Resolved, That all Battalions now formed, as well as those hereafter to be formed, in the City of Philadelphia, are desired to make returns of their Officers, with their respective ranks, to the Committee for the said City; and the Battalions in the several Counties are desired to make returns in like manner to their respective Committees, which Committees are desired to certify such returns with the respective rank of each Battalion in their Counties, to the Assembly of this Province, or, in the recess of the House, to the Speaker thereof, that Commissions may be issued for every Officer, agreeably to the above Resolve.

Resolved, That the twenty-fourth Article of the Rules and Regulations, published at the last sitting of Assembly, directing Military Commissions to be issued by the Committee of Safety, be, and the same is hereby declared void.

A Petition from William Scout, of the Manor of More-land, was presented to the House, and read, setting forth, That the Petitioner, agreeable to the directions of the House, had waited on Captain Josiah Hart, and requested him to pay the account allowed by the Committee to the Petitioner, for his services as Fugleman to the Company of the said Hart, and that the Captain had absolutely refused payment of the same.

The House taking the foregoing Petition immediately into consideration,

Resolved, That the said Josiah Hart be forthwith brought to the Bar of the House by the Sergeant-at-Arms, to answer for his contempt of the order of the House.

And a Warrant for that purpose being made out at the table, and signed by the Speaker, was delivered to the Sergeant-at-Arms.

A Petition from Messrs. Owen Biddle and Benjamin Rush, of the City of Philadelphia, was presented to the House and read, setting forth, That the Petitioners, having the Publick Works erected for the making Saltpetre in the said City, under their care and direction, before the 25th day of November last, when, by a resolve of the honourable House, they took the said works under their management, and appointed a Committee to superintend the same, had, over and above the publick money put into their hands, expended divers sums of their own money, and contracted sundry debts for that service, as will appear by an account exhibited with their Petition; and there being no provision made for payment thereof, the Petitioners pray the honourable House will be pleased to take the premises into consideration, and direct the disbursements and contracts aforesaid, to be paid in such manner as they, in their wisdom, shall judge proper.

Ordered to lie on the table.

A Petition from a considerable number of Inhabitants of the City of Philadelphia, respecting the setting Negro Slaves at liberty, was presented to the House, and read.

Ordered to lie on the table.

The House adjourned to ten o’clock to-morrow morning.

Thursday, April 4, 1776.

The House met pursuant to adjournment.

Upon motion, Ordered, That Mr. Gray, Mr. Reed, Mr. Rittenhouse, Mr. Pearson, and Mr. Ross, be a Committee to collect and consider the several Resolutions of Congress relative to the Wyoming dispute, together with the Petitions, Complaints, and Affidavits that have been laid before this House by the parties, and report a state of the said dispute to the House at their next sitting.

The House resumed the consideration of the Report of the Committee appointed to bring in a draft of Rules and Articles for the government of the Pennsylvania Forces; and finding that those formed for the Continental Troops, and recommended by the Committee, will require material alterations,

Ordered, That the same Committee do prepare and report a draft of such alterations of the Continental Articles, as may be proper for the Troops in pay of this Province.

The House again took up the Report of the Committee upon the Petitions of the Officers and Privates of the Military Association in this Province, together with the Rules and Regulations of the House for the better government of the said Association; and having nearly gone through the same, adjourned to ten o’clock to-morrow morning.

Friday, April 5, 1776.

The House met pursuant to adjournment, and proceeded in the consideration of the Report of the Committee on the Rules and Regulations for the better government of the Military Association in this Province; and having adopted sundry alterations proposed by the Committee, the said Rules and Regulations were transcribed accordingly, and are as follows, viz:

Rules and Regulations for the better government of the Military Association in PENNSYLVANIA.

First. All officers chosen or appointed in the Battalions that were formed before the 1st day of October last, in the City of Philadelphia, the District of Southwark, and the Townships of the Northern-Liberties, Moyamensing, and Passyunk, to take rank or precedence of all other officers of equal dignity, chosen or appointed in any other part of the Province.

Second. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Philadelphia County, to take rank of all officers of equal dignity chosen or appointed in any other County.

Third. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Bucks County, to take rank of all officers of equal dignity, chosen or appointed in any other than the City and County of Philadelphia, the District of Southwark, and the Townships of the Northern-Liberties, Moyamensing, and Passyunk.

Fourth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of Ootober, as aforesaid, in Chester County, to take rank of all officers of equal dignity, chosen or appointed in any other than Bucks and Philadelphia Counties, and Philadelphia City, the District of Southwark, and Townships of the Northern-Liberties, Moyamensing, and Passyunk.

Fifth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Lancaster County, to rank before officers of equal dignity, chosen or appointed in any other than Chester, Bucks, and Philadelphia Counties, and the City of Philadelphia, the District of Southwark, and Townships of the Northern-Liberties, Moyamensing, and Passyunk.

Sixth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in York County, to rank before officers of equal dignity, in any other than Lancaster, Chester, Bucks, and Philadelphia Counties, Philadelphia City, the District of Southwark, and Townships of the Northern-Liberties, Moyamensing, and Passyunk.

Seventh. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Cumberland County, to rank before officers of equal dignity in the junior Counties of Berks, Northampton, Bedford, Northumberland, and Westmoreland.

Eighth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Berks County, to rank before officers of equal dignity in the Counties of Northampton, Bedford, Northumberland, and Westmoreland.

Ninth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Northampton County, to rank before officers of equal dignity in Bedford, Northumberland, and Westmoreland Counties.

Tenth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Bedford County, to rank before officers of equal dignity in Northumberland and Westmoreland Counties.

Eleventh. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Northumberland County, to rank before officers of equal dignity in Westmoreland County.

Twelfth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Westmoreland, the youngest, or last made County in this Province, to yield up rank or precedence to all officers of equal dignity chosen or appointed in every other County in this Province before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid.

Thirteenth. Where commissions of equal dignity, in different Counties, bear the same date, precedency to be determined by seniority of Counties; but where they are in the same County, by the rank of the Battalion.

Fourteenth. The Colonels chosen or appointed in the City of Philadelphia, the District of Southwark, and the