March 16th 1778.

The governor’s reply to this appeal was not altogether satisfactory to the more ardent patriots, who were suffering much in their private estates from the ravages of British irregulars and their Tory allies, and accordingly a memorial was soon presented to the Convention asking for further legislation of a particularly stringent kind. Made by the freeholders and citizens of Dutchess County, this memorial was doubtless signed by Colonel Ludington together with many others, and expressed his vigorous opinions. It ran as follows:

To the Honorable the Senate and Assembly of the State of New York,

The respectful address and petition of the Freeholders and Others, Inhabitants of the County of Dutchess, Friends to the freedom and Independence of the United States of America,

Humbly Sheweth:

That the nefarious and most cruel Designs of the King and parliament of Great Britain, to reduce our Country to Vasalage, have been and still continue to be executed with a degree of Malice and Rancour, altogether inconsistent with the character of a Nation professing Christianity, or even a regard to common Justice and humanity; that while your petitioners in defence of their Rights and freedom have opposed the devices inspired by Tyranny, and have suffered severely, many of them in their own proper persons, and effects, and all in those of their friends and fellow citizens; they have always had, as they hope, a well grounded confidence in the Wisdom and Justice of an honest, impartial Legislature, by whom they trust such an adequate adjustment of forfeited property will be effected as may duly punish the authors of the publick Calamities, relieve the distressed and be the most conducive to the General good of the State.

That as you are now entering upon the Business of the second year of the Legislature of this State, we Doubt not but a Variety of important matters presents themselves to your consideration, among which, in our opinion, one of the greatest is the confiscation and sale of the property of the Traitorous Enemies of this State; that our Debts contracted in prosecuting this necessary War, are become enormous; that the whole of this Burden will be as intolerable for us and our children to bear, as it will be cruel to exact it of us; That the only expedient for our relief will be the appropriation of the property within this State, of those unnatural Enemies, (whether now within or out of it) by whose wicked practices the War, with all its horrors, Calamities and consequent charges, was brought upon us and is continued to this present period in the American States by them devoted to destruction. To this end have they not exerted every faculty, cancelled every social and sacred Obligation, and to the utmost assisted the Enemies of their Country, irritated them against it, and urged them to compleat its distruction? Have not many of them embodied with the British Troops, assisted in their councils, aided and abetted them in contriving and executing all their infernal measures?

Lenity to such atrocious offenders, we conceive to be cruelty to the State in General, and to mankind, unwarrantable either by the Laws of God or Man.