History of Westchester County, New York, Vol. I
That very interesting and very important ^rf(^?rss and the Association which accompanied it, -- the latter, generally known, among those who favored the revolutionary faction^ as " Thr Loya/ist's Test" -- because they form very important specimens of tlie literature of revolutionary Westchester-county, and because of their importance as reliable authorities for the guidance of the student of the liistory of that County, during that eventful period, may properly find a jdace in ihis narrative; and we have carefully copied them from Rivinfjtons New-York Gazetteer, No. 96, New-York, Thursday, February 16, 1775. They were in the following words :
1 The following isa copy of those notable " Resolves," as that .Usociad'oii was frciincntly lallccl, carefully niiido from tiaine's yeir-Ynik (Inzelle: und tin- HV'e/.V;/ .l/i/vio-/;. No. 1218, New-York, Monday February 13, 1775, where they were printed anioi^ the current news of the day :
" TTTE the subscribers being desirous to convince mankind that ' " we are firmly attached to our most hajipy constitution, "and are disposed to support and maintain peace and good order under I " his Majesty's government, do therefore declare, that our sovereign lord •'king George the third, is tlie only sovereign to whom llritish Ameiica " may, can, or ought to owe and bear true and faithful allegiance, and "that there is no legal power or authority therein but what is duly "derived from him ; that our representatives in Genei-al Assembly con- " vened, are the only guardians of our rights and liberties ; that without " them no laws can here he made to bind us, and that they only are the " channel tbrotigh which our grievances can properly be represented for " redress, and that to support their right and authority,' we do hereby " associate and mutually covenant and engage to and with each other " as follows, namely :