Broadside: Historical Society of Pennsylvania; also printed (with
“Remarks”) in The Pennsylvania Gazette, December 3, 1747.
We whose Names are hereunto subscribed, Inhabitants of the
Province of Pennsylvania in America, taking into serious
Consideration, that Great Britain, to which we are subject, is now
engag’d in a War two powerful Nations: That it is become too well
known to our Enemies, that this Colony is in a naked, defenceless
State, without Fortifications or Militia of any Sort, and is
therefore exposed daily to Destruction from the Attacks of a very
small Force: That we are at a great Distance from our Mother
Country, and cannot, on any Emergency, receive Assistance from
thence: That thro’ the Multiplicity of other Affairs of greater
Importance (as we presume) no particular Care Hath hitherto been
taken by the Government at Home of our Protection, an humble
Petition to the Crown for that purpose, sign’d by a great Number of
Hands, having yet had no visible Effect. That the Assemblies of
this Province, by reason of their religious Principles, have not
done, nor are likely to do any Thing for our Defence,
notwithstanding repeated Applications to them for that Purpose:
That being thus unprotected by the Government under which we live,
against our foreign Enemies that may come to invade us, As we think
it absolutely necessary, We Do hereby, for
our mutual Defence and Security, and for the Security of our Wives,
Children and Estates, and the Preservation of the Persons and
Estates of others, our Neighbours and Fellow Subjects, form
ourselves into an Association, and,
imploring the Blessing of Heaven on our Undertaking, do agree
solemnly with each other in Manner following; that is to
say;
First, That we
will each of us, before the first Day of January next, or as soon
as possible, provide ourselves with a good Firelock, Cartouch Box,
and at least twelve Charges of Powder and Ball, and as many of us
as conveniently can, with a good sword, Cutlass or Hanger, to be
kept always in our respective Dwellings, in Readiness, and good
Order.
Secondly, That
we will before the said Day, form ourselves into Companies, from
Fifty to One Hundred Men each, consisting of such as are situated
most conveniently for meeting together.
Thirdly, That at
the first Meetings of each Company, which shall be on the Day
aforesaid, three Persons shall be chosen by Ballot out of, and by
each Company, to be Captain, Lieutenant and Ensign of the same,
whose Names shall be presented to the Governor for the Time being,
or in his Absence to the President and Council of this Province, in
order to obtain Commissions accordingly. Which Persons, so
commissioned, shall be the Captains, Lieutenants and Ensigns, of
each Company, respectively, for the ensuing Year.
Fourthly, That
after the Election of the said Captains, Lieutenants and Ensigns,
they who are chosen within each County shall immediately meet, and
they, or the Majority of them, shall form the said Companies into a
Regiment or Regiments, and shall elect Colonels,
Lieutenant-Colonels, Majors and other superior Officers, whose
Names shall be likewise presented to the Governor for the Time
being, or, in his Absence, to the President and Council, to receive
Commissions as above mentioned, for one Year. To all which Officers
(who shall serve gratis, without Wages, Salary or Pay) we
will, in our several Stations, respectively, pay due Obedience. And
the superior Officers so chosen, shall, on the third Monday in
March next, meet together at Philadelphia, and frame such general
Regulations as shall be necessary for uniting our whole Force on
any Occassion, or such Part of it as shall be requisite; which
Regulations shall continue, and be observed, until The Meeting of
our General Military Council hereafter mentioned.
Fifthly, That we
will meet in our respective Companies, to improve ourselves in
military Discipline, at the Times and Places appointed by our said
superior Officers, and hereafter to be fixed by the General
Military Council herein after mentioned, not exceeding four Times
in one Year, unless called together on some Emergency by the
Governor, or, in his Absence, the President and Council. And on the
third Monday in August yearly, all the Regiments in each county
shall meet at the County Town, for a general Exercise and
Review.
