continental congress, and the sense of this colony be required through this congress."

In addition to this evidence of excessive prudence on the part of this provincial Congress, the newspapers of the period contain letters stating that independence had few advocates in that assembly. The cannon of general Howe, nevertheless, soon after proved a sufficient antidote to the poison of governor Tryon's pernicious sophistry.

The "ministerial" fleet, as it was called even then by many persons who were quite ready to oppose it as such, but not yet reconciled to the idea of open hostility against the king, arrived at Sandy Hook while Congress were debating the proposition introduced by Mr. Lee to issue a declaration of independence.

The danger that impended over New York, the prospect of such a scene of destruction as Falmouth and some other towns had already exhibited, or even the anticipation of a dilapidation like that which Boston had suffered from the occupation of the royal army, might have supplied a fair excuse for Mr. Morris, if he had desired to impede the adoption of the resolution, or had chosen to evade responsibility by absenting himself from the hall of Congress. But, if he had an estate to be devastated and destroyed by the spite of the British troops, he had also a character for consistency to preserve, which he valued much more highly; and he had also a sincere, high minded love of liberty and justice, which would not permit him to hesitate, if

pride of reputation had been out of the question, between the safety of his individual property and the honour of his country.

In voting for the declaration of independence, and putting his name to the instrument, at the very time when a large British army had landed within a few miles of his estate, and their armed ships were lying within cannon shot of the dwelling of his family, he felt and knew that he was devoting his fine farm and mansion, and valuable timber to the special vengeance of the British commanders, and therefore to the unrestrained devastations of the soldiery; but he had higher aims than the preservation of his own property; motives of action in which self interest formed no part.

Although the colony of New York had been backward in agreeing to the proposed attempt to establish a government independent of the mother country, yet finding such a step had been taken with the concurrence of nearly all the other colonies, the people of this one immediately pronounced their acquiescence and pledged their support. The convention assembled at White Plains, resolved unanimously on the ninth day of July, that "the reasons assigned by the continental Congress for declaring the united colonies independent states, were cogent and conclusive, and that while they lamented the cruel necessity which rendered that measure unavoidable, they approved of the same, and would at the risk of their

lives and fortunes join with the other colonies in porting it."

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The delegates from that colony, who had ventured in anticipation of this sanction, to vote for the declaration, had thus the gratification to learn that their conduct was not disapproved at home.

The operations of the hostile armies, very shortly afterwards placed Morrisania, as had been expected, in the power of the enemy; who did not spare the property of one that had just been affixing his name to a public renunciation and defiance of the king's authority.

His fine woodland of upwards of a thousand acres, all upon navigable water, and within a few miles of the capital of a value not easily measured, but evidently worth an immense price-was totally laid bare and given up to plunder and conflagration. His house, from which his family were obliged to retreat, was spoiled and injured-his fences burnt or prostrated-his stock driven off, his domestics and tenants dispersed, and his whole estate laid waste and ruined, as much as was within the power and opportunity of the British forces.

During the interval between this period and the evacuation of New York in the autumn of 1783, Mr. Morris and his family suffered great inconvenience from being thus cut off from their residence and their means of support. He was obliged in consequence to make many sacrifices, which caused him to return to the possession of his estates, impoverished

far beyond the mere loss of his woods, his stock, and his fences.

The spirit with which he had met the difficulties of the contest, and which sustained him under the pressure of these misfortunes, was shared equally by his family, who did not regret the loss of their comforts or the enjoyments to be purchased by wealth, knowing for what cause their father subjected them to such privations.

His three eldest sons had taken up arms, and exerted themselves as faithfully for their country, in the field, as their father did in council.

Of these the eldest, Lewis, commenced his military career as aid-de-camp to general Sullivan, with the rank of major. He served in that arduous campaign which terminated in the defeat of the Indians, and their expulsion from the northern and western parts of the state of New York. He afterwards accepted general Greene's invitation to enter his family as aid, and distinguished himself in all the brilliant campaigns of that most active and enterprizing commander, in the Carolinas. When the persevering valour of the forces under general Greene's command had finally delivered that portion of the union from the horrors of a protracted and cruel war, major Morris received the thanks of Congress and the commission of colonel, as a testimonial of their exalted sense of his services.

The second son, Jacob, had been educated for a merchant, at Philadelphia, but impelled by the same patriotic ardour, he offered his services to congress,

and was appointed aid-de-camp to general Charles Lee, with whom he went to the south, and had an opportunity to shew his bravery at the gallant defence of fort Moultrie, and in many subsequent actions.

The third, whose name was William, was very young, but being tall enough for a soldier, he entered the corps of artillery as a lieutenant, and served with reputation to the close of the war.

Mr. Morris relinquished his seat in Congress to his half brother, Gouverneur, who was elected in his stead early in the year 1777, on which occasion the convention passed a resolution of thanks to him and his colleagues, "for their long and faithful services rendered to the colony of New York and the said state."

After this time, New York being in a greater or less degree the seat of war, he remained within the state, serving as a member of the legislature and an officer of the militia. In the legislature his high character, undaunted spirit and untiring zeal, were of the most important value to the cause of independence, which still, for some years of difficulty and bloodshed, was suspended in doubtful prospect. As an officer of the militia he rose to the rank of a major general, and contributed essentially to the effective organization and equipment of the militia of New York.

He lived to see peace restored to his country, her independence acknowledged, and her prosperity