanderbilt be added to the Committee for examining the Accounts of the Treasurer of this Congress, instead of Mr. Palmer, who is one of the Committee ordered to go up to the new Fortifications in the Highlands.
A draft of a Letter to General Schuyler was read, and approved of, and is in the words following, to wit:
"In Provincial Congress, New-York, December 9, 1775.
SIR: Your favours of the 7th, 18th, and 20th November, came duly to hand, but our not being able to form a Congress till the 6th inst., has occasioned their remaining so long unanswered.
Herewith you have enclosed an account of the moneys advanced by us for the payment of the Continental troops. We have frequent applications from discharged soldiers for arrears of pay. As nothing is mentioned about it in their discharges, we are at a loss how to conduct towards them. We beg you will please to give directions to the proper officers to prevent this inconvenience for the future.
We receive with very great satisfaction your congratulations on the glorious success of the Continental Army in Canada; and we can assure you, that it is much heightened by the consideration, that we recommended the Generals who have with so much activity and success conducted an expedition which was attended with difficulties thought to be insuperable by those who were acquainted with them.
We have the honour to be, with very great respect, sir, your most obedient, humble servants.
Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the President, and transmitted.
The Account of the Moneys advanced to the Troops raised in this Colony, enclosed in the said Letter, is in the words and figures following:
| 1775. July 5, | Colonel McDougall, subsistence for the First Regiment, | £300 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug't 7, | Colonel Clinton, subsistence for his Regiment, | 1500 | 0 | 0 |
| Colonel McDougall, subsistence for his Regiment, | 500 | 0 | 0 |
| " | Col. Van Cortlandt, subsistence of Colonel Holmes's Regiment, | 200 | 0 | 0 |
| " | Colonel Van Schaack, subsistence for his Regiment, | 1000 | 0 | 0 |
| " | 12, Colonel Holmes, subsistence for his Regiment, | 700 | 0 | 0 |
| " | 29,Robert Johnson, of Colonel Clinton's Regiment, subsistence for his Company, | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| " | 30, Colonel Holmes, subsistence for his Regiment, | 600 | 0 | 0 |
| " | 31, Colonel McDougall, subsistence of Captain Lamb's Company of Artillery, | 250 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep't. 2., | Major Tuthill, of the Fourth Regiment, two months' subsistence for himself, and JobMulford, Adjutant of said Reg't, | 41 | 6 | 8 |
| " | Colonel McDougall, subsistence for his Regiment, | 500 | 0 | 0 |
| " | 4, Colonel McDougall, subsistence for his Regiment, | 1006 | 11 | 1 |
| " | 8, Lieutenant William Crane, of Col. Holmes's Regiment, subsistence for his Regiment, 30 | 0 | 0 |
| " | 23, Captain John Hulbert, subsistence for his Company, | 192 | 15 | 11 |
| " | 23, Capt. John Hulbert, two months' subsistence for him and two Subalterns, | 37 | 6 | 8 |
| " | 23, Capt. Daniel Griffin, two months' subsistence for him, and two Subalterns, | 37 | 6 | 8 |
| " | 23, Captain Griffin, subsistence for his Company, | 217 | 0 | 1½ |
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