REASONS FOR THE Reversal of LEISLER'S Attainder. Humbly offered to the Consideration of the Honourable House of Commons.  
IN the Month of February 1688. there came News to New-York, that the then Prince of Orange was Landed in England; and in April then following, the Inhabitants of New-York received an account that the People of New England had seized upon Sir Edmond Andross( the then Governor of New England and New-York) Mr. Dudley the President, and several others of his Council, as well affencted to King James's Interest; and the●●upon the People declared for the Prince of Orange and Protestant Interest, &c. Whereupon those of the Militia, and others of New-York, finding that Captain Nichols●n( the then Deputy-Governor of New-York, under Sir Edmond Andross) would not there declare for the then Prince of Orange, &c. The Militia seized upon the Fort, ●nd by turns the Captains of the Militia( of which Captain Leslier was one) ke●t Guard there; and thereupon sent their Circular Letters to choose an Assembly, which Assembly, or Committee of Safety, being met June 1689. 
Captain Leisler by the Assembly first made Captain of the Fort, and soon after Commander in Chief of New-York.  Under their Hands and Seals appointed the said Captain Leslier Captain of the Fort; and in August then following, under heir hands and Seals constituted the said Captain Leslier Commander in Chief of the Province of New-York, till Order should come from their then Majesties. In December then following, there arrived a Messenger from England with a Letter from His Majesty, under th● Signet, thus directed;  
To our Trusty and Well-beloved Francis Nicholso●, Esq; our Lieutenant Governor, and Commander in Chief of our Province of New-York in America. And in his Absence to such as for the time being, take care for preserving the Peace, and administering the Laws in our said Province of New-York in America.  
Which Letter, after a short introduction, run● in these words; 
We do hereby Authorize and empower you to take upon you the Government of the said Province, calling to your Assistance in the Administration thereof, 
Captain Leisler by the King constituted Deputy-Governor of New York.  the Principal Freeholders and Inhabitants of the same, or so many of them as you ●hall think fit: Willing and Requiring you to do and perform all things which to the Place and Office of Our Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of Our Province of New-York, doth or may appertain, as you shall find necessary for Our Service, and the good Government of Our Subjects, according to the Laws and Customs of Our said Province until further Order from Us; and so We bid you farewell.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall the 30th. Day of July, 1689; in the First Year of Our Reign. By His Majesties Command, Nottingham.   
Captain Leisler( being as before) Constituted Commander in Chief of the Province of New-York, and Nicholson having been gone from New-York about six Months before the Kings letter arrived: The Messenger  told Capt. Leisler, that if he would receive the Letter, 
Note.  and give a Receipt for the same, he should have it; which Capt. Leisler accordingly did, 
Captain Leisler by virtue of the King's Letter, acts as Lieutenant-Governor for ●3 Months before Ingoldsby arrived.  and Capt. Leisler being by His Majesty thus Constituted Lieut. Governor, he continued by Virtue of this Authority under the Signet, Lieut. Governor without any Opposition, for about thirteen Months, and then Capt. Ingoldsby arrived at New-York with two Companies of Foot, who by his Commission was obliged to obey the Governor of New-York for the time being; Capt. Ingoldsby disowning Capt. Leisler's Government, without any Authority demanded Possession of the Fort, which Leisler refused; but offered him and his Soldiers all the Accommodations the City of New-York could afford. 
Ingoldsby, before Slaughters arrival, demands Possession of the Fort,( without producing an authority so to do); which Le●sl●r r●fus'd to give.  Capt. Ingoldsby continued some short time peaceably at New-York; at Length, upon Complaints by the Inhabitants of New-York, against the rudeness of Capt. Ingoldsby's Soldiers, there happened some Disturbance, and thereupon Ingoldsby planted Guns against the Fort, &c. So that soon after many Guns were fired both against, and from the Fort. On the nineteenth of March 1690, in the Evening, Coll. Slaughter Arrived at New-York, and that very Night red his Commission, and Swore four of his Council, and then sent Capt. Ingoldsby to the Fort to demand Possession thereof; Capt. Leisler hereupon sent one that knew Coll. Slaughter, out of the Fort, to see whether the Coll. was Arrived, and the Messenger returning  told him that Coll. Slaughter was come; upon which Capt. Leisler about ten that night sent two Persons to Coll. Slaughter to Congratulate his Arrival, and to offer him Possession of the Fort, and to receive his Commands, and Capt. Ingoldsby did then promise those Messengers should safely return, but contrary hereunto those Persons were Seized by Coll. Slaughter; upon notice hereof, Capt. Leisler took care to put all things in order for the delivery of the Fort the next Morning to the Governor, and accordingly in the Morning sent a Letter to the Governor, desiring him to sand one to take Possession of the Fort, whereupon Capt. Ingoldsby was sent, and then Capt. Leisler ordered the Gates to be opened, and Capt. Ingoldsby with his Soldiers were let in; Leisler Commanded about three Hundred Men then with him in the Fort, to lay down their Arms, which t●ey immediately did; and marched out of the Fort.  
There happened no Act of Hostility after colonel Slaughter Landed.  

Leisler is indicted of High Treason charged to be committed two days before Slaughter landed, and consequently before Leisler's Authority determined.  Captain Leisler and many under him were made Prisoners, and soon after Leslier, Milbourn, and others, were tried f●r High Treason and Felony charged against them to be Committed the Seventeenth ●f March, 1690. At this Court Mr. Dudley was Chief Justice or President; Leisler and Milbourn received Sentence of Death, and were Executed accordingly.  
Object. It's objected against the ●ill, That Leisler suffered according to Law, in that he would not pled.  
Answ. One of the Witnesses that opposed this Bill, declared, That Captain Leisler produced to the Court the King's before-mentioned Letter, 
The occasion of Leisler's not pleading.  and desired( before he pleaded) to be by the Court resolved, Whether by that Letter he had any Authority.— This Question Leisler often pressed, and that Court as often refused to give him any Answer thereunto; and This occasioned Leisler's not Pleading.— But the Merit of the Whole Case is Now before this Honourable House: 
●he Whole Merit of the Case now before the House  And( it's humbly hoped) 〈◇〉 it 〈◇〉 appear, That The High-Trea●●n charged in the Indictment to be committed the Seventeenth Day of March, 1690, was nothing more than Leisler's then refusing to surrender the Fort to Captain Ingoldsby, who not only without, but even against the King's Authority demanded the same.— For Captain Ingoldsby was obliged by express Words in his Commission, 
The High-Treason for which Leisler was executed.  to obey the Commander in Chief of New York for the time being; and Leisler( as is humbly thought) was then such, and so continued till the Nineteenth, when colonel Slaughter landed.  
Whether this Relation was proved before that Honourable Committee that last Sate upon this Bill, Is Humbly Submitted to those worthy Members then present— And if this Account was then proved: It's Humbly hoped this Bill may pass.