His Ldp is pleased to direct I do not conceive they will
refuse to comply with His Ldp's Requisition at this Critical
Juncture but sure I am that they will not send Men out of this
Province without the greatest Reluctance & unless an Act be
made for drafting them from the several Counties I am certain
t' will be impossible to raise any Number of free Men in this
Province. Few but Indented Servants have enlisted with the
Recruiting Officers that have been sent among us & that
Method of recruiting will distress the Country infinitely more
than a Decimation of its free Inhabitants. I am glad an Act
of Parliament is passed directing in what manner Servants may
be enlisted for That if any thing can will induce the Assem-
blies to take the Burden of Recruiting on themselves thereby
to prevent the Officers coming among us. The Pensilvania
Assembly has been sometime sitting but without any Design
as it is said of taking such Measures as the present posture of
Affairs & the deplorable Circumstances of their distant Inhab-
itants demand. You will observe what different Sentiments
Governor Denny & the Assembly entertain of the Condition of
the Frontiers of that Province, You may easily guess how
Maryland is covered by them when you are told that they have
scarce a Family remaining to the Westward of Monoccasy
which runs by Frederick Town in this Province, that the
Quakers have put Pensilvania in a better Posture of Defence
than the neighbouring Colonies & prevented the frequent
Incursions of the Indians the Publick Papers will no doubt
shew, to me 'tis really astonishing that the Assembly should
advance such Things & proceed in such a manner when they
are on the very Brink of Ruin & when nothing but the Exertion
of their whole Strength can avert the imminent Destruction
that threatens them. As the Pensilvanians retire & give the
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