APPENDIX XXVIII.

Resolves of the Provincial Assembly, adopted for the public safety and welfare, from June 30, 1775, to May 30, 1776, during the period of agitation which culminated in the Declaration of Independence; and papers relating thereto.

SECTION I.

1. Resolves of Assembly, agreed to June 30, 1775.

2. Resolve of Assembly, agreed to September 30, 1775.

3. Resolves of Assembly, agreed to October 27, 1775.

4. Resolves of Assembly, agreed to November 8, 1775.

5. Instructions to the Delegates of the Province in Congress, agreed to November 9, 1775.

6. Resolves of Assembly, agreed to November 18, 1775.

7. Resolves of Assembly, agreed to November 25, 1775.

8. Resolves of Assembly, agreed to November 25, 1775. 9. Instructions for recruiting riflemen, agreed to March 12, 1776.

10. Resolves of Assembly, agreed to March 26, 1776. 11. Resolves of Assembly, agreed to April 3, 1776. 12. Resolves of Assembly, agreed to April 3, 1776. 13. Resolves of Assembly, agreed to April 5, 1776. 14. Resolves of Assembly, agreed to April 6, 1776. 15. Resolves of Assembly, agreed to May 24, 1776. 16. Resolves of Assembly, agreed to May 30, 1776. 17. Resolve of Assembly, agreed to May 30, 1776. 18. Instructions to the Delegates of the Province in Congress, agreed to June 8, 1776.

1.

Resolves of Assembly, Agreed to June 30, 1775.

Resolved, 1. That this House approve the Association entered ( 485 )

into by the good people of this province for the defense of their lives, liberty and property.

Resolved, 2. That if any invasion or landing of British troops, or others, shall be made in this or the adjacent colonies during the present controversy, or any armed ships or vessels shall sail up the river Delaware in an hostile manner, and such circumstances shall render it expedient in the judgment of the committee hereafter to be appointed, for any number of the officers and private men of the Association within this colony to enter into actual service for repelling such hostile attempts, this House will provide for the pay and necessary expenses of such officers and soldiers performing such military duty, while they are in such actual service.

Resolved, 3. That the pay of the officers and privates while in such actual service shall not exceed that of the army raised by the Congress of the United Colonies, for the defense of the liberties of America.

Resolved, 4. That this House do earnestly recommend to the Board of Commissioners of the City and County of Philadelphia, and of each county in this province, that have not made the provision hereinafter mentioned, and they are hereby enjoined, as they regard the freedom, welfare and safety of their country, immediately to provide a proper number of good new firelocks, with bayonets fitted to them, cartridge boxes, with twenty-three rounds of cartridge in every box, and knapsacks, not less than fifteen hundred of each article for the city and county of Philadelphia; three hundred for the county of Bucks; five hundred for the county of Chester; six hundred for the county of Lancaster; three hundred for the county of York; three hundred for the county of Cumberland; four hundred for the county of Berks; three hundred for the county of Northampton; one hundred for the county of Bedford; one hundred for the county of Northumberland; and one hundred for the county of Westmoreland; to be under the care of the commanding officers of the battalions of the said counties, for the immediate use of such officers and soldiers as shall be draughted from the battalions from time to time for actual service. And the said commissioners and assessors shall produce their accounts for the

furnishing the arms and accoutrements aforesaid to the committee hereinafter appointed, which being approved of by the said committee, they shall draw orders on the treasurer for the payment thereof, and he is hereby enjoined to pay the same out of the bills to be emitted by the resolution of this house.

Resolved, 5. That the firelocks to be provided as aforesaid be of one size and bore, with steel rammers well fitted to the same; and that patterns of the said firelocks, rammers and bayonets be immediately made in the city of Philadelphia, and sent to the different counties.

Resolved, 6. That this House do recommend to, and enjoin, the officers and committees of each county in this province, to select a number of minute men, equal to the arms, &c., provided for the same, to be in readiness, upon the shortest notice, to march to any quarter in case of emergency.

Resolved, 7. That provision be made for defending this province, and the city in particular, against the attacks of armed vessels that may be sent to annoy them.

