History of Westchester County, New York, Vol. I

The conservative faction, strengthened by " some Officers of the Army ' "and Navy, several of His Majesty's Council, and "those Members of the House of Representatives " who had refused taking into consideration the Pro- " ceedings of the Congress, together with the Officers "of the Customs and other Dependents of the Court, " &c.'' -- the Governmental Party, a-s far as there was one, having evidently united with the conservative faction of the party of the Opposition, on that occasion-- assembled at the Widow De La Montagnie's,. at ten o'clock ; and that, also, moved, quietly, in a procession, to the Exchange, in season to take part in the proceedings of the proposed Meeting. It is said that "soon after the parties met some confusion " arose, but subsided without any bad consequences -- in other words, blows were exchanged, which, at one time, threatened to become a serious riot.

Isaac Low presided, as Chairman of the Committee who had requested the Meeting and j)roceeded to explain the purposes of that request, after which he pro-

5 That organization was effected at a public Meeting of the Inhabitants who disapproved the ' rcqueNt " of the Committee, which was hel.l at the Widow De ha. Slontagnie's, in Broadway, opposite tlie Fields, on Friday evening, JIarch 3, .John Tlmrber presiding.-- (.-1 Itrondf 'ule, tigard bij John Tlmrber, in the Library of tlie New York Historical Society.)

'■The Committee of Observation called its Meetings by means of handbills posted throughout the City ; and the Meeting at the Widow De La Montagnie's was called in the same manner.