LANCASTER COUNTf. 393 



&f our duty to God, our country, ourselves and posterity, 

 to defend and protect the religious and civil rights of this 

 and our sister colonies, with our lives and fortunes, to the 

 utmost of our abilities, against any power whatsoever 

 that shall attempt to deprive us of them. 



And the better to enable us so to do, we will use our 

 utmost diligence to acquaint our ourselves with military 

 discipline and the art of war. 



We do further agree to divide ourselves into companies 

 not exceeding one hundred men, each, so as to make it 

 most -convenient to our situation and settlement, and to. 

 elect and choose such persons as the majority of each 

 company shall think proper for officers, viz : for each 

 company a captain, two lieutenants and one ensign, who 

 shall have the power of appointing the other officers 

 under them, necessary for the companies. 



That when the companies are formed and the officers 

 chosen and appointed, an association shall be signed by 

 the officers and soldiers of each company, for the good 

 order and government of the officers and soldiers. 



May 3d : Resolved, That the members of the commit-- 

 tee of the county of Lancaster, do, with the utmost expe- 

 dition, take an account of the number of whites — men, 

 •vyomen and children— :to the respective townships of this 

 county, and transmit the same to the members of the 

 committee, residing in Lancaster, to be forwarded to the 

 members of the general Congress for the province of 

 Pennsylvania. 



Resolved, That the members of the committee do 

 examine the quantity of powder and lead the store-keepers 

 have in their hands, in the respective townships, and that 

 the store-keepers be required, that they sell no powder or 

 lead before the first of June next, as they tender the trade 

 SJjd custom of the inhabitants of the respective townships, 



