Account of the Meetings

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New-York, Wednesday, March 8, 1775.

On Friday evening last, a number of persons who disapproved of the proposal made by the Committee for this City and County, in their advertisement, published Thursday, met at the house of the widow De La Montagnie, and after choosing Mr˙ John Thurman Chairman, proposed attempting to get the business intended for last Monday, (viz : the choice of persons to meet the Deputies from the Counties, for the purpose of choosing Delegates for the next Congress) postponed until the 20th of April, and published a handbill, desiring those who were of their sentiments to meet them there on Monday, the 6th instant, at ten o' clock, and proceed from thence to the Exchange.

A number of the friends of Constitutional Liberty, hearing of this manoeuvre, and apprehending a scheme was on foot to defeat the design of sending Delegates to the Congress, met on the next evening, and determined to support the Committee, of whose virtue and patriotism we have had ample experience. At the close of the meeting, a gentleman having informed the company that the owners of the Ship Beulah (some time since arrived from London) had not performed their promise of sending her back, and that, therefore, the Committee' s Boat had left her; about three hundred citizens unanimously determined to wait upon the owners to know why the Beulah had not sailed, and required the Captain' s repairing immediately on board his Ship, then lying at the watering place, in order to her departure with the first fair wind. This service was effectually performed; and next day the Vessel fell down to the Hook, from whence she put to Sea on Tuesday.

Early on Monday morning preparations were made for the meeting at the Exchange. A Union Flag, with red field, was hoisted on the Liberty-pole, where, at nine o' clock, the friends of Freedom assembled, and having got in proper readiness, about eleven o' clock the body began their march to the Exchange. They were attended by musick; and two standard bearers carried a large Union Flag, with a blue field, on which were the following; inscriptions: On one side, George III˙ — Rex and the Liberties of America — No Popery. On the other: The Union of the Colonies, and the Measures of Congress. Some time after they had arrived at the Exchange, came also the other company, who had met at the widow De La Montagnie' s, among whom were some Officers of the Army and Navy, several of His Majesty' s Council, and those

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First Question. Whether a certain number of persons shall be appointed and authorized to meet such Deputies as the Counties may elect, and join with them for the sole purpose of appointing out of their body, on the 20th of April next, Delegates for the next Congress?

Second Question. Whether this meeting will authorize the Committee to nominate eleven Deputies for their approbation?

Both of which were carried in the affirmative. The meeting, and the majority which determined the questions, are supposed to have been the most numerous and respectable ever known in this City on the decision of any publick proposal. The business of the day being finished, the friends of freedom paraded through one of the principal streets of the City, to the Liberty-pole, and there dispersed, in the most quiet and orderly manner.