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A Memorial from the Officers of the three first Battalions of the Military Association within the City and Liberties of Philadelphia was presented to the House, and read, setting forth, that when the unhappy emergency of publick affairs required the said Association should be formed, the Memorialists found it indispensably necessary for carrying on the same, to advance money from time to time, to provide Drums, Colours, and other necessaries, and to emply Adjutants, Fuglemen, Sergeants, Drummers, and Fifers, on account of the Association; that these efforts of the Memorialists have been attended with very considerable effects, which may be of great service in support of the common cause of America, there being three Battalions within the City and Liberties, regularly formed, and well disciplined for the time they have been established; that as the Memorialists were induced to incur the expenses abovementioned by no other motive than a desire to promote the publick security and welfare, and as the honourable House has approved their proceedings, they rely with a respectful confidence in the justice and equity of the representative body, that they will not allow a few individuals to remain any longer burdened with the charge of measures that were designed for and really tend to the benefit of the whole community: That the Memorialists therefore pray the honourable House will make such provision in the premises as in their wisdom shall seem proper;
Memorial from the Officers of the three first Battalions
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and beg leave to present an exact account of their expenses; that the Memorialists think it their duty to observe, that in order to keep up and give effect to the Association, it will be necessary to retain in pay the persons that are required in training the Battalions, an estimate of the expense whereof in future is herewith delivered; that the Memorialists cannot omit to mention to the House, that in pursuance of a recommendation from the Committee for the City and Liberties aforesaid, sundry sums of money were collected from a number of persons, who generously advanced the same towards the expense of the Association, until some publick and general mode of raising money should be fallen upon to discharge the debts the officers had already contracted ; that the amount of the said collections is very inadequate to the purpose intended, as will appear by the account thereof annexed, and assurances were given to the subscribers that the said sums should be repaid as soon as sufficient publick moneys were raised by tax or otherwise.