Thither he repaired, leaving home soon after the battle of Lexington, and after the news of that important event had reached New-York. He was present on the day appointed for opening ; co-operated with his fellow delegates in raising the army, appointing Wasuincton Commander-in-chief, issuing bills, establishing a post office, and in fact assuming all the powers of government. He probably also joined them in further attempts at reconciliation with the mother country, an object all yet assumed to have in view.

There is not space here to detail either the doings of the Congress or the share Mr. Duane took therein. The session continued until the 2d August and then took a recess until the 5th September. In the recess Mr. D. attended the Indian Treaty at Albany, and among his private expenses it appears that he paid £5 for a silver tobacco box for Abraham, the Mohawk Chief. He rejoined Congress on the I2th September and continued in constant attendance on it until the 31st May, 1776, when he was called home to attend the New-York Congress, of which he had again been chosen a member from the city of New'York in April preceding. The object of this call was to assist in framing a State Government which, as a member of Congress, he had recommended, and which the New-York Congress had agreed to set about on the 20th May. It was neither fear nor inclination that drew both him and Mr. Jay from the General Congress at . this time and prevented them from appearing as signers of the Declaration of Independence, to the preparatory steps of which they had so effectually contributed, and to the maintenance of which they both devoted several after years of labor.