History has recorded two notable instances of that rapidly developed, so called, " pub- "lic opinion," among the new-born and, consequently, unnaturally zealous " fire-eaters " of that ancient and orderly County ; and they may properly find attention, at this time, not only as portions of the history of Westchester-county, during the era of the American Revolution, but as instances of the dangers which attend an unchecked zeal, even when exercised in behalf of what may be regarded as purely commendable purposes.

The first of these acts of terrorism, exercised by the rampant revolutionary elements in Westchestercounty, was that in the case of Jonathan Fowler and George Cornwell, two respectable residents of the County, both of whom had signed the Declaration and Protest, at the White Plains, on the eleventh of April, as well as the Resolves which were referred to, in that Declaration and Protest, both of whom were compelled by that, so called, " public opinion," to publish a recantation of their evidently well-considered political opinions, which was done in the following words, carefully copied from the original publication , in Gaine's New-York Gazette: and the Weekly Mercury, No. 1229, New- York, Monday, May 1, 1775 :

"To the Printer.

" TT7E the subscribers do hereby make this VV public Declaration, That whereas we and several others in Westchester-County, having signed a certain Number of Resolves, which at the Time of our said signing, we deemed Constitutional, and as having a Tendency to promote the Interest of our Country ; but since, upon mature Deliberation, and more full Knowledge of the Matter, find not only injurious to our present Cause, but likewise offensive to our Fellow Colonists. We do therefore thus publicly testify our Abhorrence of the same, and declare ourselves Friends to the Colonies, and ever ready cheerfully to exert ourselves in the Defence and Preservation of the same.