This new function gave them authority "to take and sell all the Goods and Chattels in the Possession of the Wives of Persons who have voluntarily gone over to and joined, or shall hereafter go over to and join the Enemy, and to apply the Monies arising therefrom, to defraying the Expence of removing such Wives, and such of their respective Children as are not above twelve Years of Age, within the Lines of the Enemy." An accounting of such sales and expenditures was required to be lodged with the auditorgeneral of the State. During the second meeting of the fourth session a number of representations, which ventilated grievances, were received by both houses of the legislature from different

districts and precincts of the State. Among them was one Appendix I; Laws, March 22 1781. ,

,

Introduction 27

signed by a committee of twenty-three persons chosen by the inhabitants of several of the precincts of Dutchess county. It recited fourteen specific grievances as causing embarrassments to the State, the second of which was directed against the commissioners for conspiracies and their powers. Upon its reception by the senate, on February 9, 1781, that body sent it to the committee of the whole. Similarly a committee from several districts of Albany County signalized the legislature by a representation of seventeen grievances, dated February 16, which was smothered on the 17th by reference to the committee of the whole house. The fifth grievance stated that " the Star Chamber Court of commissioners for detecting & defeating conspiracies ought to be abolished & that three men or more should be appointed in each District by the civil Magistrates and field officers of said District which men so appointed ought to be authorized & required by Law to examine all persons of suspicious appearance & characters and detect, and prevent all conspiracies and combinations against the good people of this, and the United States by apprehending and bringing before the civil magistrates all enemies to and Disturbers of the commonwealth with the witness against them." 1 The nature and multiplicity of these grievances precluded separate consideration,whereupon both houses agreed to the appointment of a joint committee " to prepare and report the Draft of an Address from the Legislature to their Constituents, on the subject of the several Matters, suggested as Grievances in the Representations to the Legislature." 2 This address These original representations are in Assembly Papers -- Miscellaneous vol. 2, pp. 18, 38.