The Documentary history of the state of New-York; arranged under direction of the Hon. Christopher Morgan, secretary of State. By E. B. O'Callaghan ...

984 CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE
be dismissed. And that the paper signed " Thomas Youngl
advising the Inhabitants of the said District to chuse Members
for a Generall Convention, and Delagates for the General Congress and Committee of Safety, and form a Constitution, was
derogatory to'the Honor of Congress, and a gross misrepresentation of the Resolution of Congress therein referred to, and tended
to deceive and mislead the People to whom it was addressed.
That the said Resolutions at first seemed sufficient to quiett
the Disorders which then prevailed, and their appeared in many,
if not most of the revolters, a Disposition to return to their
Duty; But it was not long before the leaders of the Mal-contents,
in Print and in Conversation so misrepresented and explained
those Resolutions as induced tlat Party to believe that Congress
favored their plan.
That they have since formed a Constitution of Government
and elected all the necessary Officers thereof.
That notwithstanding the Revolt was made upon this Foundation tha we were thrown into a state of Nature by the Colonies
being declared independant of Great Britain and had then a
right to chuse our Government; Yet those who continued
subjects of one of the United States have not been allowed that
Privilege, but the Insurgents both by their civil and military
authority, have at every opportunity attempted to compel them
to submit to their usurped Government, and very lately many
of their principal officers declared iri the most publick manner
that their Government was determined to enforce submission
by arms until Congress should otherwise direct and to leave no
doubt of the Sincerity of this Declaration they were then in the
Act of Compelling Submission to their Government at the head
of about tTwo hundred armed men. That beside this, their
pretended Legislature in June last passed an Act declaring that
if any Person within this pretended State shlall after the first day
of September next accept hold or exercise any office, civil or
military, other than shall be derived from the said pretended
State, he shall for the first Offence, pay a fine not exceeding one
hundred, pounds, lawfil money; for the second offence shall be
whipped on the naked Back, not exceeding forty stripes, at the
Discretion of the Court; and for the third offence shall have his