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The Life of Gouverneur Morris Index < Prev      Page 61      Next > in New York, and the Congress applied to General Wooster, then commanding the Connecticut forces at Greenwich, to march into New York as a security against an apprehended invasion.  The government of Connecticut acceded to this requisition, and General Wooster took up his quarters near Haerlem, within five miles of the city, where he and his army remained for several weeks.  At the request of the Congress, General Wooster went over, also, with a detachment of his men to the eastern part of Long Island, to protect the inhabitants against the incursions of the enemy, who came there to take off cattle and other provisions for the British army in Boston.  A more efficient system for regulating the commerce of New York, was likewise adopted, and from that time a rigid inspection of the entrances and clearances of vessels was kept up, and the navigation of the colony was subjected to the control of the new government.  Mr. Morris was on a committee appointed to draw up regulations for this purpose. The New York Congress continued in session, except a recess of a few days in July, till the 2d of September, when they adjourned for a month, entrusting the management of affairs in the mean time to a Committee, of Safety, delegated from their own numbers.  This expedient was always adopted at an adjournment, so that a responsible body representing the people was at all times in session.  The powers of the Committee of Safety were prescribed by the Congress before they separated, and the mode of its organization.  These varied at different times, but the general principles were the same.  Three members from New York, having together two votes, and one member from each of the other counties, having each one vote, constituted this provisional government, called a Committee of Safety.  But no members were restricted from attending the Committee and voting, the rule being constantly observed, that however many members might be present, the sum of their votes should he reckoned no higher than the proportion assigned to the county, which they represented.  It frequently happened, after an adjournment, that a < Prev      Page 61      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 61. 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