Autograph letter signed : [Pennsylvania], to "the lieutenant and sub-lieutenants", 1781 Mar. 31.

Concerning the abuses by Lieutenants and sub-Lieutenants in the Pennsylvania Militia; informing them "that sundry Petitions have been presented from the Counties of Chester & Cumberland respecting the Lieutenants & Sub Lieutenants as drawing constant Pay from the publick & in Some Cases Rations & also greatly of Sundry other Abuses of Office....A Committee appointed to bring in a Bill to abolish their Offices either totally or partially & transfer their Duty to the Officers. As I know Parts of the Representation are erroneous & I apprehend it may be intended to abolish the Militia itself by degrees I have vindicated the Lieutenants & Sub Lieutenants in a Letter to the Committee..;" saying that the "General Officers of the Militia....have remonstrated again the Abolition of the Offices of Lieutenant and Sub-Lieutenant concuring that it will encourage the Enemy, enfeeble the State & impose an [illegible] and unsupportable Burthen on the Officers to collect Fines & keep accounts & finally spur on the Destruction of the present Militia Law. In which Case the Country must be undefended or the Whigs bear the whole Burthen by voluntary association, while the Tories & disaffected reap the Benefit of their Exertions without Danger or Expence. You will judge whether it will be proper to call the Officers of Militia together as war [illegible] here or take any other Mode to vindicate your own Character & support the Law which has made military Service more equal than any hitherto [illegible] & has been followed more or less by a great number of the other States;" adding, in a postscript, that similar charges have been brought against Waggon Masters and their deputies "but as the Law under which they acted is expired, nothing will be necessary for them farther than to exculpate themselves from the charge of drawing constant Pay & Rations."