The Acts of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, at 365-66, ch. 167, § 57 (Mar. 20, 1780)
| dc.coverage.spatial | Pennsylvania - Philadelphia | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-10-24T14:09:34Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-11-12T17:04:17Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-03-17T04:19:33Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 1780 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Prohibited members of the militia from parading in unfit, drunk, or disobedient condition, use abusive language, or to quarrel with himself or other during parade of the Milita. | |
| dc.description.lawtext | Section 1. Whereas a militia law, founded upon just and equitable principles, hath been ever regarded as the best security of liberty, and the most effectual means of drawing forth and exerting the natural strength of a state. Sect. 2. And whereas a well regulated militia is the only safe and constitutional method of defending a free state, as the necessity of keeping up a standing army, especially in times of peace, is thereby superseded. Sect. 3. And whereas the militia law of this commonwealth, enacted by the general assembly the seventeenth day of March, one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven, from a change of circumstances and other causes, hath become insufficient to answer the purposes aforesaid, which renders it highly necessary that a new law should be enacted. Therefore, Sect. 4. Be it enacted, and it is hereby enacted by the representatives of the freemen of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in general assembly met, and by the authority of the same, That the president in council, or, in his absence, the vice president in council, of this commonwealth, shall appoint and commissionate one reputable freeholder in the city of Philadelphia, and one in each county within this state, to serve as lieutenants of the militia for the said city and counties respectively; and also any number of persons not exceeding two for the said city; and in the several counties any number not exceeding the manner, he shall for such offence be cashiered or punished by fine, at the discretion of a general court martial, as the case may require, in any sum not exceeding the price of six days labour; and if any non commissioned officer or private shall, on any occasion of parading the company to which he belongs, appear with his arms and accoutrements in an unfit condition, or be found drunk, or shall disobey orders, or use any reproachful or abusive language to his officers or any of them; or shall quarrel himself, or promote any quarrel among his fellow soldiers, he shall be disarmed and put under guard, by order of the commanding officer present, until the company is dismissed, and shall be fined in any sum not exceeding the price of ten day's labour, nor less than one day's labour. Sect. 58. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if the lieutenant colonel or commanding officer of any battalion shall neglect or refuse to give orders for assembling his battalion at the times appointed by this law, or at the direction of the lieutenant or sub lieutenant of the city or any county, when the said lieutenant or sub lieutenant is thereto commanded by the president or vice president in council, or in case of an invasion of the city or county to which such battalion belongs, he shall be cashiered and punished by fine at the discretion of a general court martial; and if a commissioned officer of any company shall on any occasion neglect or refuse to give orders for assembling the company to which he belongs, or any part thereof, at the direction of the lieutenant colonel or commanding officer of the battalion to which such company belongs, he shall be cashiered and punished by fine at the discretion of a regimental court martial; and a non commissioned officer offending in such case shall be fined in any sum not exceeding the price of ten days labour. Sect. 59. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any captain or commanding officer of a company shall refuse or neglect to make out a list of the persons noticed to perform any tour of duty, and send or convey the same to the lieutenant colonel or commanding officer of the battalion to which such company may belong, for such neglect or refusal he shall be cashiered or fined, at the discretion of a regimental court martial. | |
| dc.description.summary | The Pennsylvania militia law framed a well-regulated militia as essential to defending the state and established a system of commissioned officers to organize it. It imposed disciplinary penalties—including fines, disarming, detention, and dismissal from service—for soldiers and officers who were unprepared, intoxicated, disobedient, abusive, or failed to assemble their units as ordered. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://dspace.firearmsresearchcenter.org/id/frc0001/5174 | |
| dc.subject | ARMED FORCES | |
| dc.title | The Acts of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, at 365-66, ch. 167, § 57 (Mar. 20, 1780) |