Members of the New-York Assembly to General Gage

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New-York, May 5, 1775.

SIR: In the recess of the General Assembly we, who are members of it, cannot avoid addressing your Excellency on a subject of the utmost importance.

We have long seen, with the greatest anxiety, the progress of the unhappy contest between Great Britain and the Colonies; and as we have ardently wished for a cordial reconciliation, so we have, to the utmost of our power, endeavoured to pursue the means of attaining so desirable, an end. While we were looking up to this object, encouraged to hope for the attainment of it by the assurances we had that a spirit of reconciliation was prevailing in the Mother Country, we were extremely alarmed at the late melancholy transactions in the Province of Massachusetts-Bay, ending in actual bloodshed. The immediate effect occasioned by the intelligence of such important events, was a general agitation in the minds of the people here, which has since subsided into a fixed, confirmed resolution, to withhold all supplies and succours from the Troops under your Excellency' s command, while they are at the same time associating and arming to put themselves in a state of defence.

Alarmed as we are by the ruinous consequences which must inevitably follow the prosecution of hostile measures, and anxiously affected with the calamities of an unnatural civil war, we are induced most earnestly to entreat your Excellency, in behalf of the Colonies, (which, however tenacious of their rights and liberties, and jealous of every infringement of them, can be exceeded in loyalty and affection for our most gracious Sovereign by none of his subjects,) that your Excellency will, as far as may be consistent with your duty, immediately order a cessation of further hostilities, until His Majesty can be apprised of the situation of the American Colonies. From such a request we entertain the most favourable expectations, when we reflect on the humanity and clemency which distinguish your Excellency' s character, and which must render a conflict between Britons and Americans a subject of the most disagreeable nature to you. While we consider the state of mind which prevails among the people here, we cannot but mention their apprehensions at the report of the destination of some Troops for this place; should this really be the case, we must express our wish that it might also be consistent with your Excellency' s duty, that no military force might land or be stationed in this Province.

It behooves us to acquaint your Excellency that two of the members of His Majesty' s Council of this Province have this day sailed in the Packet for England; and we flatter ourselves that the indulgent Father of his People will be moved by the distressed situation of his American subjects, and that he will permit a negotiation to take place, which may prevent the further effusion of blood, and open a door for a lasting accommodation of present disputes. We are your Excellency' s most obedient humble servants,

JOHN CRUGER,
FRED˙ PHILIPS,
JACOB WALTON,
DANIEL KISSAM,
P˙VAN CORTLANDT,
SIMON BOERUM,
JON COE,
JAMES JAUNCEY,
ZEB˙ WILLIAMS,
BENJ˙ SEAMAN,
JOHN RAPALJE,
SAMUEL GALE,
CHRISTOPH˙ BILLOPP,
SAMUEL WELLS.

To his Excellency General Gage,