Sixthly, That at
the said annual Meetings, we will chuse, by Ballot, in the fairest
Manner, four Deputies for each County, from among such of our
Association as shall be of most Note for their Virtue, Prudence and
Ability, who shall meet together at Philadelphia in fourteen Days
after their Election, at their own Expence, and form a General Military Council, to consult upon and frame
such Regulations as shall be requisite for the better
ordering our military Affairs, improving us in military Knowledge,
and uniting and ordering our Strength, so as to make it of the most
Service for our common Security. And whatever Orders and
Regulations shall be so made by the said Council, or the Majority
of them, shall have the Force of Laws with
us, and we promise to pay them all the Obedience in our Power,
until they shall be altered or repealed by the same Authority.
Seventhly, Provided Always, that our said General Military Council
shall not, by any Laws made as aforesaid, subject us to any
Pecuniary Mulcts, Fines, or Corporal Penalties, on any Account
whatever; We being determined, in this whole Affair, to act
only on Principles of Reason,
Duty and Honour.
Nor Shall they lay any Tax upon us, nor shall we be obliged, by
their Authority, to contribute towards any Batteries or
Fortifications; but whatever of that kind is judg’d necessary to be
done, and recommended by them, shall be left to voluntary
Subscription.
Eighthly, This
Association shall continue firm, and every Part of this Agreement
be faithfully observed by us (unless the King’s Majesty shall order
otherwise) until some more effectual Provision be made to answer
the same good Ends and Purposes, or until Peace shall be
established between Great Britain, and France and Spain, and no
longer.
As Use is in our Case more to be
regarded than Uniformity, and it would be difficult so
suddenly to procure such a Number of Arms, exactly of the same
Kind, the general Word Firelock is used (rather than
Musket, which is the Name of a particular kind of Gun) most
People having a Firelock of some kind or other already in their
Hands. If the Cartouch Box should not contain the 12 Charges, the
rest may be ready in the Pocket. It is said by some military
Writers, that one fourth Part of the Weight of the Ball, is Powder
sufficient for a Charge; an Over-quantity, that makes a Gun
violently recoil, rendering the Shot less certain. They add, that
the nicest Care ought to be taken in casting Bullets so much less
than the Bore, that they may slip down with Ease, when rolled in
Cartridges, even into a foul Gun, otherwise there is great Loss of
Time and Fire in an Engagement, to the no small Advantage of the
Enemy. Tho’ Bayonets are not required, it would be well enough for
some to provide them; for they may be as useful against a violent
Onset from irregular Foot, as against Horse. Those who on Account
of their Age or Infirmities ought to be excused from the common
Exercises, yet will do well to keep Arms and Ammunition ready in
their Houses, that when Occasion calls, they may either use them if
they can, or lend them to those who happen to be unprovided. The
Expence of providing these Arms is small, and may be saved in some
other Article: and they will always fetch near the Money they
cost.
Where the Officers of a Militia are appointed
by the Governor (as in some Colonies) it often happens, that
Persons absolutely disagreeable to the People are impower’d to
command them. This is attended with very ill Consequences,
rendering the Meetings for military Exercise, instead of a
Pleasure, a most grievous Burthen, and by Degrees discouraging them
even to a total Disuse. But where those to be commanded chuse those
that are to command, it is to be presumed the Choice will naturally
fall on Men of the best Character for their military Skill; on such
too, from whose Prudence and Good-nature there may be no Fear of
Injustice or military Oppression: And as the Ballot prevents all
Resentments, so the Choice for one Year only, will keep all
Officers within the Bounds of Moderation and Decorum in the
Exercise of their Power, and excite an Emulation in All to qualify
themselves for being chosen in their Turn. The Rotation of military
Offices may be objected to, as contrary to modern Practice; but the
wonderful Success of the Old Romans proves it absolutely right. The
Romans, without Doubt, affected Glory and Command as much as other
People; but yet they disdained not to obey in their Armies the same
Persons whom they had formerly commanded; and to serve as private
Soldiers, where they had been formerly Generals. The Application to
the Governor, &c. for Commissions, preserves the Prerogative,
at the same time that these frequent Elections secure the Liberty
of the People. And what can give more Spirit and martial Vigour to
an Army of Freemen, than to be led by those
of whom they have the best Opinion?
If it is reasonable for the People to chuse
those Officers who are immediately over them, it is no less
so for the Officers themselves to chuse their immediate Superiors.
