I come before the Provincial Congress today with one goal in mind, to broker some sort of compromise between the two factions. It is known that we are all full of passion, and what we want is what is best for New York and possibly even all the colonies as a whole. Like many of you I am a farmer, I am not a wealthy man in the usual sense, but my farm in Ulster County produces enough to survive and to support my family. Before being chosen as part of the Provincial Congress I was given the honor of serving as the leader of our local militia. The militia leader has more to do in the countryside than meetings for training a few times a year, especially since passions and temperaments are still high after the tenant land riots in 66. My leadership skills in this area have proved to the people of my county that I am a man of good sense and that I will put myself on the line for what is best for the community, which lead to my election to this congress. Although many of the residents in my county are Patriots, they have not sent me here with specific instructions, only to represent them as I have in the past which has been with a mixture of diplomacy and compromise. This fighting between factions is a disgrace to our communities, the fact that we even have factions seems an extreme to me. While I have used force in the militia, and if asked would lead a New York force, I would rather not, I would rather us all to find a compromise that benefits us all, regardless of faction. The majority of my county, like myself, are farmers. We have been dependent on trade with Britain for some time now. These last years have had a toll on us financially, and has put many people into instability and great economic distress. I have been no fan of the taxations and the unequal representation that have been afforded us by our mother country, but as the trade and livelihoods of our neighbors comes to a depressing halt, some action must be taken. We cannot be allowed to starve, but we can also not be walked over and have our rights taken away. We are in a situation where the wrong choice could make for disaster, and at time it seems that every choice will lead to a disaster. It is my hope that we can all come to compromise and that New York can again be unified neighbors seeking the best for themselves and their community. We are at a breaking point, if compromise cannot be found, then the split between the two factions will solidify and any hope of subduing bloodshed will be lost. We are all neighbors here, with very similar concerns and interests, surely we can all discuss these issues with an open mind. Mr. John Rapalje gave his address to the court in the last session. I found his words to be of great interest. We have similar backgrounds and excelled in leadership positions that have gotten us to the congress today. He seems to me to have an opened mind about many of the issues that have affected us all. I was myself interested in a question that he proposed to Mr. Livingston on the Continental Association. Mr. Rapalje basically wanted to know what is to happen to our famers and farms with the boycott of the Navigation Acts. I too, am interested in this response. There has been little actual planning on the part of anyone as to how we will survive this crisis, with or without the boycotts. I would find it to be of great interest as to how economical survival could be possible with the Navigation Acts being boycotted as well as seeing a possible plan of action if it were to occur. I have also found points in Mr. Rapalje’s address that I have concern over. All passions are high at this point, both in the factions and in the streets. You cannot blame all acts of violence on the mob, yes there have been violent actions, but sometimes the use of force is necessary, especially when the people themselves have no way to express their own passions or only have force as their only means of action. Is the mob at fault for trying to serve their