June 14,Meeting of the Committee for Chester County, Pennsylvania: Deputies to the Provincial Conference appointed, and Committees appointed to collect arms from the Non-Associators

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June 15. — Met according to adjournment.

Resolved, That the five Resolves of the honourable House of Assembly, of the 6th of April last, for the purpose of collecting the Arms from the Non-Associators, &c˙, be ordered to be printed in the Pennsylvania Gazette and Packet.

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"Extract from the Votes of Assembly, APRIL 6, 1776.

"Resolved, That it be earnestly recommended by this House to all well-affected Non-Associators, who are possessed of good Arms, to deliver them to the collectors,-hereafter directed to be chosen, as they regard the freedom, safety, and prosperity of their country.

"Resolved, That the freeholders and freemen of every Township, Borough, Ward, and District, within this Province, qualified to vote for Members of Assembly, shall respectively meet together at some convenient place within their several Townships, Boroughs, Wards, and Districts, on the 25th day of this month, and then and there choose by ballot three persons for collectors of Arms; which persons so chosen shall meet the persons chosen by the next two adjoining Townships, Boroughs, Wards, or Districts; and the said persons, or a majority of them, shall collect and receive all such Arms of Non-Associators as are fit for use, or can be conveniently made so, within their respective Townships, Boroughs, Wards, and Districts, and shall appraise, or cause the said Arms to be appraised, according to the true and real "value, which they shall pay to the owners, and then shall deposite the said Arms in some dry, safe, and convenient place in the several Townships, Boroughs, Wards, and Districts, subject to the orders of Assembly, or, in their recess, of the Committee of Safety.

"Resolved, That the said persons so chosen, or a majority of them, shall disarm all disaffected persons before described, and shall appraise, or cause the Arms taken from them to be appraised as aforesaid, and shall pay to the owners the value of such Arms as are fit for use, or that can be conveniently made so, depositing all the Arms in the manner before-mentioned.

"Resolved, That if any Townships, Boroughs, Wards, or Districts, shall neglect or refuse to choose such persons as aforesaid, or if the person so chosen shall neglect or refuse to perform the duties hereby required of them; in such case the Committee of Inspection and Observation, in each County respectively, shall immediately proceed to carry the foregoing recommendation of Congress effectually into execution.

"Resolved, That the persons so chosen shall immediately make returns of all Arms fit for use, or that can conveniently be made so, which they shall take, collect, or receive, with the value thereof, to the Assembly, or, in their recess, to the Committee of Safety, who may draw orders for the amount thereof, in favour of such persons, on Michael Hillegas, Esq˙, Treasurer, who is hereby required to pay the same out of the moneys directed to be emitted by this House."

Resolved, That the Constables of the respective Townships in this County, who have heretofore neglected their duty, do advertise the inhabitants to meet on Saturday, the 29th instant, to choose suitable persons to proceed agreeably to the above Resolves; and that such person so chosen do make report of their proceedings to this Board at their next meeting.

Resolved, That, for the more ready execution of the said Resolves of Assembly, this County be divided into Districts, as followeth, viz:

Chester, Middletown, Nether Providence, Ridley, Darby, Springfield; Radnor, Havcrford, Marple; Edgmont, Upper Providence, Newtoivn; Willistoivn, East Town, Trcdyffryn; Goshen, East Whiteland, West Whiteland; Charlestown, Pikeland, Vincent; Coventry, Uwchland, East Nantmill; West Bradford, East Bradford, East Cain; Upper Chichester, Lower Chichester, Bethel; Ashton, Concord, Thornbury; Birmingham, West Town, Pennsbury; Kennet, New-Garden, East Marlborovgh; Londongrove, New-London, London Britain; East Nottingham, West Nottingham, Oxford; Newlington, West Marlborough, East Fallowfield, West Falloivfield, Sadsbury, Londonderry; West Nantmill, West Caln.

Moved, That a Letter from the Committee of Safety, dated May last, be read.

Resolved thereon, That the respective Colonels of the Militia in this County be, and they are hereby, requested, without loss of time, to make a return to the honourable Committee of Safety of the number of Associators composing their several Battalions, and their state and condition with respect to Arms and Accoutrements.

By order of the Committee:
WILLIAM EVANS, Chairman.