Certified by Joseph Robinson, Inspector of the Polls. Queens county therefore had no representation in the Congress till May 14, 1776.

35. Nov. 30. Capt. Richard Hulet, of Hempstead, received a great quantity of powder, ball, small arms, and cannon, with a gunner to work it, from the Asia, which he distributed.

36. Dec. 6. Congress assembled.

Dec. 13. Whereas this Congress has received information that a number of disaffected persons in Queens county have been supplied with arms and ammunition from the Asia ship of war, and are arraying themselves in military manner to oppose the measures taken by the United Colonies for their just rights and privileges, and have thrown out many threatening expressions,

Resolved, That such conduct is inimical to the common cause of the United Colonies, and ought not by any means to be suffered.

Ordered, That the inhabitants of said county appear on the 19th inst., by committee, before this Congress, to give satisfaction in the premises.

Dec. 21. Whereas the disaffected persons of Queens county have not appeared before this Congress, and have opposed the election of Deputies, whereby it remains unrepresented in this Congress; and whereas, the Poll List of Queens county has been returned to this Congress, whereby the persons so offending may be ascertained:

Resolved, That such persons are guilty of a breach of the General Association, and of open contempt of the authority of this Congress.

Resolved, That such delinquents are hereby entirely put out of the protection of this Congress, that all friendly and commercial intercourse between said delinquents and other persons of this colony hereby is and shall continue to be entirely cut off, till the further order of this Congress, and that a list of such delinquents shall be printed and dispersed in handbills.

The above resolves induced some who had been advertised to repent, sign the Association, and petition Congress to be restored to the good opinion of the friends of Liberty. (See Thompson, i. 202.)

Whereas, In the List of Delinquents in Queens county, published in the New-York Journal, No. 1721, and New-York Mercury, No. 1264, is inserted the name of Henry Suydam, which many have supposed to be the subscriber, who not choosing to lie under the imputation of being an enemy to his country, takes this method to make known to the public, that the person called Henry Suydam in said List, is not the subscriber. HENDRICK SUYDAM,

Miller, living at Newtown, L. L.

The Printer is desired to inform the public that Joseph Pearsall, mentioned in the List of Delinquents in Queens county, is not Joseph Pearsall, watchmaker, of New-York, now on Cow Neck, L. I. Jan. 2, 1776.

Dec. 21. The Congress did not dare of themselves to use force against the Delinquents, but contented themselves with resolutions, and wrote to the Continental Congress for advice and assistance, at the same time sending a List of Delinquents, and begging Congress not to employ NewYorkers to quell the opposition.

37. Proceedings of the Continental Congress at Philadelphia on receiving the Poll List of Queens county, January 3, 1776.

Whereas, a majority of the inhabitants of Queens county, in the colony of New-York, being incapable of resolving to live and die freemen, and being more disposed to quit their liberties than part with the little proportion of their property that may be necessary to defend them, have deserted the American cause, by refusing to send deputies as usual to the convention of that colony; and avowing by a public declaration, or unmanly design of remaining inactive spectators of the present contest, vainly flattering themselves, perhaps, that should Providence declare for our enemies, they may purchase their mercy and favor at an easy rate; and on the other hand, if the war should terminate in favor of America, that then they may enjoy, without expense of blood or treasure, all the blessings resulting from that liberty which they in the day of trial had abandoned, and in defence

of which, many of their more virtuous neighbors and countrymen had nobly died; and although the want of public spirit observable in these men rather excites pity than alarm, there being little danger to apprehend either from their prowess or example, yet it being reasonable that those who refuse to defend their country should be excluded from its protection and prevented from doing injury:

1. Resolved, That Col. Heard, of Woodbridge, New Jersey, take with him five or six hundred Minute Men, under discreet officers, and three companies of Regulars from Lord Sterling, and disarm every person in Queens county who voted against sending Deputies, and cause them to deliver up their arms and amunition on oath, and that he take and confine such as refuse compliance.

2. Resolved, That he apprehend and secure the twenty-six persons named, as principal men among the disaffected, and all such other persons who shall be found in arms or oppose the carrying the above resolution into effect.

That he execute the business with all possible despatch, secrecy, order and humanity.

