Westchester County, New York, During the American Revolution
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, as 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 proceeded 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 ' request" of the Committee, which was held at the Widow De La Montagnie's, in Broadway, opposite the Fields, on Friday evening, March 3, John Thurber presiding.-- (^1 Broadside, signed by John Thurber, in the Library of the NeW York Historical Society.)
8 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.