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History of Orange County
Town of Newburgh
Page 13
     The following persons refused to join the Association, yet on the 14th day of July, 1775, swore to abide by the measures of the Continental Congress, and discourage the spirit of opposition which too unhappily prevailed in some parts of the country, &c.  This oath was in writing, subscribed by the parties, and given to the Chairman of the Committee.

James Leonard,
George Harding,
John Truesdill,
Daniel Gidney,
Stephen Wood,
Thomas Ireland,
DanieI Hains,
David Reynolds,
Samuel Dewine,
Isaac Barton,
Gabriel Traverse,
Saml. Fowler,
Jonas Totten,
Daniel Denton,
James Denton,
Gilbert Purdy,
George Merritt,
John Flavelling,
John Wiggins,
Abel Flavelling,
Antho. Beetel Brunt.
      The President of the Committee who presented the paper for signature was Wolvert Ecker, and on making his return to the President of the Provincial Congress accompanied it with a letter, which, for an expressive and determined character, we copy:

     At a meeting of the Precinct of Newburgh, on Tuesday, the 6th of July, 1775, in compliance with a resolve of the Provincial Congress of New-York, requesting us by the 15th of this instant to make a return of the Association, together with those who have not,—we lament, gentlemen, that it is  our unhappiness that there is such a number of the latter, and a number among them who are he most daring, presumptuous villains, often threatening lives, properties and individuals, damning Congress and Committees, declaring they will join the enemies if opportunity presents, and by the general spirit they discover, we conceive ourselves exposed to their bloody principles, unless some method can be fallen upon for the preventing them in carrying into execution their wicked design,—which we submit to your wisdom, conceiving ourselves safe under your wise protection.  Enclosed you have a list of the names of those that have associated and those that have not.  By order of the Committee.

      WOLVERT ECKER, Chm.

      To Peter V. B. Livingston, President of Pro. Congress.

     Since we are on this subject, we give a case, and probably one of the kind referred to by Mr. Ecker, for it happened in his own neighborhood and under his own nose as a member of the Committee of Safety.  We are sorry to state that the individual in question was one of those who, though they refused to join the Association, took and subscribed the oath before mentioned.

Dia VENERIS, Jan’y 12, 1776.—in Committee of Safety:

      Ulster County.——Stephen Seymour, of full age, being sworn on the holy Evangelists this 4th day of Jan’y, 1776, saith that on Monday evening, the first inst., at the house of Daniel McGiden, he heard Samuel Devine repeatedly drink damnation to the Congress and all the Whigs; that last year was Whig year, but this would be Tory year; and likewise that all the Whigs would be hanged in the spring; and furthermore called the Whigs a pack of damned rebels—and further saith that he would not obey his officers more than he would a dog.

     Ulster County—Henry Lockwood, of full age, being duly sworn,
saith that on his way home from Newburgh he met with some persons, among whom was a certain Samuel Devine, who then asked him if he did not know there was a reward for taking up a Committee man and sending him on board the man-of-war; who then threatened to take this deponent, he being one of the Committee of Marlborough Precinct, and that he would have £40 in cash, or 50 acres of land, for delivering him on hoard the loan-of-war, &c.

     We are aware of the great number of names we spread upon our paper, but it must be recollected we write local history for the benefit chiefly of the citizens of Orange, and are of opinion it will answer the design of our paper better than another course, and be unobjectionable to the families named.  If therefore any reader should he so malicious as to say of our work that it is a book of names as the Hon. John Randolph of Ronoake said of the picture of the Declaration of Independence by Trumbull, that it was a picture of legs, he will please to recollect that he was not the author of this ironical witticism, for we have said it before him.  We wish to honor the dead by instructing and gratifying the living.