The Poems of Philip Freneau, Poet of the American Revolution. Volume 2 (of 3)Freneau, Philip Morin
General
The Poems of Philip Freneau, Poet of the American Revolution. Volume 2 (of 3)
Freneau, Philip Morin
American poetry
"That all persons are to perform the Militia duty, excepting the
Ministers of God's Word, his Majesty's Counsellors and principal
servants whose avocations to religious and civil, necessarily prevents
their attendance on Military duties.
"All persons who from age or infirmity are unable to act, may do duty by
substitutes, providing those they offer are judged sufficient by the
Colonel of the regiment, or commanding officer of the corps to which
they belong.
"If any of the Gentlemen of the learned professions find themselves so
usefully employed as to be induced to avoid the honour of appearing in
person, they are supposed to be judges of the importance of their own
time, and may act by proper substitutes.
"As no person deserves protection in a place of which he refuses to
contribute to the defence; every person who refuses to appear when
summoned to his Militia duty is to be confined in the Main-Guard by the
Colonel or commanding Officer of the corps to which he belongs, where he
is to be kept till further orders.
JAMES ROBERTSON.
New York, June 22, 1782."
[170] "Gun bullets in boxes."--_Ed. 1786._
[171] In place of this stanza, the edition of 1786 had the following:
"Provided the clergy but preach non-resistance
"And passive obedience--they wave their assistance;
"But we--tho' we're sick and have death in our faces,
"Must purchase a proxy to serve in our places."
A PICTURE OF THE TIMES[172]
With Occasional Reflections
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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