IT has frequently given Pain to every Well-Wisher of his Country, when it has been observed, that in many of our public Assemblies, Party-Zeal, instead of Public-Good, has evidently biased the Minds of those who have constituted these Assemblies. Sensible of the pernicious Tendency of such Divisions, both with Respect to our Transactions here (the Importance, of whose Conse­quences, requires the coolest, calmest Deliberation) and to the Advantage it may give our Enemies abroad, I am induced, as a Friend to the Liberties of America, to offer my Mite to the public Fund; and well shall I consider it applied, if any Man is thereby enabled to divest himself of that Prejudice which, to our Shame and Dishonour it is spoken, has long held us in the worst of Slavery. The great Impor­tance of an Union amongst ourselves has been Theme of many a Patriot: All assent to the Truth of the Proposition, and yet, strange as it may appear, but few act as if influenced by what their Judgments seem to approve. To show the parti­cular Necessity of Unanimity, at this Period, is the Intention of the present Address. You need not be informed, my Fellow Citizens, that Fifty-one Gentlemen were by this City appointed, to be a Committee, to correspond with the Committees of our Sister-Colonies; to inform them of the Transactions of this Province, and to advise upon Means, the most proper to be pursued, in the present critical Situation of our Liberties. This they have faithfully performed. It has been agreed to by the dif­ferent Colonies, that a Congress ought to be held of Delegates from each Province, in order, unitedly, to point out the Way in which we, Hand in Hand, should walk. Deputies in several Places have been appointed, and various Modes, by which to choose ours, proposed. The Mode, which admits of fewest Objections, is that, without Controversy, by which the most unexceptionable Persons would be chosen; by which Confusion would be avoided, and the Inhabitants satisfied.

Since our provincial Assembly could not be convened, what Body, my Brethren, can be more fit to nominate Persons to represent you, in the grand political Con­vention, than that, in whose Hands you have already intrusted very important Con­cerns? They have accordingly nominated for your Approbation five Persons; Men, whose Characters are unexceptionable; whose Abilities shine with unsullied Lustre, and whose Love for their Country, and Regard to its Liberties, cannot be doubted.

• ISAAC LOW,
• JOHN ALSOP,
• JOHN JAY,
• PHILIP LIVINGSTON, and
• JAMES DUANE,

are the Gentlemen thus nominated, Men known to you all, and, no Doubt, by all approved.—Let us, my Countrymen, prove by our Conduct, on Thursday next, when the public Approbation of these Persons will be asked, that we are actuated by a real Regard to our Liberties—that Party-Spirit, the Bane of public Virtue, no longer influences us—that we are united as one Body, informed by one honest Soul.—Let us not disapprove of those, of whom cool, dispassionate Reason must approve: and by our Disunion give an Evidence to the World, that our Strife is not, who will do his Country most Service (which indeed should be our only Contention) but who, with the greatest Virulence, will serve his Party.—If we are divided, my Brethren, in the Choice of our Delegates, the Body, of which they are to be Members, will be the less perfect; its Resolutions will not be judged so obligatory on each Pro­vince; nor will its Determinations be considered by our Enemies, as the Determi­nation of America.—

Tell me, my Countrymen, what Delegates can we require, if not Men of Probi­ty, Wisdom and Patriotism. These Qualities are universally allowed to be possessed by the Persons whom your Committee have chosen, and by your Confirmation of their Choice, you will prove yourselves Friends to Probity, to Wisdom, and your Country.