The County of Westchester was ably represented on the floor of the Assembly, in the persons of Colonel Frederic Philipse and Judge John Thomas, who represented the body of the County ; Pierre Van Cortlandt, who represented the Manor of Cortlandt; and Isaac Wilkius, who represented the Borough of Westchester. Of these, Thomas and Van Cortlandt were of the minority of the Assembly, of which mention has been made ; and Philipse and Wilkins
2There is no subject connected with the history of the I'nited States which, from the beginning until now, has been more systematically and recklessly falsified than the political character of the members of that Assembly, the influences which controlled that body, and the action which it tiiok, on the great political questions of the day.
Xotw ithstanding there was not a member of the party of the Government in the .\ssembly, Murray {Impiirtiul HMonj, i., 434) Lossing (Field Bonk, ii., 793) and, with his characteristic indirectness and malignity Bancroft nflhf I'niled Sittles, original edition, iv.,2(IS. 209, iln, 211,
212, etc. ; the same, centenary edition, iv., 455, 4.56, 457, etc.) stated or insinuated that the "friends of the Government," or " the Tories," were in the ascendency and controlled it.
Notwithstanding the Despatches of Lieutenant-governor Colden to the Home Government, which are (and have been, since 1775) accessible to everybody, abundantly prove that the Colonial Government possessed no more influence, which it could exercise over the .\ssembly, than was possessed by any other political opponent. -- that, in fact, that b(«ly was not in harmony w ith the Government, and acted adversely to the hopes of the. Government -- Murray, (Imparliiit Jlislory, HMorff of Cii il U'ur