The citizens are the safeguards of a free state. Their right to keep and bear arms has never been infringed"

Signed by order

HENRY RUTGERS, Chairman
OLIVER WOLCOTT, Secy.

 

   "This meeting being adjourned from 8th to the 10th, the following preamble and resolutions were read and adopted:

   "Fellow Citizens--Once more we engaged in a war with a powerful nation.
   "The ocean is denied to us; our waters violated; our land is invaded; hostile threaten to convert our habitations to heaps of ruins.
   "We are called upon to save our possessions from spoil and destruction; to secure persons from slavery and death; to protect our families against outrage and violence; guard our institutions from assault and overthrow; to defend by freeborn valour our dear-bought independence.
   "The lawful authorities, aware of this condition of things, have made provision to it. The national government has our security by fortification, troops, and floating force. The state has extended care, and caused other works of defence to erected. The common council of the city has laboured to insure our safety. It only remains that the sons of liberty come forth in their might, and demonstrate that in a contest for all that is near and dear to them, they are invincible.
   "Our regular regiments are already at their stations. The organized militia will them on the shortest summons. The several corps of volunteers are inflamed with patriotic ardour. To these bands, other military associations will be added, composed those who enjoy honourable exemptions from ordinary service, but who will come forward on this trying occasion.
   "This meeting is called for the purpose enabling us to renew our pledge to support the constitution; to invigorate the laws; to aid with our best efforts the administration of our beloved country; to see that it be not approached by spies and emissaries; to defend the great interests of the union with our treasure and our blood.
   "It is our glory and our boast that we are freemen. Our constitution and government are acts of free and unbiased choice. They are ours and we will never abandon them.
   "The citizens are the safeguards of a free state. Their right to keep and bear arms has never been infringed. We will use these weapons resolutely in support of our privileges; with these we will manfully oppose the enemy who shall presume to invade them...."

- The Examiner, NEW YORK SATURDAY AUGUST 13, 1814, Pg. 209 [THE EXAMINER: CONTAINING POLITICAL ESSAYS ON THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS OF THE TIME; PUBLIC LAWS AND OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. BARENT GARDENIER, ESQ. EDITOR. "Thy spirit, Independence! let us share: Lord of the lion heart, and eagle eye! Thy steps we follow, with our bosoms bare, Nor heed the storm that howls along the sky." Smollett VOLUME II. FROM MAY TO OCTOBER, 1814. NEW YORK: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE EDITOR. NO. 34, CEDAR STREET.

[Henry Rutgers was a United States Revolutionary War hero and philanthropist from New York City, New York. His donations reopened Queen's College in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Which is now named after him; "Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey."] 

[Oliver Wolcott was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as well as the Articles of Confederation as a representative of Connecticut. He was the fourth Governor of the state of Connecticut.]