New-York Committee

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Committee-Chamber, New-York, June 7, 1776.

Whereas doubts have arisen in the Provincial Congress, "Whether the present Members are invested with sufficient power and authority to deliberate and determine on so important a subject as the necessity of erecting and constituting a new form of Government and internal police, to the exclusion of all foreign jurisdiction, dominion, and control whatever, agreeable to a late resolve of the honourable the Continental Congress:"

And whereas it was by them, in their resolve of the 31st of May last, recommended to the Electors in the several Counties in this Colony, by election, in the manner and form prescribed for the election of the present Congress, either to authorize, in addition to the powers vested in their present Deputies, or others in the stead of the present Deputies, or either of them, with full and sufficient power to take into consideration the necessity and propriety of instituting such new Government as in and by the resolution of the Continental Congress is described and recommended; and that if the majority of the Counties, by their Deputies in Provincial Congress, shall be of opinion that such new Government ought to be instituted and established, then to

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The General Committee of the City and County of New-York, agreeable to the above recommendation, earnestly request and entreat all the freeholders and freemen, and also all the other inhabitants of the said City and County possessed of goods and chattels in their own right to the amount of forty pounds, to attend at the City-Hall of said City, at ten o' clock in the forenoon, on Monday, the 17th day of this instant June, then and there to invest their present Members of Provincial Congress with the power aforesaid, or to elect by ballot others in their stead, or in the stead of any of then, with such power to continue to represent the said City and County in Congress, until the second Tuesday in May nest, or until a reconciliation with Great Britain, or the establishment of a new form of Government shall render the same unnecessary. The Chairman or Deputy Chairman, and six Members, with the Secretary, will attend said election. It is not doubted but every true friend to this Colony, entitled to vote here, will cheerfully come up to declare, by their voting, that they join in opinion with their Congress and Committee, viz: That the measure recommended as aforesaid is of the highest importance to the good people of this Colony, and to the liberties of America in general.

Extract from the Minutes.

Published by order of the Committee:

JOSEPH WINTER, secretary.