A call was issued for a general meeting of freeholders of the county, to be held in the court house at White Plains on Tuesday, the 11th of April, a n d communications were sent to represenTHE TIII1!I> KKFbKRIt'K I'll I LII'SK. tative persons in every locality, requesting them to give notice to all the freeholders, without exception, " as those who do not appear and vote on that day will be presumed to acquiesce in the sentiment of the majority of those who vote." Because of the well-known radical views of Colonel Morris and most of his associates, this action at once became a subject of general discussion, causing much disquietude to the opposing faction. Of course no formal objection to the projected meeting could have been

FROM

JANUARY,

1775,

JULY

9,

177G

offered, for that would have been not merely a confession of weakness, but highly inconsistent with the professed motives of the conservatives, who claimed to be quite as much devoted as the radicals to the liberties of the country, differing- with them only as to methods. The challenge for a test of strength was promptly accepted, and steps were taken throughout the county to make as strong an antagonistic demonstration as possible at White Plains on the appointed day. This was made manifest by an address " To the Freeholders and Inhabitants of the County of Westchester," which appeared in Rivington's New York Gazetteer on the Gth of April, signed " A White Oak," it not being deemed politic by its author or authors to attach any names to it. It is very significant that, while the White Plains call appealed only to the freeholders -- that is, to the legally qualified voters exclusively,-- the counter-address comprehended the "inhabitants" as well. As a body, the tenant farmers of the Manor of Philipseburgh were not freeholders, but only non-voting "inhabitants"; and of course it would never do, in the coming struggle of the factions, to accept a basis of representation ruling out so considerable an element of support for the programme of which the lord of that manor was the embodiment.