The Congress of the Continent assembled at Philadelphia, agreeably to order, on Wednesday, the tenth of May, 177;"); and, ten Colonies being represented -- only three of the Delegates from New York having been present, that Colony was not counted -- -it was formally organized by the election of Peyton Randolph, of Virginia, as its President, aiul Charles Tiiomson, of

■ It was well-nnid by Henry 0. Van Sclinack, in liiR Life of liis futlior, " It will Honicoly now be ciediteil timt iidwoi-h so iinilcfincil and nxtinor- " iliiiury shoiilil have been intriisteil t»i a frw indiviiliialH, liy a propU' so " jealous of encroacliinciits ; wlioso stMiso of liberty wJts so keen as to ' 'snufT tlin appnutcli of tyranny in evpry tainted breeze;' and wlio, "on tbeir own part, bail none to war against a preamble." -- Van Srli!U»ck's Life «./ I'rtrr Vitu Mnui. k, (17.

Thti barbarities wbieli were ofticially inllicted on iuilivi<lnuls anil families, in many instances only for an ujiiuiim extorted by tbeir iK-rsecntors, witlii>ut an overt aet or tbe inclination to commit one, as tliose barbarities have iM'en ollicially recorded, were jH^rfectly shocking; ; and some of those which were intllcted on residents of Westchester-eonnty, under the guidance of such notable \Vest«-hester-ei»iinly men as .John .lay and Gouverneur Morris, will find places in other parts of this narrative.

2(17

Peiin.sylvania, as its Secretary.'^ The history of its doings, generally, is known to every intelligent i)erson, and need not be re[)eated, unless in such instances as particularly related to Westchester-county or to those who were within the bounds of that County, during the period of the War of the Revolution.