44 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION [1775.

Ordered, That the accounts of expenses attending the prosecu-
tion of Isaac Atkinson, be referred to the committee appointed to
examine the several claims upon the treasury.

The proceedings of the committee of Kent county, relative to
the conduct and behaviour of the Rev. John Patterson were read,
and are as follow:

"At a meeting of a special committee held for Kent county, on
the 16th day of August, anno domini 1775, present, Thomas Smyth,
chairman, and thirteen members.

"This committee being informed that the Rev. Mr. John Pat-
terson, of Kent county, had some time past publicly spoken words
which reflected upon the convention; upon which the matter was
considered, and Resolved, that summons issue to the said Patterson,
for him to appear before the next committee to be held for the
county aforesaid, on Monday the 21st instant, to which time this
committee is adjourned. "

"Monday, the 21st day of August, the committee met according
to adjournment, present, thirty-one members.

"The Rev. John Patterson appeared in consequence of the sum-
mons issued at the last meeting, and being interrogated with re-
gard to the disrespectful words which it was alleged he had spoken
against the convention, confessed that he had reflected on the
proceedings of the convention, as well that held in December
last, as the one held in July last; that the first had undertaken to
preclude persons who were not members of the committee, from
judging of the propriety of their proceedings; that he conceived
the said convention had entered into that resolution, to cover a
duplicity of conduct of the continental congress; that it was de-
priving men of their liberty, and that he considered himself brought
as a criminal, to receive a mock trial: that the multitude were de-
luded; that he did not see why he should not judge upon the pro-
ceedings of the convention, it was a liberty the people of New
York had taken; upon being asked who in New York, he answer-
ed, doctor Cooper and doctor Chandler, and said that he should
think it a higher honor to be ranked with those gentlemen, than
to have the approbation of this committee, or even the convention;

that the last convention had treated James Chrystie in a tyrannical,
cruel, and oppressive manner, and that there was more liberty in
Turkey than in this province; that the convention had forbid him
from passing any censure on the congress; that he had not done
it since, and that if the committee should forbid him from passing
any censure on the convention, he would not, but should then con-
fine himself to censures on the committee.