554 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



tricts in the Count}- of Westchester, upon the expediency of sending one 

 or more delegates to Congress to be held in Philadelphia, on the first 

 day of September, next. The committee, after making choice of Eb- 

 enezer Haviland, as chairman, expressed their sentiments and resolu- 

 tions in the following manner, which was unanimously approved : — 



"This meeting being greatly alarmed at the late proceedings of the British 

 Parliament, in order to raise a revenue in America, and considering their late 

 most cruel, unjust and unwarrantable act for blocking up the port of Boston, 

 having a direct tendency to deprive a free people of their most valuable rights 

 and privileges, an introduction to subjugate the inhabitants of the English 

 colonies, and render them vassals to the British House of Commons, Resolved, 



1st, that they think it their greatest happiness to live under the illustrious house 

 of Hanover, and that they will steadfastly and uniformly bear true and faithful 

 allegiance to his majesty King George the Third, under the enjoyment of those 

 constitutional rights and privileges, as fellow subjects, with those in England. 



"2nd. But wc conceive it a fundamental part of the British constitution, 

 that no man shall be taxed, but by his own consent, or that of his Representatives 

 in Parliament." And as we are by no means represented, we consider all acts of 

 Parliament imposing taxes on the Colonies an undue exertion of power, and subver- 

 sive of one of the most valuable privileges of the English constitution. 



• ' 3d, That it is the opinion of this meeting, that the act of Parliament for shut- 

 ting up the port of Boston, and divesting some of the inhabitants of private 

 property, is a most unparalled, rigorous and unjust piece of cruelty and des- 

 potism. 



"4th, That unanimity and firmness of measures in the Colonies, are the most 

 effectual means to secure the invaded rights and privileges of America, and to 

 avoid the impending ruin which now threatens this once happy country. 



"5th, That the most effectual mode of redressing our grievances, will be by a 

 General Congress, of delegates from the different colonies, and that we are will- 

 ing to abide by such measures as they in their wisdom shall consider necessary 

 to be adopted on that important occasion. 



By order of the committee, 



EBENEZER IIAVILAXD, Chairman:" 



The committee for the town of Rye will meet the committees of the other 

 towns and districts in the County of Westchester, on Monday the 22d day of this 

 instant, at the Court-house in the White Plains, to return an answer to a letter 

 from Mr. Isaac Low, chairman of the committee of correspondence in New 

 York."« 



The Westchester lesolutions were as follows : — 



"At a meeting of the freeholders and inhabitants of the Borough town of 

 Westchester, in New York, the 20th of August, 1774, James Ferris, Esq., Col. 

 Lewis Morris, and Capt. Thomas Hunt, were chosen a committee to meet a com- 

 mittee of the different towns and precincts within this county, at the White Plains 

 on Monday the 22d inst., to consult on the expediency of appointing one or 

 more delegates to represent this county at the General Congress, <fcc, and James 



a American Archives, fourth series, vol. i. 



