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Memorial from the Committee of Safety, respecting the raising of Troops for the defence of this Province; and after some debate, Ordered, That Mr. Hillegas, Mr. Miles, Mr. Humphreys, and Mr. Thompson, be a Committee to prepare and bring in an estimate of the expense of levying a body of fifteen hundred Men, and victualling and paying them for one year. A number of Petitions from the Counties of York, Cumberland, Berks, and Bedford, for more Members to represent the said Counties, respectively, in Assembly, was presented to the House, and read. Ordered to lie on the table. A Petition from the Committee of Officers and Privates belonging to Colonel Richard Thomase’s Battalion of Chester County, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners, apprehending themselves aggrieved by several of the Regulations of the honourable House for the better government of the Associators of this Province, beg leave to represent that it is their opinion there is a necessity of an amendment to the said Regulations in the following particulars, viz: First. They imagine it would be more equitable, in itself, and advantageous to the publick, if the Arms and Accoutrements were provided at the expense of the Province, and made Provincial property. Secondly. They apprehend the present Fines and Taxes upon both Associators and Non-Associators to be considerably too low. Thirdly. They are of opinion that the limitations, with regard to the age of those who come under the notice of the Regulations, whether as Associators or Non-Associators, ought to be extended; that the Petitioners, confiding in the regard of the honourable House to the welfare and safety of the Province, humbly refer these matters to their serious consideration, and hope for redress in the above particulars, or such other relief as may be thought proper. Ordered to lie on the table. A Petition from the Inhabitants of the Town of Reading, in the County of Berks, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That a number of the Regulars, who were taken Prisoners at Fort St. John’s, are confined in the said town; that, having no Barracks, such of the Petitioners, to whom it was the least inconvenient, were obliged to lodge the said Prisoners in their Houses; that, in all probability, from the situation of the said town, the Petitioners will have more inconveniences of the same kind to labour under from the billeting of Continental Troops, as well as Prisoners; that, from the idleness of the said Prisoners’ manner of living, they will probably become disorderly, and they may be more easily restrained from mischief by being all confined to one place in the night time; that the Petitioners, therefore, pray the honourable House will take the premises into consideration, and erect Barracks in the said town, capable of containing four or five hundred men. Ordered to lie on the table. The House adjourned to three o’clock, P. M. Post Meridian. The Committee appointed to prepare and bring in an estimate of the expense of levying a body of fifteen hundred Men, and victualling and paying them for one year, reported a draft for that purpose; which was read by order, and is as follows, viz: Estimate of the Pay and Subsistence of fifteen hundred Men for one month. Two Battalions of Riflemen:
One Battalion of Musket-men:
Equal to £64,789 10s. of Pennsylvania Currency. Upon consideration of the foregoing estimate, the following questions were called for, and put by the Speaker, viz: First. Whether the House will levy and take into pay, fifteen hundred men, (officers included,) for the immediate defence of this Province? Carried in the affirmative. Secondly. Whether the said men shall be entitled to serve till the 1st day of January, 1778, subject to be discharged at any time upon the advance of a month’s pay to each man? The Members dividing equally on this question, the casting vote was given by the Speaker in the affirmative. The House adjourned to ten o’clock to-morrow morning. Wednesday, March 6, 1776. The House met pursuant to adjournment. A Petition from divers Inhabitants of the County of Northumberland was presented to the House and read, setting forth, That many of the Petitioners have taken money from the Province upon loan; and, as a security that such money should be refunded at different times, agreeable to an act of Assembly of the said Province, have mortgaged their landed estates; that, at the time the Petitioners gave such security, they were by no means apprehensive of the troubles which have since arisen on the Continent, but hoped they would have been able to make their payments according to their contracts; that the total stagnation of trade, and, of consequence, no moneys circulating, especially in such an infant County, at present prevents their being able to comply with the terms upon which they have received money out of the Loan-Office; that the time at which the first payment ought to have been made, as well as the time of indulgence allowed by the Trustees since the day of payment, are expired; that, if sale should be made of the estates of such of the Petitioners as have received money in the present situation of affairs, they would not bring one-sixth part of their real value; that, in case a sale should be
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