Kings, Queens, and Suffolk had returned to their allegiance to the King ; that Duchess-county was in open and armed op])ositiou to the Convention, and was kept in subjection only by the occupation of the County and the support of the few friends of the Convention who lived there, by five hundred armed men, drawn from Connecticut; and that the Manorof Livin^^ston, including the whole of the lower portion of Albany-county, was almost entirely " disaffected," Colonel Hay's exposition of the temper of the farmers of Orange-county very clearly established the fact that "disaffection" was not peculiar to the farmers of Westchester-county ; and that the Declaration of Independence had not been received with any favor, by the greater number of the inhabitants of New York.

The purposes of the enemy, in sending the Phtrni.v and her consorts up the Hudson-river and in anchoring them off Tarrytown, as we have seen, were variously interpreted by General Washington and the Committee of Safety; and they have continued to receive the scattered attention of those who have written on the subject, to this day.- But, while the

1 Colonel Am Hauies Hag to the Convention, " Havebstsaw, Octor. " 15, 177C."

2 Miirshnll, (Life of George Waehiiiglon, Ed. Philudelphia : 1804, ii., 495,496,) very accurately, stated the object of tlie movement was to secure to Geueral Howe tlip possession of the North-river above Kingsbridge, without, liowever, stating more than that. Sparks, (Life of Gturge WmhiiigUjn, Ed Boston : 1842, l'J4,) said they "secured a free passage to " the Highlands, thi ieby preventing any supplies, from coming to the " American .\rmy, by water." Hihheth, {llitlorij of the United Slatef, ill., 154,) said, only, they " cut off all supplies from the country. South " and West of that river," the Hudson.