Proceedings of the Bucks County Committee of Safety
February 27, 1776

IN COMMITTEE, February 27, 1776.

The following petition was directed to be sent to the General Assembly, viz:

To the Honourable [sic] the Representatives of the Freemen of the Province of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met:

The Petition of Committee of Inspection for the County of Bucks, humbly sheweth [sic]:

That, as a general uneasiness prevails among the Associators in this County, on account of the late Military Resolutions of this Honourable [sic] House, and many persons have signed under them full persuasion that amendments would be made therein; as there many able bodied men, between the age of fifty and sixty years, possessed of large estates, who are entirely exempt from military duty and experience, your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that the Association may be extended to the age of sixty.

And as the tax upon the non-Associators is considered an equivalent for services, and the Associators have no compensation for their arms and accoutrements, not to mention the dangers they will be exposed to when called into actual service, your petitions pray that an additional tax be laid upon the estates of non-Associators proportionate to the expenses of the Associators, necessarily incurred for the general defense of property.

And, as, by marching whole battalions, or companies of Militia, large tracts of country will be left destitute of men, except those who either hold all resistance unlawful, or such as are disaffected to the present measures, your petitioners, therefore , beg leave to submit it to the consideration of the House, whether it would not be better to direct the Colonels to draft from their battalions such number as shall, from time to time, be requisite, thereby affording an opportunity for those whose circumstances will not always admit their going, to get volunteers in their stead, and, at the same time, leaving sufficient force in every part of the country to quell any local insurrections.

All which your petitioners humbly pray may be taken into the consideration of the House, and such amendments made as you, in your wisdom, shall see meet.

Per order of the Committee:

Joseph HART, Chairman.