An amusing instance of the consequential airs assumed by the petty local Town-committees, in Westchester-county, in whom had been vested such extraordinary powers over the persons and properties of those who lived within the several Towns in which

1 Vide pages 129, 132, ante.

« The associations and conduct of Colonel Waterbury, while he was in the City of New York, to say nothing of his acknowledged thefts in Westchester county, afford ample evidence of his ruffianly personal character.

• Vide page 146, ante.

See, also, Journal of the Provincial Congress, "Die Sabbati, 10 ho., "A.M.,Feb. 17, 1776;" and the same, " Die Veneris, 10 ho., A.M., "Febry.-23, 1776."

those Committees were respectively located, was seen in the action of '' the Committee of Observation for " the united Town of Bedford and Precinct of Pound- " ridge and Salem, in Westchester," on the tenth of January, 1776, in which that pompous body, " con- " ceiving that bad consequences do arise to this distressed country from supplying the markets, at New " York, on supposition that the common enemy may, "by that means, be furnished with Provisions," for the purpose of regulating that grave irregularity, as its narrow and bigoted understanding presented the subject to its official censorship, bravely, "Resolved, " That from and after the date hereof, the said Com- "mittee do hereby strictly forbid any of the inhabit- "ants of the said Town and Precincts, directly or, " indirectly, to carry or cause to be carried, by land " or water, provision of any kind to the said markets ; "and do hereby direct the Minute-men and all others " that are friends to their country, to do their utmost " to stop all drovers of fat Cattle, Sheep, Hogs, Poul- "try, or any other Provisions whatsoever, and from " being drove or carried through either said Town or " Precincts, for the purpose aforesaid, without leave "of the said Committee,'' on the penalty of being deemed enemies to their country. 4