CHAPTER XXV — THE ISSUE OF COERCION
153. The First Continental Congress (1774)
For John Adams, see No. 24 above. For the First Continental Congress, see Frothingham, Rise of the Republic, ch. ix ; Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, VI, 99-104 ; Channing and Hart, Guide, § 137.
[Sept.] 5. Monday. A T ten the , Agates all met at the City Tavern, and walked to the Carpenters Hall, where they took a view of the room, and of the chamber where is an excellent library ; there is also a long entry where gentlemen may walk, and a convenient chamber opposite to the library. The general cry was, that this was a good room, and the question was put, whether we were satisfied with this room? and it passed in the affirmative. A very few were for the negative, and they were chiefly from Pennsylvania and New York. Then Mr. Lynch arose, and said there was a gentleman present who had presided with great dignity over a very respectable society, greatly to the advantage of America, and he therefore proposed that the Honorable Peyton Randolph, Esquire, one of the delegates from Virginia, and the late Speaker of their House of Burgesses, should be appointed Chairman, and he doubted not it would be unanimous.
The question was put, and he was unanimously chosen.
Mr. Randolph then took the chair, and the commissions of the dele gates were all produced and read.
Then Mr. Lynch proposed that Mr. Charles Thomson, a gentleman of family, fortune, and character in this city, should be appointed Secretary, which was accordingly done without opposition, though Mr. Duane and Mr. Jay discovered at first an inclination to seek further.
Mr. Duane then moved that a committee should be appointed to prepare regulations for this Congress. Several gentlemen objected.
I then arose and asked leave of the President to request of the gentleman from New York an explanation, and that he would point out some particular regulations which he had in his mind. He mentioned par-
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