Primary tabs
At a Provincial Congress held for the Colony of New-York, on Wednesday morning, December 6, 1775:
The Deputies chosen to represent the Counties of New-York, Albany, Dutchess, Westchester, and Suffolk, in Provincial Congress for the Colony of New-York, having met frequently since the 14th day of November last past, that being the day appointed by the dissolution of the late Provincial Congress for the meeting of this Congress, but a representation of a majority of the Counties not having sooner attended, they could not proceed to business until this day, when the Deputies from a majority of the Counties appeared, and the gentlemen hereafter named were present, to wit:
For the City and County of NEW-YORK: Alexander McDougall, James Beekman, Abraham Brasher, John Van Cortlandt, John Ray, Anthony Rutgers, Comfort Sands, Jacobus Van Zandt, Isaac Roosevelt.
For the City and County of ALBANY: Robert Van Rensselaer, Jacob Cuyler, Francis Nicoll, Leonard Gansevoort, John L˙ Bleecker.
DUTCHESS County: Gilbert Livingston, Cornelius Humphreys, Jun˙, Henry Schenck.
For the County of ULSTER: Thomas Palmer, Matthew Cantine.
WESTCHESTER County: Lewis Graham, Gilbert Drake, Joseph Drake.
SUFFOLK County: Nathaniel Woodhull, John Sloss Hobart, Ezra L' Hommedieu.
KING' S County: John Leffertse.
GOSHEN Precinct, in ORANGE County: Peter Clowes.
The Congress then proceeded to the choice of the following Officers, who were unanimously elected, viz:
Colonel Nathaniel Woodhull, President.
John McKesson, Esq˙, Mr˙ Robert Benson, Secretaries.
Thomas Pettit, Doorkeeper and Messenger.
The Deputies for the City and County of New-York produced a Certificate from the General Committee of the said City and County, dated November 10, 1775, and signed by John Broome, Chairman pro tempore, whereby it appears that Peter Van Brugh Livingston, Cornelius Clopper, Alexander McDougall, Joseph Hallett, Thomas Smith, Abraham Brasher, Isaac Roosevelt, James Beekman, Benjamin Kissam, John Morin Scott, John Van Cortlandt, Jacobus Van Zandt, John Morton, Isaac Sears, John Ray, Theodorus Van Wyck, Anthony Rutgers, John Imlay, Gabriel W˙ Ludlow, Benjamin Helme, and Comfort Sands, were, by a great majority of voices, elected Deputies for the City and County of New-York; and that they, or any seven of them, do represent the City and County of New-York, in Provincial Congress for the Colony of New-York.
The Deputies for the City and County of Albany produced a Certificate from the Committee of the County of Albany, dated November 11th, 1775, signed Matthew Visscher, Secretary, certifying that Abraham Ten Broeck, Abraham Yates, Jun˙, Jacob Cuyler, Francis Nicoll, Robert
The Deputies of the County of Dutchess produced a Certificate from the Committee of the said County, dated November 8, 1775, and signed by Egbert Benson, Chairmman, whereby it appears that Petrus Ten Broeck, Beverly Robinson, Cornelius Humphreys, Henry Schenck, Gilbert Livingston, John Kaine, Jacob Everson, Morris Graham, and Robert G˙ Livingston, Esquires, were elected Deputies for the said County, with power to them, or any three of them, to represent the said County in Provincial Congress for the Colony of New-York.
The Deputies for the County of Ulster produced a Certificate from the Committee of the said County, dated the 7th November, 1775, and signed by Johannes Sleght, Chairman pro tempore, whereby it appears that Henry
The Deputies of the County of Westchester produced a Certificate from the Committee of the said County, dated 7th November 1775, and signed by Gilbert Drake, Chairman, whereby it appears that Colonel Lewis Graham, Stephen Ward, Esq˙, Colonel Joseph Drake, Robert Graham, Esq˙, John Thomas, Jun˙, Esq˙, Mr˙ William Faulting, Major Ebenezer Lockwood, Colonel Pierre Van Cortlandt, and Colonel Gilbert Drake, were duly elected Delegates to represent the said County in Provincial Congress, with power to any three of them to act for the said County.
The Deputies for the County of Suffolk, produced a Certificate from the Committee of the said County, dated November 7, 1775, and signed by William Smith, Chairman, whereby it appears that John Sloss Hobart, Thomas Tredwell, Selah Strong, Nathaniel Woodhull, Ezra L' Hommedieu, David Gelston, Thomas Wickham, and Daniel Brown, Esquires, were unanimously elected Deputies to represent the said County in Provincial Congress, with power for any three of them to be a quorum, and give the vote of the said County.
Peter Clowes, Esq˙, a Deputy for Orange County, produced a Certificate of Benjamin Tusteen, Benjamin Gale, and Daniel Everett, Esquires: three of the Committee of Goshen Precinct, who inspected the election, and also a Certificate from the, said Committee of Goshen Precinct, signed by Daniel Everett, Chairman, each dated 27th November last, whereby it appeared, that a meeting of the freeholders and tenants in Goshen Precinct, entitled to vote for Deputies, Peter Clowes and William Allison, Esquires,
The same, two Certificates were approved, and ordered to be filed with the Secretaries;
But it is agreed and understood, That Mr˙ Clowes cannot have a vote for Orange County, until one or more Deputies arrive from Orange County.
