Resolved, unanimously, That it be recommended to the Committees of Inspection and Observation for the City and Liberties, &c., of Philadelphia, and for each County, to order the Militia aforesaid to be raised out of the Battalions associated within their respective limits, in such proportion as they shall judge most equal.

Resolved, unanimously, That the Committee of Inspection and Observation in each County wherein a whole Battalion is to be raised, shall nominate and appoint the Field and other Officers to command such Battalion; and that the Committees aforesaid of the City and the Counties wherein only a part of the Battalion is to be raised, shall have the right, respectively, to nominate and appoint the Field-Officers and other Officers, as nearly as may be, in proportion to the number of men raised in the same; and they are desired to send sub-Committees to confer together on such appointments, that harmony may prevail in this whole transaction.

Resolved, unanimously, That each Private procure his own Musket or Rifle, with the other accoutrements required by Congress; but if they cannot be procured, it is recommended to the Colonels of the several Battalions in this Province to lend the Colonels of the Battalions now to be raised the Muskets which have been made by order of the House of Assembly, and have been delivered to them for the use of the Militia; and the Colonels are hereby authorized and directed to receive the arms so to be delivered, and to lend the same to such Privates as cannot procure arms for themselves, until the expiration of the present service; and if any Private shall neglect or refuse to return the arms to him lent, in good order, to the Colonel of the Battalion to which he belongs, at the end of the service, the original price thereof shall be deducted out of his pay.

Resolved, unanimously, That it be recommended to the Committees aforesaid to advance to each Private engaging in this service the sum of fifty shillings, being the first month’s pay, and also to furnish one Camp-kettle for every six men; and to take particular care that the Troops now recommended to be imbodied provide themselves with good Arms and Accoutrements, a Blanket, a Haversack, and a Knapsack, each, at their own expense; the Camp-kettles to be returned to the Colonels of the respective Battalions at the end of the campaign.

On motion, Resolved, That it be recommended to the Committee of Safety of this Province to confine the command of Commodore Davidson to the Ship-of-War and Floating-Battery belonging to the Province; and to issue no orders to the Captains or other Officers of the Row-Galleys, Fire-Ship, or Fire-Rafts, through the said Commodore, until the Convention meets; and that it be recommended to the Captains and other Officers of the Galleys, &c., to pay all due obedience to the Committee of Safety until that time, and until a new appointment shall take place.

Resolved, That Messrs. Hill, Smith, and Blewer, be a Committee to wait on the Committee of Safety, with a copy of the said Resolution.

The above Committee report that they have delivered the said recommendation to the Committee of Safety, which was then sitting.

Resolved, That it be recommended to every County and District Committee in this Province to pay the strictest attention to the examination of all strangers or persons travelling through the City or Counties, and permit no persons travelling through the City or Counties to remain therein, unless they produce a pass or certificate from the City, County, or District Committee from whence they last came; and it is further recommended to all Committees to furnish proper passes to all friends to American liberty, upon their application therefor.

The Committee appointed to prepare a draft of an Address to the Associators, on the subject of imbodying four thousand five hundred men, in consequence of the Resolution of Congress, &c., presented a draft thereof; which was read.

By special order, the same was read a second time, and agreed to unanimously, and is as follows, viz:

“To the Associators of PENNSYLVANIA:

“GENTLEMEN: The only design of our meeting together was to put an end to our own power in the Province, by fixing upon a plan for calling a Convention to form a Government under the authority of the people; but the sudden and unexpected separation of the late Assembly has compelled us to undertake the execution of a resolve of Congress for calling forth four thousand five hundred of the Militia of the Province, to join the Militia of the neighbouring Colonies, to form a camp for our immediate protection. We presume only to recommend the plan we have formed to you, trusting that, in a case of so much consequence, your love of virtue and zeal for liberty will supply the want of authority delegated to us expressly for that purpose.

“We need not remind you that you are now furnished with new motives to animate and support your courage. You are not about to contend against the power of Great Britain in order to displace one set of villains to make room for another. Your arms will not be enervated in the day of battle with the reflection that you are to risk your lives or shed your blood for a British tyrant, or that your posterity will have your work to do over again. You are about to contend for permanent freedom, to be supported by a Government which will be derived from yourselves, and which will have for its object, not the emolument of one man, or class of men, only, but the safety, liberty, and happiness of every individual in the community.

“We call upon you, therefore, by the respect and obedience which are due to the authority of the United Colonies, to concur in this important measure. The present campaign will probably decide the fate of America. It is now in your power to immortalize your names, by mingling your achievements with the events of the year 1776, a year which, we hope, will be famed in the annals of history to the end of time, for establishing, upon a lasting foundation, the liberties of one quarter of the globe.

“Remember, the honour of our Colony is at stake. Should you desert the common cause at the present juncture, the glory you have acquired by your former exertions of strength and virtue will be tarnished, and our friends and brethren who are now acquiring laurels in the most remote parts of America will reproach us, and blush to own themselves natives or inhabitants of Pennsylvania.

“But there are other motives before you. Your houses, your fields, the legacies of your ancestors, or the dear-bought fruits of your own industry, and your liberty, now urge you to the field. These cannot plead with you in vain. Or we might point out to you, further, your wives, your children, your aged fathers and mothers, who now look up to you for aid, and hope for salvation in this day of calamity only from the instrumentality of your swords.

“Remember the name of Pennsylvania; think of your ancestors and of your posterity.

“Signed by a unanimous order of the Conference:

“THOMAS MCKEAN, President. ”

“June 25, 1776.”

Resolved, unanimously, That thanks be given to the President for his impartiality and close attention to the business of this Conference.

Resolved, unanimously, That the thanks of this Conference be given to the Committee of the City and Liberties of Philadelphia, &c., for their unwearied endeavours in the publick service, and particularly for their patriotick exertions in carrying into execution the Resolve of Congress of 15th May last, for suppressing all authority under the Crown of Great Britain.

Then the Conference dissolved itself.

THOMAS MCKEAN, President.

To the Honourable the Committee of Safety of the Province of PENNSYLVANIA:

The Remonstrance of the Captains of the Row-Galleys belonging to this Province, respectfully showeth:

That your Remonstrants, understanding that this Board is about to appoint Captain Samuel Davidson to the Commodoreship or chief command of the Fleet for the defence of our river and Province, conceive that said appointment would be contrary to every rule of war and the custom of all nations, because he is one of the youngest Captains in the service, and cannot be put over the heads of senior Commanders on any other principle than as an insult offered to them, and with a design to render the service disgusting and

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