"Resolved--That a well regulated militia, composed of gentlemen and yeomen, is the natural strength and only security of a free government--that such a militia in this colony would forever render it unnecessary for the mother country to keep among us, for the purpose of our defence, any standing army of mercenary soldiers, always subversive of the quiet and dangerous to the liberties of the people and would obviate the pretext of taxing for their support. That the establishment of such a militia is at this time peculiarly necessary by the state of our laws, some of which have already expired and will shortly be so and that the known remissness of government in calling us together in legislative capacity renders it too insecure in this time of danger and distress to rely that opportunity will be given of renewing them in general Assembly or making any provision to secure our inestimable rights and liberties from those further violations with which they are threatened. _Resolved_--That this Colony be immediately put in a state of defence and that ---- be a committee to prepare a plan for embodying, arming and disciplining such a number of men as may be sufficient for that purpose." These resolutions were warmly supported by Mr. Nelson regardless of the certain destruction of a large portion of his property in case of an open rupture with mother Britain. The resolutions were carried and July fixed for the division of the Colony into military districts. From that time Virginia presented a bold front against the unwarranted pretensions and insolent assumptions of power on the part of the crown officers. In July the Convention again assembled and divided the Colony into sixteen military districts--the Eastern to immediately raise a regiment of six hundred and eighty men rank and file, the others to raise a battalion of five hundred men each--all to be at once armed and held in readiness to march at any moment. The Convention further directed the raising of two regiments of regulars of one thousand and twenty privates each--the first to be commanded by Patrick Henry, the other by Thomas Nelson. Virginia stands number one in the organization of a military system independent of mother Britain--a system that now pervades the United States.