Your Excellencies having, by your Declaration of July last, opened to us the pleasing prospect of returning peace and security, lon banished by the many calamites surrounding us,
we entertained the most sanquine expectations that the Colonies would at length have submitted to their duty and acknowledged
constitutional authority they had so wantonly opposed.
When we compared the dismal situation of the country suffering under all the evils attending the most convulsive state, with the mild and happy government it had before experienced, we saw no ground for hesitation; from happiness we had fallen into misery; from freedom to oppression! We severely felt the change and lamented our condition; unfortunately for us, these hopes were blasted by the infatuated conduct of the Congress: Your Excellencies nevertheless having been pleased by a subsequent Declaration, again to hold up the most benevolent offers, and to repeat his Majesty's gracious intentions towards the obedient:
Permit us, his Majesty's loyal and well-affected subjects, the Freeholders and Inhabitants of Queens county, humbly to represent
to your Excellencies, that we bear true allegiance to His Majesty, GEORGE the Third, and are sincerely attached to his sacred person, crown and dignity; that we consider the union of these colonies with the parent state essential to their well being; and our earnest desire is that the constitutional authority of Great Britain over them may be preserved to the latest ages.
And we humbly pray, that your Excellencies would be pleased to declare this county at the peace of His Majesty, and thereby enable us to receive the benefits flowing from his most gracious protection.
Queens county, 21st October, 1776.
John Morrell
Thomas Hallet
Charles Williet
Geo. Nostrand
Enoch Martin
Jona. Rowland
John Embree
Benj. Arisson
Ab'm Lawrence
Hallet Wright
Jos. Wright
Philip Field
John Fowler
Thomas Blockley
John Marston
Oliver Thorne
Wm. Lowere
Wm. Arisson
Gilbert Field
Joseph Haviland, Jr.
Wm. Ried
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Elbert Hoogland
David Roe, Constable
Jos. Griffen
John Smith
Sam'l Smith
Sam'l Fish
Francis Marston
Thos. Bennen
Benj. Farrington
Tho's Woodward
Leonard Lawrence
Matthew Redett
Baltus Van Kleeck
Theophilus Wright
Gilbert Colden Willet
Isaac Underhill
Edward Willet
Peter Underhill
Garret Van Wicklen
Dan'l Young
Wm. Butler
Jacob Weeks, Jr.
Zeb'n Wright
Simeon Walters
Joseph Latham
Sam'l Burr
Henry Dickenson
March McEwen
Darius Allen
Israel Oakley
Tho's Smith Jr.
Isaac Carpenter
Richard Weeks
Rob't Wilson
Zeb'n Doty
Dan'l Hendrickson
John Bennet
Jeromus Liester
Refine Weeks
Ab'm Van Wyck
Benj. Cheshire
James Voorhies
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