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glorious, while they are the freeft, and can only become the freeft, when they shall be the most virtuous, and most enlightened, of nations.

LL2

SIR,

ΤΟ

London, May 14, 1782,

I TAKE the liberty of fubmitting to your serious attention the Plan of National Defence lately fuggefted by government, compared with a different plan now approved, though subject to revifion, by a Company of Loyal Englishmen, of which I have the honour to be One. You will inftantly fee, that the first plan was nobly conceived by fome great mind, and intended for the noblest purposes; but that, in the detail, it appears to be innovating, harsh, unconftitutional, and big with alarming confequences; too expensive for the treasury, who have no treasures to lavish, and too distrustful of a generous and spirited people, who would vigorously fupport a government that fincerely confided in them. The fecond plan you will find (and we pledge our honours to prove) already fanctioned, and even required, by Law, agreeable to the Constitution, and calculated to preferve it; not too expenfive to real patriots, who will hardly be niggards at fuch a moment as this and not at all dangerous to fo wife and just a

government as the prefent. If nothing can raife a manly fpirit, and excite a liberal emulation, in English gentlemen, yeomen, and traders, but the actual defcent of three united armies on our coafts, they will then vainly folicit that protection for their houfes and families, which they now have in their own hands, on a glorious invitation from the First and Beft of Magistrates.

I am, &c.

A VOLUNTEER.

P. S. Give me leave to obferve, that the Lords-Lieutenants, as fuch, have no more to do with this great business than the bench of Bishops.

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14th. His Majesty shall then have power to order the faid corps to march to any part of Great Britain, as his fervices may require.

15th. They are, on fuch occafions, to act either separately, or in conjunction with his Majesty's regular forces, and be under the command of fuch General officers as his Majesty shall think proper to appoint.

16th. Both officers and men to receive full pay as his Majefty's other regiments of foot from the day of their march, and as long as they shall continue on service out of their towns.

17th. They are to be subject to military discipline, in the fame manner as his Majesty's regular forces, during the faid time of their being called out, and receiving government pay.

18th. All officers who fhould be difabled in actual service to be entitled to half-pay, and all non-commiffioned officers and private men, difabled, to receive the benefit of Chelsea Hospital. 19th. The widows of officers killed in the service to have a pension for life.

20th. The time of fervice to be named.

as the Adjutant or Town-Major, to be in the Government pay.

7th. The men to exercife frequently, either in battalions, or by companies, on Sundays, and on Holidays, and also after their work is over in the evenings.

8th. Arms, accoutrements, and ammunition, to be furnished at the expence of Government, if required.

9th. Proper magazines, or ftorehouses, to be chosen or erected in each town, for keeping the faid arms, &c.

Ioth. The arms and accoutrements to be delivered out at times of exercise only, and to be returned into the ftorehouses as foon as the exercife is finished.

11th. The Adjutant or Town-Major to be always prefent at exercife, and to fee that the men afterwards march regularly, and lodge their arms in the ftorehouses.

12th. Proper penalties to be inflicted on fuch as abfent themselves from exercises, as alfo for disobedience of orders, infolence to their officers, and other diforderly behaviour,

13th. The above Corps not to be obliged, on any account, or by any authority whatever, to move from their refpective towns, except in times of actual invasion or rebellion.

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