Landmarks of Albany County, New York online

being John Roorbach, John Price, Jacob Lansing, jr., Abraham Cuyler,
John M. Beeckman, Hariiianus Wendell; assistants, Abraham I.
Yates, Matthew Visscher, Isaac D. Fonda, Jacob Bleecker, Cornelius
Swits, Abraham Schuyler.

By act of the Legislature in 1778 the mayor and his subordinate otifi-
cers were required to meet and qualify by taking the oath of allegiance
prescribed by the State law, and their respective oaths prescribed by
the city charter; they met for this purpose April 17, 1778. From
March, 177G, to April, 1778, the duties of the mayor and council were
performed by the Committee of Safety and Correspondence, appointed
by the first Legislature. The original city charter was kept in force,
except as it conflicted with the new State government. This c;-'mmit-
tee was composed as follows :

First Ward— Jacob C. Ten Eyck, Henry I. Bogart, Peter Silvester, Henry Wen-
dell, Volkert P. Douw, John Bay, Guysbert Marselis.

Second Ward — John R. Bleecker, Jacob Lansing, jr., Jacob Cuyler, Henry Bleecker,
Robert Yates, Stephen De Lancey, Abraham Cuyler.

Third Ward — John H. Ten Eyck, Abraham Ten Broeck, Gerrit Lansing, jr., An-
thony E. Bradt, Samuel Stringer, Abraham Yates, jr., Cornells Van Santvoordt.

The meetings of this committee were usually held in the Old Stadt
Huys, and their proceedings were fraught with important measures
during its existence, full records of which are preserved in the vState
Library. For our present purpose we need refer to only a few of
these. As an indication of the sentiments of its signers the following



on

document, which was probably put forth soon after the battle of Lex-
ington, fought April 10, KT"), must find a place here:

A General Association agreed to and subscribed by the Members of the several

Committees of the City and County of Albany.

Persuaded that the salvation of the Rights and liberties of America depends, un-
der God. on the tlnii t'nion of its Inhabitants in a Vigorous prosecution of the Meas-
ures necessary for its SalL-iy ; and convinced of the necessity of preventing the An-
archy and Confusidu which attends a Dissolution of the Powers of Government, We,
the Freemen, Freeholders and Inhabitants of the City and County of Albany, being
greatly alarmed at the avowed Design of the Ministry to raise a Revenue in Amer-
ica, and shocked by the bloody scene now acting in the Massachusetts Bay, Do in
the most Solemn Manner resolve never to become Slaves; and do associate under all
the Ties of Religion, Honor and Love to our Country, to adopt and endeavor to
carry into Execution whatever Measures may be recommended by the Continental
Congress, or resolved upon by our Provincial Convention for the purpose of preserv-
ing our Constitution, and opposing the Execution of the several Arbitrary and op-
pressive Acts of the British Parliament until a Reconciliation between Great Britain
and America on Constitutional Principles (which we most ardently desire) can be ob-
tained: And that we will in all things follow the Advice of Our General Committee
respecting the purposes aforesaid, the preservation of Peace and good Order, and
the safety ft Individuals and private Property.

John lianlay. i.liairman; Walter Livingston, John Bay, James Magee, Tyrans
Callans ii, Isaac \'an Aernam, Gysbert Marselis, Philip P. Schuyler, George White.
John McClung. Gershom Woodworth, Bastyaen T. Vescher, Florus Baricker, John
Knickerbacker junior, Barent Vanderpoel, William Van Bergen, John Abbott, Jacobus
Williamson. Samuel Van Vechten. Peter Becker, Ebenezer Allen, Simeon Covel, Asa
Flint, James Parrot, Henry Leake, Andries Watbeck, Matthew Visscher, Samuel
Stringer, Gerrit Lansing, jr., John Ten Broeck, Robert Yates, Henry I. Bogart,
John Van Loon, Henry Van Veghten, Joseph Young, Richard Esselstyn, Othniel
Gardner, Barent Dyne, Abraham Cuyler, Robert McCluUen, Henry Wendell, Cornel-
ius Van Santvoordt, R. BIeecl