As the Colony of New York had not yet given that public testimony of its entire and cordial accession to the confederacy of the revolted Colonies which had been given to it by the other Colonies, in the express approbation, by each, of the proceedings of the Continental Congress of 1774, of which proceedings detailed mention has been made in other portions of this narrative, an attempt was made, in the Provincial Congress, on the twenty-fifth of May, to supply that previously omitted ratification and approval of the proceedings of that already notable Congress, and, by that ratification and approval, to carry the Colony of New York within the circle of the confederacy of the revolt, and to make her subject to influences and obligations from which she had previously been free. For those purposes, and for others which were not less important although they were less visible, John Morin'Scott, the leader of the revolutionary clique, moved " in the words following, to wit :

" As this Colony has not as yet given that public " testimony of their entire and cordial accession to "the confederacy of the Colonies on this Continent " which has been given by the other Colonies, in their " express approbation of the proceedings of the last " Continental Congress, I move that it be

" Resolved, That this Congress do fully approve " of the proceedings of the said Congress.''

This Resolution was promptly seconded by Thomas Smith, a brother of William and of Joshua Hett Smith who subsequently became more widely known than they were, at that time ; and it is evident that a defeat of that well-devised plan, also, had not been considered as even probable, by those who had devised it. But, as we are informed, " debates arose on " the said motion "--there were grave questions, at that time, concerning the propriety of such an approval of all the proceedings of that first Congress, as was proposed by the leaders of the ultra-revolutionists -- and the rural Delegations again determined on the side of peace and reconciliation and Colonial independence from all foreign influences, by postponing the further consideration of the proposition, without day,* where it has remained, from that day until the present.