It is said, however, that " a general "notice," inviting a Meeting of the Freeholders of the County, was published ; and history has recorded, over the official signature of the "Chairman for the " day," that such a Meeting was held, at the White Plains, on Monday, the eighth of May, 1775, " pur- " suant to a general notice for that purpose," James Van Cortlandt, of the Borough Town of Westchester, occupying the Chair. No pretensions were made, in the official report of the Meeting or elsewhere, that the attendance was large: on the contrary, it is very probable that not more than two dozens were present. Whatever the number may have been, it assumed to be the representative of all who were, then, within the County, of every condition in life ; and, in the name and in behalf of all those who then lived therein, whether present or absent, it appointed "a Committee " of ninety persons, for the said County," and dei It will be noticed that the proposed assembly was, in this Circular letter, called a "Provincial Congress," not a " Convention," as the last was named.

2 The re-print of this Circular Letter, in the text, is made from a carefully-made copy of one of the originals, which has been preserved among Associations in the Historical Manuscripts relating to the War of the Bevolulion, in the Secretary of State's Office, at Albany, Volume XXX Page 182. "'.

termiued that any twenty of them, "should be "impowered to act for the said County; " and it also determined to send a Deputation to the proposed Provincial Congress, referring to the new-appointed Committee of the County, the nomination of those who should be members of that Deputation.