Memorial of the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania to the Assembly

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To the Honourable the Representatives of the Freemen of the Province of PENNSYLVANIA, in General Assembly met. The Memorial of the Committee of Safety.

In Committee of Safety, Philadelphia, February 22, 1776.

The Committee have, ever since their appointment, applied themselves with the greatest zeal and fidelity to the important trust confided to them, in providing means for the defence of this Province; they were, however, such means only as were thought more immediately requisite for our security against the attempts made by a naval armament, and were, besides, necessarily confined within the limits of the funds allotted to them by your honourable House; but they beg leave to represent, that, as every day brings with it fresh proofs of the violence of the British Ministry, and of their fixed purpose to subdue the free spirit of America, that has yet given such obstruction to all their schemes of tyranny and despotism — a purpose assisted, too, by an obsequious Parliament, which may not speak the genuine sense of the nation, though it has, unhappily, the direction of its force, it truly becomes us to prepare seriously for the storm gathering over the Colonies, and which, in the uncertainty of its course, may, in a few weeks, fall upon this Province. This being the idea of the Committee, they have come to the following resolution, claiming the most earnest attention of your honourable House thereto:

"Resolved, That application be made to the honourable the House of Representatives, praying that they will take order for the raising of two thousand men to act in the defence of this Province; and this Board will represent it as their opinion, that they will be most for the publick service, that one Battalion of Regular Troops be formed out of that number, and the remainder be a body of Riflemen."

The Committee beg leave to solicit your attention to another object, also of extensive importance — the Military Association; the general sentiments concerning which, they have, in the recess of Assembly, had an opportunity of collecting, and though such numbers already have, and, we hope, will still engage in it, under its present form, as may prove a considerable addition to our strength, yet, as there are material objections made to it, and, as they understand, are to be laid before your honourable House by divers respectable bodies of men, they submit to you, whether it will not be highly expedient, and consistent with good policy, immediately to remove every cause of discontent on this head from the minds of the Associators, who, under an apprehension of partial and unequal burdens imposed on them, have, nevertheless, had the virtue not to refuse their services to their country, in confidence that your honourable House will reconsider the several provisions and regulations complained of, and give them satisfaction therein.

By order of the Committee:
ALEXANDER WILCOCKS, Chairman.