When the Boston port-bill arrived at New-York, captain Sears and M‘Dougall wrote to the committee at Boston, assuring them of the support of the New-Yorkers. The letter was published without their names. The Yorkers would have fixed a censure upon them, but could get no proof of their being the writers. Captain Sears and M‘Dougall called the people together by a publication. They collected, and after a violent opposition from the tories, who had brought their whole strength upon the occasion, a vote was obtained for appointing a committee on account of the port-bill, which was to consist of fifty-one. The tories fearing the worst, had provided a list; but all lists were taken off the table at Mr. Sears’s motion, when nominations took place, and the number of whigs and tories was nearly equal. Mr. Sears got another added, which made the committee fifty-two. The whigs in it insisted that there must be a congress. The violence of captain Sears’s temper, and his influence over the populace, induced the tories to fall in with the proposal of one, rather than be exposed to the dangers of a mob; but they expected that they should prevent it. A letter was sent to the Boston committee, with a recommendation to them to appoint time and place. They approved of a congress, but declined making the appointments. The York committee considered the answer; and it was carried to write to them afresh upon the subject. The tories were caught; for having agreed to the motion for a congress, they could not hinder it by all their contrivances. You must admit of my using, for brevity sake, the term _whig_ and _tory_ for the _pro’s_ and _con’s_ on the subject of full redress to American grievances. When better can be met with, they shall be adopted; but they are universally applied in this manner by the liberty party. The Boston committee of correspondence were sensible that the utmost delicacy and precaution in the use of words and expressions, were requisite in the present state of affairs; that so their enemies might not disappoint them of that support for which they were to make a general application to all the colonists, and whom they addressed on the head of the port-bill, and the distresses coming upon the inhabitants, with the utmost respect; they were careful to insert in all their letters, “It is hoped that Boston will be considered _as suffering in the common cause_.”