which had then met at the town of the New-Paltz, on the 16th day of April, 1776, and also on the 25th April following, at the house of Mrs. Ann Dubois, as may be seen by their proceedings on the 16th and 25th of April aforesaid, which said credentials were approved of by the said Committee, as may be seen by the said credentials, drawn by order of the said Committees, and signed, to be delivered to one of the Delegates, which I delivered to the Delegate, Colonel Hasbrouck.

Secondly. If the said credential had not been sent to Congress, they could not have had any information from the Committee of their claim to choose a Delegate to represent this Colony in Continental Congress by ballot, which the people at large then claimed to be their birthright. The above is the reason I give to the honourable the Provincial Congress for my signing the first credential, dated the 16th April, 1776; and also for my attending at the town of the New-Paltz, on the 13th day of May, 1776, together with so many of the Committee as were then appointed on the 25th April to meet with me at the town of the New-Paltz on the 13th May, out of each of the Precincts one, as may be seen by the said proceedings of the said Committee, or any six of the sub-Committee, together with the Chairman, to keep the said election at the town of the New-Paltz, by ballot, as was ordered by the said Committee.

Thirdly. There was likewise ordered, that, on the complaint of Colonel Charles Dewitt laid against Colonel Palmer, if there should be a sufficient number of the Committee, to appear on the 13th of May, then to consider the complaint of the said Dewitt, otherwise to refer it to a further day.

Fourthly. Which did not interfere with the sub-Committee to carry on the election by ballot according to the order of the said Committee, on the 25th April.

Fifthly. The reason why the election was not carried into execution was, that there was a division amongst the people then and there present.

Sixthly. The reason for my signing the second credential, on the 13th May, 1776, I very well knew was dated the 16th April, 1776, and signed the 13th May; and I denied to sign the same when it was offered to me, by reason it was drawn on that day, and not on the 16th April, as it was dated; but being Chairman of the Committee, after my denying to sign the same, I was then ordered by the Committee to sign the same; and being under their directions, although against my opinion, I signed the same the 13th May; and who delivered it to the Delegates I do not remember.

Seventhly. Gentlemen, the before-mentioned reasons, with many more, if necessary, I could give to the Provincial Congress, for my signing the two credentials entered by the said Congress. The sub-Committee for holding the election at the New-Paltz was appointed by the whole County Committee, at the house of Mrs. Ann Dubois, on the 25th April, and not revocable by any part of the County Committee on the 13th May, but had a right to proceed on the said business, and there being Members absent who had ordered the first credential and approved thereof.

Lastly. I must observe to this Committee, as also to the honourable Congress, that the conduct of the gentlemen present on that day deprived me of my birthright to elect a person to represent me in Continental Congress by ballot, according to the order of the County Committee.

Produced and signed the above reasons per request of the honourable the Provincial Congress, this 13th June, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: The information I can give you of the proceedings of the County Committee with respect to the two sets of credentials that were delivered to the Deputies of Ulster County in Provincial Congress, viz :

At a meeting of the freeholders and inhabitants of this County, at the New-Paltz, on the 16th day of April, 1776, to choose Deputies to represent this County in Provincial Congress, under the inspection of the Chairman, and such members of the County Committee as was appointed to superintend the same—I at that time being in the New-Paltz, not as a member that was appointed to inspect the election, but as an elector; but as I was a member of the County Committee, in absence of the member that was appointed out of our precinct to attend and inspect said election, I was called in, and had to attend. The election was held and Deputies chosen, after which the 25th day of April was appointed for the County Committee to meet, for the purpose of fixing upon a quorum, and to prepare the credentials for the Deputies.

The Committee met on the said 25th day of April, of which House I at that time had the honour to be a member; and after the House was formed, they proceeded to business, and fixed the quorum, which two Deputies was to be.

Then the Chairman laid before the Committee a set of credentials, which he had drawn at home, and required the sense of the Committee on the same. The Committee, after making a good many alterations, ordered the Chairman to draw a fair copy of the same, and sign and deliver them to the Deputies, or one of them.

At the same time the 13th day of May was appointed for the freeholders and inhabitants of this said County to meet at the New-Paltz, to choose a Delegate to represent them in Continental Congress, where one member out of every precinct, and two out of Kingston, with the Chairman, were appointed to superintend the said election. Colonel Palmer was to be cited to appear before the Committee on said day, to answer a complaint entered against him by Colonel Charles Dewitt, concerning Minute-men; also Captain Drake was cited to appear before the Committee on said day, to answer to complaint entered against him by James Hunter, concerning Minute-men. I was also appointed to superintend the election on the 13th May, on the said day. When I came to the Paltz, it being a little late, the Chairman with the Committee were upon business, and were in a debate concerning the mode of choosing the Continental Delegates; when I came in, after some time, the Chairman offered to the Committee that were then and there present, (of which the most of them were not members that were appointed to superintend the election then and there to be held,) that set of credentials which he had made, and which the former Committee had ordered him to sign and deliver to said Delegates; the Chairman asked the Committee whether it was their pleasure that he should give said credentials to said Delegates, and proceed to the choice of a Continental Delegate or not, which was by the House rejected for several reasons; and that then the House was formed to order and proceeded to business; then a motion was made by Robert Boyd, Jun., viz: He moved that the sense of this Committee be taken, whether or no it is their opinion that the people at large proceed to the choice of a Continental Delegate; was carried in the negative. Further he moved, that the sense of this Committee be taken, whether it is their opinion that the people at large now assembled be desired to instruct their County Delegates for Provincial Congress relative to the choice of a Continental Delegate; was carried in the affirmative. Then two members were appointed to take the sense of the people then and there assembled; which they did, and the majority of the people agreed that they should instruct their Provincial Delegates concerning the choice of a Continental Delegate; and unanimously agreed that George Clinton should be by them recommended and chosen in Provincial Congress for a Continental Delegate, if it lay in their power; upon this, credentials were to be drawn, with the instructions therein; for which purpose a sub-Committee was chosen to draw said credentials; after the credentials were made by said Committee, they were approved of by the people at large, with the Committee, and ordered to be signed by the Chairman and to be delivered to the Deputies; which said credentials he did sign.

CORNELIUS C. SCHOONMAKER.

I do perfectly agree with Mr. Schoonmaker in what he hath related from the 25th of April last. What was transacted before, on the 16th, I was not present at. Witness my hand.

JOHN ROBINSON.

ULSTER COUNTY COMMITTEE TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

In County Committee, New-Paltz, June 14, 1776.

GENTLEMEN : In consequence of an order from the honourable Provincial Congress (the date of which we cannot refer to, it being in the hands of Colonel Hardenburgh, our late Chairman) for receiving half a ton of powder from