He served as a delegate to the First and Second Continental Congresses.

He served as President of the Continental Congress from December 10, 1778, to September 28, 1779.

He did not sign the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution because New York had a strong international trade and war would destroy that. New York was very reluctant to get into war with the most powerful military in the world at that time, and our voluntary force couldnt even get supplies, and the Southern colonies agreed with both of these reasons and did not sign until the last ones. He coauthored the Federal Papers under a pseudoname. Writing with his real name would be painting a target on his back.