King’s ships, and are now prisoners in this city. The persons who apply for this exchange are either such as have been taken on board merchant ships, or boats that ply in the river and bay. This Committee think that able seamen, taken on board the King’s ships, are very improper to be exchanged for such persons as make this application; and as the enemy are at this time greatly distressed for seamen, an exchange would be prejudicial to the general service. This Committee would be glad to have the sentiments of Congress upon this matter as soon as possible.

By order of the Committee:

JOHN NIXON, Chairman.

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq.

TO THE PRIVATES OF THE SEVERAL BATTALIONS OF MILITARY ASSOCIATORS IN THE PROVINCE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

GENTLEMEN: The honourable Congress having resolved upon a flying camp of ten thousand men, for the protection of our Province and Maryland, viz: six thousand for this Province, six hundred for the lower Counties, and three thousand four hundred for Maryland, and that Maryland should appoint one, and this Colony two Brigadiers-General: the Committee of Privates of the Associators of the City and Liberties of Philadelphia, considering that an appointment made by any body of men besides the Associators would not be perfectly satisfactory; and being further convinced that it was their right to make the appointment, and that the security of their liberties depended greatly on the exercise of this right, and being desirous of having it enjoyed equally by all, have agreed with the Board of Officers to call a Provincial meeting of Associators, consisting of two Privates and two Officers from each Battalion, elected by the said Battalions, for the purpose of choosing said Generals, to meet in Lancaster, on Thursday, the 4th of July. We attended particularly to the season of the year, and the difficulty of your attending so near harvest; but yet, as the matter was very important, and we were unwilling to do anything without consulting all, and giving them an equal opportunity with ourselves of exercising their right, we adopted this measure. We, therefore, were persuaded, that freemen, associated for the defence of their rights, would overlook every difficulty attending a perfect and free exercise of it. Our Assembly (we mean such of its members as are not quite with us) wished to have the appointment, but we prepared the following Protest against it, as the whole of our success depends on a proper choice. We trust you will see it in the same important light with us, and send the delegation above-mentioned, that every Battalion in the Province may have a perfectly equal representation.

If said conference should unite in some test to be taken by the Associators, that we might know who to depend on, it might be well. We wish to take nothing upon ourselves, but being the advance-guard, our duty requires that we give the alarm. We are. gentlemen, &c.

Signed by order of the Committee of Privates:

SAMUEL SIMPSON, President.

To the Honourable the Representatives of the Freemen of the Province of PENNSYLVANIA:

The Protest of the Committee of the Privates of the Military Association belonging to the City and Liberties of PHILADELPHIA, respectfully showeth:

That this Committee, understanding that the honourable Congress has recommended to this Colony to appoint two Brigadiers-General to command the Associators of this Province, do protest against any appointment of said Brigadiers-General to be made by this House:

First. Because there is no regular Militia law which obliges the constituents of this House to become Associators, or to find persons in their room, if they decline associating; and therefore the Association is not properly Provincial, and of consequence this House is not properly constituted to be competent to the business, nor can the appointment come before them as a Provincial representation.

Second. Because many of the Associators have been excluded by this very House from voting for the members now composing it, though this House was applied to on their be-half, and therefore they are not represented in this House.

Third. Because the Counties which have the greatest number of Associators have not a proportional representation, and therefore cannot be considered as having an equal voice in the nomination.

Fourth. Because the Association has been voluntary, and this House choosing, by their Resolutions respecting it, that it should remain so, therefore cannot interfere, nor in anywise, consistent with decency, attempt to impose officers upon us not of our own choosing.

Fifth. Because many members of this House are the representatives of persons in religious profession, like themselves, totally averse to military defence, and therefore cannot be called the representatives of Associators; nor do we wish to interfere so much with their religious sentiments as to reduce them to the necessity of quitting their seats or joining in the nomination.

Sixth. Because it is well known that there are men in this House who have, ever since our opposition to Great Britain, refused to concur in any measure necessary for defence; and we have reason to fear that some are disposed to break the Union of the Colonies, and submit to the tyranny of Great Britain.

Seventh. Because this House is under no oaths of fidelity to their constituents, by which they would be bound to consult their interests; nor are they proper persons to make the oaths which are to bind themselves.

Eighth. Because, though the members of this House, who were under oaths of allegiance to the Crown, consider themselves absolved therefrom, and have admitted the new elected members to their seats without taking oaths, thereby dissolving the old Constitution, and finally abolishing the Charter; yet effectual care is taken to head the several pages of their Resolves, as usual, with “Votes of Assembly. John Penn, Esq., Governour, ” without the assent of the people for this purpose. These things wear such a face of design as renders the intentions of this House suspicious; and we think a House still confessing the King’s representative their Governour, cannot safely be trusted with the appointment of Generals to command us, lest it would give us such as would enable a certain party to make up with the enemy at the expense of our lives and liberties.

Ninth. Because a House which showed itself so unfriendly to the Association at a time when so much depended upon their exertions, as, after frequent and repeated applications for justice, to impose no more than three shillings and six pence fine on Non-Associators for every day of general muster, and that in so lax a manner that it is a question whether it will ever be collected, is not to be trusted with the appointment of Generals to command us, lest they should show as little regard to our interest in the one case as in the other.

Tenth. Because as this House was chosen by those only who were acknowledged the liege subjects of George our enemy, and derived their sole right of electing this House from that very circumstance, we conceive that the moment they undertook to set aside this allegiance, they, by that very act, destroyed the only principle on which they sat as Representatives, and therefore they are not a House on the principles on which they were elected; and having derived no new authority from the people, freed from such allegiance, they are a representative body on no one principle whatever, and therefore can in no manner undertake to do the business of Representatives further than the people indulge them, without usurping authority and acting arbitrarily.

Eleventh. Because the Associators have the right of appointing officers to command them, and mean ever to retain it.

We, therefore, protest against, and declare we will not submit to, any appointment of General Officers to command us which this House may think proper to go into.

Nevertheless, that the Resolve of Congress may be fully complied with, we have taken the proper steps to have a number of Associators, Representatives from every Battalion in the Province, collected together as soon as possible, to proceed to the choice of said Brigadiers-General, under whom we doubt not but the Associators will serve with cheerfulness; and they, being the officers of their choice, will have the confidence of the Associators.

Signed by order of the Committee of Privates:

SAMUEL SIMPSON, President.