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 ...

826 CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE
hold the Deponent's said Lands from him by Force of Arms,
This Deponent in the Month of September last visited his said
Lands, in order to secure his said Property, and to give the said
Settlers thereon Leases, if they would accept of the same, carrying
up with him Declarations in Ejectment to serve on them if he
should find the same necessary. That upon the Deponent's
Arrival at his said Lands, the settlers thereon and the others,
collected together in a Body about thirteen in Number, when the
Deponent offered those who had settled on his Lands, Leases,
which they absolutely refused to accept upon any Terms whatsoever, but declared they would support themselves there by
Force of Arms, and that they would spill their Blood before they
would leave the said Lands; whereupon the Deponent proceeded.
to serve two Declarations of Ejectment on two principal Ringleaders, and thereupon some of their Party presented their
Firelocks at the Deponent, declaring it should be Death for any
Man that served a Declaration of Ejectment there, but the
Deponent being well armed with Pistols proceeded to serve the
said Ejectments, notwithstanding they continued their Firelocks
presented against him during the whole Time, that after the
Deponent had served the said Ejectments, they declared with
one Voice that they would not attend any Court in the Province
of New York, nor would be concluded by any Law of New York
respecting their Lands, and asked the Deponent how he would
get Possession after he had got Judgments against them, who
replied he should bring the High Sherif to put him in Possession,
to which they replied they would suffer no Sheriff to come upon
the Ground, to which the Deponent replied, that if they resisted
the Civil Officer, he would apply for the Assistance of the
Regular Troops which. were hard by, as it was their Duty to
assist the Civil authority, and that it was High Treason for them to
fire on his Majesty's Troops, to which they answered that if his
Majesty's Troops came to assist the Civil Officer to put any Man
in Possession there, they should have lihundreds of Guns fired at
them, and that they further said, it was the universal Agreement
of the People in that Country, as the Deponent understood in its
whole Extent from North to South, to defend themselves by
Force of Arms, in opposition to every attempt in support of the