HISTORY OF BROOKLYN. 403

plaudits of an approving conscience and a grateful country.”—N.Y. Columbian.1

Among the many interesting incidents of the day, the following is related by the New York Gazette: “An aged and respectable stranger and his four sons passed over the Brooklyn Ferry on Wednesday morning, and walked to Fort Greene, where about two hundred of our citizens were at work. After they had taken a view of the Heights and the adjacent country, the old gentleman observed that he never passed through the city of New York, without coming over to visit the ground. ‘Nearly forty years ago,’ added he, ‘these hands assisted to erect a fort on this spot, and, as old as they are now grown, they shall again contribute their mite to the same important object.’ He then threw off his coat, seized a shovel, and

1 During the day, they held a meeting in Fort Swift, the proceedings of which am thus detailed in the Star:

“At a meeting of a number of the inhabitants of Bushwick, exempt from military duty, held at Fort Swift, on Wednesday, August 17th, 1814, the Reverend Dr. Basset, Chairman; Tunis Wortman, Secretary; the following preamble and resolutions were read and adopted:

“Next to the duties which we owe to Heaven, those which belong to our Country demand our chief attention. As a people, we are pre-eminently blessed. Divine Providence has favored us with a free and excellent constitution, and commands us to preserve it. In defence of our liberties, property, and lives, for the protection of our native land, or the land of our choice, we this day solemnly step forward—we take up arms for general preservation, and will not lay them down while danger exists. In a crisis like the present, no good and faithful citizen should consider himself exempt. The spirit of party should be lost in the generous ardor of universal patriotism. All who feel that they possess a country to defend and love, should step forward with a degree of zeal and alacrity, which shall teach the enemy, and convince the world that America is a virtuous, great, and united nation.

“Resolved, That the citizens and inhabitants of the Town of Bushwick, exempt from ordinary military duties, embody themselves into a volunteer company for the protection and defence of Nassau and Manhattan Islands, under such officers as they shall select.

“Resolved, That a committee of eleven citizens be appointed to request the assistance and co_operation of our fellow-citizens of Long Island, to prepare and publish a suitable address for that purpose.

“Resolved, That such committee be authorized and instructed to enter into such arrangements, and to form such correspondence as may be necessary and proper to carry the objects of this meeting into effect; and that the committee consist of Major Francis Titus, Dr. Cornelius Lowe, John Skillman, senior; Alexander Whaley, senior; Peter Wyckoff, William Conselyea, senior; Peter Meserole, Gysbert Bogert, Abraham Meserole, John Van Alst, and Tunis Wortman.

“Resolved, That our thanks be tendered to the Corporation of New York, and to citi.zens of Patterson, New Jersey, for their aid and labor in the works,” etc., etc