And whereas the safety of a country greatly depends on having within itself the means of defense, and it appears that sufficient quantities of saltpetre may be collected, not only for defense, but for other purposes:

Resolved, 8. That the sum of twenty pounds be paid for every hundred weight of good merchantable saltpetre that shall be made and manufactured in this province and delivered to the committee of safety hereinafter named, within the space of three months from this time; and that the sum of fifteen pounds be paid for every hundred weight of good merchantable saltpetre that shall be made and manufactured in this province, and delivered to the said committee, within the space of three months next following; and so in proportion for a greater or lesser quantity.

Resolved, 9. That John Dickinson, George Gray, Henry Wynkoop, Anthony Wayne, Benjamin Bartholomew, George Ross, Michael Swoope, John Montgomery, Edward Biddle, William Edmonds, Bernard Dougherty, Samuel Hunter, William Thompson, Thomas Willing, Benjamin Franklin, Daniel Roberdeau, John Cadwalader, Andrew Allen, Owen Biddle, Francis Johns

ton, Richard Reily, Samuel Morris, Junior, Robert Morris, Thomas Wharton, Junior and Robert White, gentlemen, be a committee of safety for calling forth such and so many of the associators into actual service, when necessity requires, as the said committee shall judge proper, for paying and supplying them with necessaries, while in actual service, for providing for the defense of this province against invasion and insurrection, and for encouraging and promoting the manufacture of saltpetre; which said committee are hereby authorized and empowered to draw orders on the treasurer hereinafter appointed for the several purposes above mentioned.

Resolved, 10. That any seven or more, of the said committee shall be a board for transacting the business aforesaid, or any part thereof.

And for carrying the foregoing resolves into execution, it is, Resolved, 11. That bills of credit to the value of thirty-five thousand pounds, shall on or before the first day of August next be prepared and printed on good strong paper, under the care and direction of George Gray, Joseph Parker, William Rodman and Isaac Pearson, Esquires; or any three of them, at the charge of the public, to be defrayed out of the said bills; which bills shall be made and prepared in manner and form following, viz.:

According to the resolves of the Assembly of Pennsylvania made on the thirtieth day of June, in the fifteenth year of His Majesty George the Third. Dated at Philadelphia, the twentieth day of July, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five.

And the said bills shall have such escutcheons and devices as the said George Gray, Joseph Parker, William Rodman and Isaac Pearson, shall think proper; each of which bills shall be of the several and respective denominations following, and no other, viz.:

Seven thousand of the same bills, of the sum of forty shillings.

Seven thousand of the same bills of the sum of thirty shillings.

Seven thousand of the same bills, of the sum of twenty shillings.

Seven thousand of the same bills, of the sum of ten shillings.

And the said George Gray, Joseph Parker, William Rodman and Isaac Pearson shall use their best care, attention and diligence during the printing of the said bills, that the number and amount thereof, according to their respective denominations aforesaid, be not exceeded, nor any clandestine or fraudulent practice used by the printer, his servants or other persons concerned therein.

Resolved, 12. That the said George Gray, Joseph Parker, William Rodman and Isaac Pearson, or any three of them, after the said bills are printed, shall deliver them to the signers to be signed and numbered by parcels, for which they shall take the receipts of the signers.

Resolved, 13. That Sharp Delany, Lambert Cadwalader, Isaac Howell, James Meas, Adam Hubley, John Benezet, Samuel Cadwalader Morris, Thomas Prior, Godfrey Twells, John Meas, John Purviance and William Allen, Junior, or any three of them, shall be the signers of each and every of the said bills.

Resolved, 14. That when the same bills shall be signed they shall be delivered to Michael Hillegas, Esquire, hereby appointed treasurer, who shall give his receipt for the same and shall therewith pay off and discharge all such drafts and certificates as shall be made by order of assembly, or the committee of safety aforesaid.

Resolved, 15. That the treasurer aforesaid shall give bond with two sufficient sureties to John Morton and Charles Humphreys, Esquires, in the sum of ten thousand pounds for the faithful discharge of the trust reposed in him.

And for the more certain paying, redeeming, discharging, and sinking the said bills of credit hereby emitted:

Resolved, 16. That a tax on all estates, real and personal, within this province, shall be raised and levied by the respective commissioners and assessors of the several counties within this province, in the same manner and mode as the provincial tax by the laws now in force is raised, levied and recovered, and shall be paid to the provincial treasurer, which said tax first mentioned shall commence immediately after the sinking of the