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C H A P T E R F I V E Service in the Provincial Congress Having a heart distended with benevolence, and panting to do good, he soon acquired, without courting it from his neighbors , tha t authorit y whic h a n opinio n o f su perior talent s an d inflexibl e integrit y neve r fai l t o create. . . .l Having swayed hi m t o the patriot cause , prevalen t event s coaxe d Montgomery's entranc e into politics to serve in the New Yor k Provincial Congress . Thi s extralega l bod y ha d evolve d fro m several preceden t assemblie s tha t Ne w Yorker s calle d t o conside r th e mounting crisis with England. Lon g before the Revolution, Ne w Yorker s became accustomed t o creating unauthorized politica l pressur e groups t o protest agains t an d wi n concession s fro m th e constitute d government . Through th e years, the process evolved as a means of redress against an y autocratic governor. A s the conflict betwee n the colonists and the Britis h government becam e mor e acute , Ne w Yorker s forme d committees , cor responding wit h thos e o f othe r colonies , t o devis e way s o f opposin g perceived oppressiv e measure s b y th e Britis h government . Th e Naviga tion Law s revive d i n th e 1760s , th e Suga r Ac t o f 1764 , an d th e Stam p Act o f 176 5 engendere d suc h reactions . Althoug h thes e organization s initially include d member s wh o wer e moderat e i n thei r view s towar d King an d Parliament , thei r voice s wer e progressivel y drowne d ou t b y more extreme rhetoric . Thus , th e patrio t factio n increasingl y dominate d the ad hoc governmental entities . 5i §2 • Service in the Provincial Congress Following th e roya l colon y pattern , Ne w York' s officia l governmen t before 177 5 consisted o f a Crown-appointed governo r an d counci l an d a locally electe d genera l assembly . B y 1774 , a powe r pla y bega n i n th e colonies t o wres t politica l authorit y fro m royalis t contro l an d plac e i t i n the hand s o f patrio t bodies . Th e Firs t Continenta l Congres s recom mended tha t th e variou s colonie s establis h a networ k o f committee s i n order t o moun t a unifie d oppositio n t o unwante d Britis h policies . O n January 20 , 1774 , eve n before th e Firs t Continenta l Congres s met , thi s movement starte d i n Ne w Yor k wit h th e creatio n o f a Committe e o f Correspondence, als o know n a s th e Committe e o f Thirteen , t o kee p watch on the ministerial government and to coordinate with like committees in other colonies. Since the duly constitute d Genera l Assembl y authorize d it s establish ment , th e Committe e o f Correspondenc e wa s a n officiall y sanctione d organization. However , o n Ma y 16 , 1774 , th e Committe e o f Thirtee n spawned th e Committe e o f Fifty , whic h ha d n o legitimat e basi s fo r it s existence. Thre e days later, th e group admitted a n additional representa tive , becomin g th e Committe e o f Fifty-One . Th e Ne w Yor k committe e system flourished wit h th e apparent inabilit y o f royal officials t o counte r it effectively an d reaped increased popula r support. 2 The colon y wa s withou t it s chie f roya l officia l durin g thi s critica l period. I n Apri l 1774 , Gov . Willia m Tryo n ha d saile d fo r Englan d t o discuss deteriorating conditions within hi s province with the British government . Lt . Gov . Cadwallade r Colden , th e actin g governor , displaye d an attitud...

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