That all such persons in Queens county as voted against sending Deputies, be put out of the protection of the United Colonies, and that all trade and intercourse with them cease; that none of the inhabitants be permitted to travel or abide in any part of the United Colonies out of their county, without a certificate that he is a friend to the American cause, that no lawyer ought to prosecute or defend any action at law for any who voted against sending Deputies, and that their names continue to be published for a month in the newspapers.

38. Letter from an officer in the expedition on Long Island: Jericho, Jan. 26, '76.

SIR: We set out from Woodbridge on Wednesday, 17th instant, with about 600 militia, and were joined at New-York by Sterling's battalion of near 300. On Friday morning we crossed at Horn's Hook near Hell Gate, and met with no opposition; proceeded on our way to Jamaica, took in custody some of the principal persons proscribed, sent out parties and

brought in many of those who voted against Delegates, disarmed them, and required them to sign an obligation not to oppose the Continental or Provincial Congress, and not aid the Ministerial troops.

From Jamaica we went to Hempstead Town, where we expected the warmest opposition, but wer; disappointed. The inhabitants came in and brought in their arms voluntarily for two days, as fast as we could conveniently receive them. We have got 300 stand of arms and considerable powder and lead. We are now on our way for Oyster Bay, and shall scour the country as we go.

Col. Heard sent the battalion* home last Tuesday, as he thought the militia sufficient. He is indefatigable, treats the inhabitants with civility and the utmost humanity. Many of the proscribed as principals have fled or secreted themselves. Several we have in custody. Some others are yet to be had, but they have had, by some means or other, a list of persons pointed out as principals before our arrival.

Those who came in and surrendered their arms, are much irritated with those who have led them to make opposition, and deserted them in the day of difficulty.

From W. De Hart to Lord Sterling.

Jan. 25, 1776.

As few of Col. Heard's militia came up, I was obliged to quarter at Hell Gate. Next day got as far as Jamaica. Staid there two days, and then marched to Hempstead. Staid there two days more, when we joined, which might have been much earlier. Discovered a much smaller number might answer our purpose. The battalion left Col. Heard at Hempstead last Wednesday with 600 or 700 militia, where great numbers of Tories were every hour coming in and delivering up their arms -above 500, I suppose, and if transported by water, may be worth the freight. Our men behaved well. New-York volunteers, not so.

Declaration signed by Delinquents.

Jan. 19, 1776. Whereas, we have given great uneasiness to the good people of the neighboring provinces and the Continent in gene

ral, by our not choosing a committee agreeable to the order of the Continental Congress, by our not paying that attention to the directions of the Provincial Congress that we ought to have done, and by our opposing the general instructions of the Continental Congress in almost all our conduct and actions:

Therefore, (to relieve the minds of the virtuous inhabitants of America, and those of this county in particular, engaged in the common cause,) we, the subscribers, do most solemnly and seriously promise, that we will in all cases obey implicitly all orders and instructions enjoined on us by our Continental and Provincial Congress, that we will act in conjunction with the inhabitants of this and the neighboring provinces in the defence of American Liberty, that we will never take up arms against the Americans, and that we will not countenance and assist or join with any of his Majesty's troops in the present contest. (471 names omitted.).

Oath subscribed by the Delinquents.

"We, the subscribers, in the presence of Almighty God, do most solemnly and sincerely swear, that the fire-arms, sidearms, powder and lead, we respectively delivered up to Col. Heard and his party, or by them taken from us, are all that belong to us, or in our possession or power; and that we have not destroyed, concealed or otherwise disposed of, any of our said arms or ammunition, in order to evade or obstruct the execution of Col. Heard's orders from the Continental Congress, for disarming the inhabitants of Queens county, who are disaffected to the opposition now making in America against Ministerial Tyranny."

(349 names omitted.)

Col. Heardt crossed Hurl Gate Ferry and proceeded through Newtown‡ to Jamaica, at Betts' Tavern, and left on a Sunday for Hempstead. There was great talk of opposition in Hempstead, but it was at last concluded to submit. His quarters were at Nathaniel Sammis'. The men mostly fled. One Anthony, trusting to his wits, determined to stay and play the fool. When taken before Heard, he was asked what he knew of the Asia ? "Asia, what kind of an animal