The whole Choice, indeed, may, in one Sense, be said to be in the
People, as it takes its Rise from them. Without some general
Regulations for uniting our Force, or such Part of it as may be
requisite, our general arming would be to little Purpose. And as
every Neighbourhood would be glad of Assistance if attacked, so it
ought to be willing to give Assistance where it is needed. The
great Number of Horses in this Province are in this Respect a vast
Advantage; for tho’ perhaps we may not form Regiments of Horse, yet
those who are to fight on Foot, may, by their Means, be
suddenly assembled in great Numbers where wanted, even from very
distant Places. The Romans, in sudden Expeditions, sometimes put
two Men to a Horse. One on Foot was greatly assisted in his March
by holding on the Horse’s Mane, while the other rid; and they
alternately relieved each other. The modern Horsemen, on the like
Occasions, sometimes take up each a Foot Soldier behind them.
Those who from their Years or Infirmity of
Body, are not able to undergo the military Exercises, would do
well, notwithstanding, to attend the Meetings of the Companies, and
observe what the others do, that they may not on Occasion be wholly
at a Loss: Their Presence and Approbation may encourage younger
Men; and the gravest and wisest among us need not be ashamed to
countenance Exercises so manifestly tending to the publick Good.
The Number of Meetings for Exercise is limited to four in one Year,
that People may not be called too often from their Business. 4
Exercisings in a Year are sufficient to keep what we have learnt in
Memory; but more frequent Meetings may be necessary at first, till
we are become expert in the Discipline. On any Emergency, that is,
on an actual Invasion by our Enemies, we agree to assemble on the
Governor’s Call; but when ’tis known that we are all prepared, well
armed and disciplined, &c. there is Reason to hope such an
Emergency may never happen. That there should be Meetings of
Regiments, as well as of particular Companies, is necessary, there
being Parts of the military Discipline best learnt when great
Bodies are together: The 3d monday in August is chosen for these
Meetings, as a Time of most Leisure, being after Harvest, the Days
of a middling Length, and the Heats chiefly over. To Make these
Meetings more entertaining and useful, Prizes may be set up for the
best Marksmen, and others most expert in any of the martial
Exercises.
There are a Number of Regulations necessary to
be made, which could not well be particulariz’d in these Articles;
and which, as Circumstances change, may often want Amendment or
Alteration. To form these Regulations, this Article provides a
Military Council, to be compos’d of prudent, good and able
Men. The old and wise, unfit for personal Duty, may here be of
Service; many being good at contriving, that are not so fit to put
what is contriv’d, in Execution, as younger and more vigorous
Spirits. This General Military Council is the Common-Band that
unites all Parts of the whole Association in one Body. The
Regulations they shall make, we promise to observe as Laws; and it
will behove our Lawgivers to see that they are reasonable Ones,
since, by the subsequent Article, they cannot annex any Penalty to
the Breach of them. But however that be, it will certainly be
reasonable to observe them till repealed or altered.
A Militia of Freemen,
ought not to be subject to any corporal Penalties. In worthy Minds,
the Principles of Reason, Duty and Honour, work more
strongly than the Fears of Punishment. The Military Council
therefore is not impowered to appoint any such, nor yet even
pecuniary Mulcts or Fines; that it may clearly appear we act only
on the most honourable Motives. If the Persons who compose the
several Companies should think fit (as Juries sometimes do) to make
a temporary Agreement, to pay little Fines when they do not appear
in good Time, or the like, to be apply’d to the Purchasing of
Drums, Colours, &c. or to be given in Prizes, or to refresh
their weary Spirits after Exercise; they are not hereby restrain’d
from doing so, but left to their Liberty.
This Article, as well as several of the others,
expresses a dutiful Regard to the Government we are under. As to
the Continuance of the Association, ’tis certainly necessary no
longer than the War continues; and ’tis heartily to be wish’d, that
a safe and honourable Peace may the very next Year render it
useless.
’Tis hoped this whole Affair will be conducted
with good Order and Sobriety, and that no
ill-natured Reflections, no Injuries or
Insults will be offered our peaceable Friends,
Neighbours and Fellow-subjects, who, from their
religious Scruples, cannot allow themselves to join us. Such
Proceedings tending rather to give them an Aversion to the
proper Method of Defence, than to engage them to
unite in it.