Home Biographies -Signers of the Declaration -Signers of the A. O. C. -Signers of the U. S. Constitution -Wives of the Signers -Other Founders Documents Forum FAQs Search

The Life of Gouverneur Morris Index < Prev      Page 34      Next > the Convention a certificate of his election.  In New York the certificate was signed by the vestrymen of the wards; in other cases by the chairmen of committees, moderators and clerks of town meetings, or by judges and justices. The day, after this Convention separated, that is, on the twenty-third of April, the news of the battle at Lexington reached New York, and created there, as in every other part of the country, the strongest agitation in the minds of the people.  The ensigns of war had been unfurled, the blood of innocent citizens shed, and indignation for so wanton an outrage, mingled with alarming apprehensions for the future, roused the public feeling to the highest pitch of excitement.  The committee of New York city convened, and resolved that a Provincial Congress ought speedily to be assembled, who should take into their hands the government of the colony, prepare for defence against hostile invasion, and provide for the exigencies of the time.  A circular letter was despatched to the several committees in the colony, recommending an election of delegates to meet in a Provincial Congress, to consider and execute such measures, as might be essential to the common safety.  ‘The distressed and alarming situation of our country,' say the committee, 'occasioned by sanguinary measures adopted by the British Ministry, to enforce which, the sword has been actually drawn against our breth­ < Prev      Page 34      Next > From The Life of Gouverneur Morris: With Selections from His Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers; Detailing Events in the American Revolution, The French Revolution, and in the Political History of the United States, by Jared Sparks, Volume 1, Boston: Gray & Bowen, 1832, p 34. Some minor edits may have been made, but an attempt has been made to preserve the original spelling. Although some effort has been made to correct the limitations of OCR technology, if you find an error please report it to jvinci@colonialhall.com.     Designed and Edited by John Vinci Last modified August 20, 2006