Agreed and Ordered, That the sense of this Congress upon every Question be taken and determined by a majority of the Counties then having Deputies in Congress. And that for the present the City and County of New-York be considered as four, the City and County of Albany as three, and that of each of the other Counties respectively as two; but that this arrangement shall continue only till some other arrangement shall be made and agreed on by this Congress.
The following Rules are agreed to, and resolved to be the Rules of this Congress, viz:
1st. That the President, and in his absence, a President to be appointed pro tem˙, shall preside at every meeting, and keep order and decorum, and that it shall be his duty to sign all letters from this Congress.
2d. That all motions and addresses, be made to the Chair, and standing.
3d. That, if more than one shall rise to speak at the same time, the President shall determine who shall first be heard.
4th. That the substance of every motion made and seconded, shall be entered on the minutes.
5th. That no interruption shall be suffered while a Member is delivering his sentiments.
6th. That every question shall be determined by a majority of voices; and after the determination of any matter or thing, the same question shall not be reassumed, but with the consent of a majority of this Congress, at a subsequent meeting, and that upon notice having been given of the motion for reassuming such matter, at least one day before such motion be made, and notice thereof given to the Members representing each County, who shall then be in the City of New-York.
7th. That when any question shall be determined upon a division, the names of the respective Counties shall be entered as they shall vote on each side; but any Member for any County may be at liberty to have his name and dissent from the vote of his County entered on the Minutes.
8th. That this Congress shall from time to time, meet on their own adjournments for the present.
9th. That for the despatch of business, and to prevent interruptions, the doors at our meetings shall be shut, and that none but Members be permitted to take copies of the proceedings of this Congress.
10th. That no Question shall be determined on the day that it is agitated, if three Counties shall request that it be deferred to the next day.
11th. That no Member shall be at liberty to speak more than twice to the same point, without leave of the President for the time then being.
12th. That no Member shall absent himself from the Congress; that no Member shall depart from the Chamber until the Congress be adjourned; and that no Member shall depart from the City of New-York during an adjournment of this Congress, without leave first obtained.
13th. That every Member of this Congress shall keep secret all such matters, proceedings, and things in this Congress, as shall be enjoined from the Chair to be kept secret.
14th. That whenever the proceedings of this Congress shall be published at the close of this session, all the Minutes shall be published, and no part concealed, unless such as the unanimous voice of the Counties shall declare to be of a secret or unimportant nature; but that extracts of the proceedings may nevertheless be published from time to time as the Congress shall think fit.
Resolved, That this Congress will meet every morning,
Ordered, That Mr˙ Hobart, Mr˙ Palmer, and Mr˙ Bleecker, be a Committee to examine and liquidate the Accounts of the Treasurer of this Congress, and prepare a state of them to he laid before the Continental Congress, and that they report thereon with all convenient speed.
Ordered, That Mr˙ L' Hommedieu, Mr˙ Brasher, Mr˙ Gansevoort, and Mr˙ Schenck, be a Committee to examine the Letters and Papers received since the dissolution of the last Provincial Congress, and to report the steps necessary to be taken thereon.
Resolved and Ordered, That Messrs˙ Jacobus Van Zandt, James Beekman, Abraham Brasher, John Ray, and Comfort Sands, or any majority of them, be a Committee to audit all Accounts which are or shall be payable, or produced for payment, in this Colony, for any charges or disbursements accrued, or that may accrue on account of the United Colonies, or by means, or on account of, any order of this Congress, and that they, or a majority of them, do certify on every Account by them audited, how much shall be paid on, or for such Account; and
Resolved and Ordered, further, That the Treasurer appointed by this Congress be authorized to pay and discharge on all such Accounts so audited, such sum or sums as shall be certified by the said Committee, or a major part of them, to be due and payable on or for such Accounts.
Resolved and Ordered, That Peter Van Brugh Livingston, Esq˙, be Treasurer for this Congress, of all money received, or to be received, or that shall be issued in this Colony, for the general defence of America, or the Continental service, or the particular defence or service of this Colony.
The Congress then adjourned till three o' clock, this afternoon.
John McKesson and Robert Benson elected Secretaries, Credentials of the Members
v4:383
v4:384
Yates, Henry Glen, Peter Silvester, Peter R˙ Livingston, John James Bleecker, Leonard Gansevoort, Henry Oothoudt, and Robert Van Rensselaer, were, by a majority of votes, elected Deputies for the said City and County; and that they, or any five of them, represent the said City and County in Provincial Congress. And, by another Certificate from the said Committee, dated November 23, 1775, and signed by Matthew Visscher, Secretary, a Resolution appears that the above-mentioned gentlemen, or any four of them, do attend and represent the said City and County in Provincial Congress for the Colony of New-York.
v4:385
Wisner, Matthew Rea, Dirk Wynkoop, Jun˙, Matthew Cantine, Andreas Dewitt, and Andreas Lefever, Esqrs˙, Messrs˙ Thomas Palmer and Samuel Brewster, were elected Deputies to represent the said County; and by a resolution of the said Committee, that they, or any three of them, be entitled to act and give their votes for the said County.
v4:386
were unanimously elected Deputies for the said Precinct, as their proportion of the representation of the said County, and to complete the number of Deputies allotted to the said County of Orange; and that at the same meeting it was unanimously agreed, that any two of the Deputies for said County, represent them in said Congress, viz: one on the south, and one on the north side of the mountains.
v4:387
Sundays excepted, at ten o' clock; that the Congress shall adjourn at one o' clock, and meet again at three o' clock.