Home / Dawson, Henry B. Westchester County, New York, During the American Revolution. Morrisania, NY: (privately printed by the author), 1886. / Passage

Westchester County, New York, During the American Revolution

Dawson, Henry B. Westchester County, New York, During the American Revolution. Morrisania, NY: (privately printed by the author), 1886. 346 words

With these as pur authorities, we prefer to differ from those who have preceded us ; and to insist, as we do insist, that the Caucus was held, without interruption or removal, in Sam. Francis's Lang-room.

For the reasons stated, we prefer to differ, also, from our friend, Edward F. de Lancey, who has stated, in his carefullj prepared Notes to Jones's History of New York during the Revolutionary War (i. f 438, 439) that the Caucus was held in "the Exchange, to which place it adjourned " from Fraunces's Tavern, where it was called, on account of the great 11 attendance."

some who were not " Merchants " and who had not been invited, 3 those who assumed to be the leaders of the unfranchised masses, who had also secured harmonious action, among themselves, by previous factional consultation. 4 Isaac Low, 5 a prominent Merchant, was called to the Chair; and Resolutions were adopted, " by a great Majority," in each instance, First, that it was necessary, then, " to appoint a Com- " mittee to correspond with the neighbouring Colo- "nies on the present important Crisis;" Second, that t( a Committee be nominated, on that Evening, for "the Approbation of the Public;" and, Third, that the Committee consist of fifty persons. 6

As the matter in dispute, between the two antagonistic factions, related only to the designation of those who should control the local politics of the day and what should be realized from those politics, it is not probable that any material opposition was made to the first and second of the three Resolutions which were adopted by the Caucus-- none has been mentioned by any contemporary writer -- but when the third was proposed, those who assumed to represent the unfranchised masses made an attempt to reduce the number from fifty to twenty-five, by which means they hoped to be able to control the action of the Committee, notwithstanding they were so few in number ; but their proposed amendment to the original Resolution was promptly rejected, "by a great Majority," 7