Westchester County, New York, During the American Revolution

" I take this public Manner to signify to the Inhabitants of this Prov- " ince, that his Majesty has been graciously pleased to grant me his " Boyal Permission to withdraw from the Government ; and at the same " Time to assure them of my Readiness to perform ever Service in my " Power, to promote the common Felicity. If I am excluded from " every Hope of being any Ways instrumental towards the Re-establish- " ment of that Harmony, at present interrupted between Great Britain " and her Colonies, I expect soon to be obliged to avail myself of his " Majesty's Indulgence.

" It has given me great Pain to view the Colony committed to my " care, in such a turbulent State as not to have afforded me since my " Arrival, any Prospect of being able to take the dispassionate and " deliberate Sense of its Inhabitants, in a constitutional Manner, upon " the Resolution .of Parliament for composing the present Ferments in " the Provinces ; A Resolution that was intended for the Basis of an " Accommodation ; and if candidly considered in a Way in which it will "be most probably successful, and treated with that Delicacy" and " Decency requisite to the Cultivation of a sincere Reconciliation and " Friendship, might yet be improved for the Purpose of restoring the " general Tranquility and Security of the Empire.

" I owe it to my Affection to this Colony, to declare my wish, that " some Measure may be speedily adopted for this purpose ; as I feel an " extreme Degree of Anxiety, in being Witness to the growing Calamities " of this Country, without the Power to alleviate them: Calamities " that must increase, while so many of the Inhabitants withhold their " Allegiance from their Sovereign, and their Obedience to the Parent " Country ; by whose Power and Patronage they have hitherto been sus- " tained and protected.