The Virginia Gazette

NEW YORK, Nov. 24.

To Philip Livingston, James Jauncey, James De Lancey, and Jacob Walton, Esquires, Representatives in General Assembly for the city and county of New York.

GENTLEMEN,

We, the Freeholders and Freemen of the city of New York, having not only seen by the printed proceedings of the Honourable House of Assembly now sitting, that a requisition of money has lately been made to them for quartering of troops in this city, but having also heard it reported that they may be in danger of being dissolved if they presume to read and answer the Boston letter as a House, conceive it to be an indispensable duty we owe to ourselves, and to our posterity, to convey to you, our Representatives, by these our instructions, the sentiments of a great number of your constituents, as to the part they expect you will act on an occasion no less important and interesting than perhaps ever came under your consideration. But why do we say consideration? For if you had a right to consider you would have a right to approve or refuse as you thought fit, and in such case might be said to exercise your own judgments without restraint; whereas it is notorious that you have now no other alternative than to provide for defraying the expences of quartering the troops, or cease to exist as a House.

The act of Parliament laying you under this severe inhibition is, we conceive, more oppressive and dangerous in its consequences than was the pernicious Stamp Act, for reasons too obvious to be enumerated; nor can we comprehend the difference (as to taxation only) between a law compelling our Representatives to levy taxes on us, or by taxing us directly without the consent of such Representatives. In either case the very essence and idea of a free representation is totally extinguished and destroyed, nor is it of any use to be anxious in the choice of our Representatives if after they are chosen they must be subject to the dictatorial mandates of other persons. No, Gentlemen, we expect and desire of you that while you are manifesting your zeal in promoting his Majesty's service, by providing quarters for troops in this city, as is pretended for its protection and defence, you do carefully avoid the most tacit implication of having recognized the act of Parliament requiring you to make such provision on penalty of being deprived of your legislative capacity.

The act we regard, as it has been by several of the other colony Assemblies, as a most flagrant infraction of your sacred rights and privileges: We do therefore expect, and desire, that you will also bear record against it, and use your best endeavours to get resolves inserted in the journals of the House, asserting, in the most strong, full, and perspicuous manner, your natural and constitutional rights; that posterity may know that however ready and desirous you were, on all occasions, of demonstrating your loyalty and affection to our most gracious sovereign, no menaces could deter you from showing a due regard to the invaluable interests and liberties of your constituents.

As to the circular letter of Lord Hillsborough, inhibiting the respectable Assemblies on this continent from answering the Boston letter, but requiring them to treat it with the contempt it deserves, on pain of being immediately annihilated, we cannot but regard it as the most daring insult that ever was offered to any free legislative body; and we therefore do entreat you to move in the House of Assembly, and to use your best endeavours there, not only to have the Boston letter read, but also to have it answered in a respectable manner, as it desires nothing of her sister colonies but to unite in seeking legal redress from the grievances they labour under. And as the unanimity it recommends to the colonies is their own bulwark and defence against the late measures to oppress and enslave them, any attempts to divert or intimidate you from so glorious a purpose ought to be treated with the contempt and just indignation which they cannot but excite in the minds of the virtuous Representatives of a free people.

GENTLEMEN,

From the number of the respectable signers of the instructions now delivered you we presume you will be fully convinced that they contain the sentiments of the inhabitants of this city in general, and therefore we doubt not you will cheerfully use your best endeavours to carry them into execution, agreeable to their wishes; and we flatter ourselves you will find them not foreign to the general sentiments of the other inhabitants of this colony.