In common with the groat body of the Colonists, throughout the entire Beaboard, he was sincere in his convictions that the Colonies were sufforing from the wrongs which had been inflicted on them by the Mother Country ; and be was willing to resort to all lawful means for their relief. But when the entire machinery of the party of the Opposition was Beized by those who only cared for the offices which they could secure and for the promotion of only a factional struggle for the control of the political power of the Colony, he preferred to remain among the conservatives, and to act, if

"With regard to the second charge, viz. : That "your Memorialist signed a Protest against the pro- " ceedings of the Congress, he begs leave to state the " fact as it really is. The General Assembly of the "province of New York, in their sessions last winter, "determined to send a petition to the king, a " memorial to the House of Lords, and a remonstrance "to the House of Commons, upon the subject of " American grievances ; 2 and the members of the " house, at least many of them, as your Memorialist " was informed, recommended it to their constituents " to be quiet till the issue of those applications should " be known. Some time in the beginning of April, as " your Memorialist thinks, the people were invited to " meet at the White Plains to choose delegates for a " Provincial Congress. Many people there assembled "were averse from the measure. They, however, gave " no other opposition to the choice of delegates than " signing a Protest. This Protest your Memorialist "signed in company with two members of the assem- " bly, and above three hundred other people. 3 - Your " Memorialist had not a thought of acting against the "liberties of America.