Resolved, That this Committee do concur in opinion with the Provincial Committee of the Province of Maryland, that a well regulated Militia, composed of gentlemen freeholders, and other freemen, is the natural strength and only stable security of a free Government, and that such Militia will relieve our mother country from any expense in our protection and defence, will obviate the pretence of a necessity for taxing us on that account, and render it unnecessary to keep Standing Armies among us—ever dangerous to liberty; and therefore it is recommended to such of the inhabitants of this County as are from sixteen to fifty years of age, to form themselves into Companies of sixty-eight men; to choose a Captain, two Lieutenants, an Ensign, four Sergeants, four Corporals, and one Drummer, for each Company; that they provide themselves with good Firelocks, and use their utmost endeavours to make themselves masters of the Military Exercise, published by order of his Majesty in 1764, and recommended by the Provincial Congress of the Massachusetts Bay, on the 29th of October last.
133. Virginia Provincial Conventions become Governments
(March-July, 1775)
a. County Instructions to Delegates
Force, American Archives, Fourth Series, II, 3.
Instructions from the Freeholders of Cumberland County Virginia.
To John Mayo and William Fleming, Gentlemen [Delegates of Cumberland County to the Second Virginia Convention, to be held in March, 1775.]
We, the Freeholders of Cumberland County, having elected you to represent us in a Provincial Convention,[128] to be held in the Town of Richmond, on Monday, the 20th of this instant, and being convinced that the safety and happiness of British America depend upon the unanimity, firmness and joint efforts of all the Colonies, we expect you will, on your parts, let your measures be as much for the common safety as the peculiar interests of this Colony will permit, and that you, in particular, comply with the recommendation of the Continental Congress, in appointing Delegates to meet in the City of Philadelphia, in May next.