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Lib. J. R.
& U. S.
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us to have proceeded from the Remissness in those two
recruiting Officers if not to their actual Encouragement to
their respective Parties to behave in so disorderly Manner.
From the known Character of the Right Honourable the
Earl of Loudoun his Majesty's General upon this Continent
we have the strongest Reason to believe his Lordship cannot
approve much less encourage such Disorders either in Offi-
cers or Soldiers upon his Majestys Loyal Subjects, and as
such Behaviour must naturally tend besides oppressing and
destroying the Subjects to the alienating the Minds of the
People from the Soldiery, and thereby to the Hurt and Preju-
dice of the recruiting Service in particular and his Majesty's
Service in General.
We humbly presume to lay this our Remonstrance before
your Honours with a brief Account of the several Kinds of
Abuses which have been proved before us, at the same time
humbly requesting that they may be laid before his Excel-
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p. 176
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lency our Governor to be by him disposed in such Manner as
he shall judge most proper for preventing such Abuses, and
Disorders for the future. The several Kinds of Abuses
which have been proved before us are as follows,
1: Insultingly giving a Paper or Letter to a person, and
beating, and abusing him, pretending he was thereby enlisted,
and insulting all standers by who advised his going to a
Magistrate
2: By putting Money in a Person's Coat Sleeves, and
other Abuses, and thereupon claiming such Person to be
thereby enlisted, and detaining them by Force until dis-
charged by Magistrates done by Convict Recruits pretending
to have Power from those Officers to enlist.
3: Pretending to enlist with a Copper Half penny, and
divers Insults by Convict Recruits presuming to enlist.
4: Abuses in pretending to enlist old infirm Men not able
to perform any Service, and thereby detaining and abusing
them until they got smart Money of them.
5: Their Party of Soldiers and Recruits reflecting on
Magistrates and Courts, and going in a Body armed putting
the People in Terror, and defying all Civil Officers, and when
brought into Court by their Officers to answer to an Indict-
ment found against them their coming in with their Swords
or Cutlasses, and Pistols with their Thumbs on the Cocks
thereof, in an insulting manner and upon being informed on
Behalf of Court that it was improper for them to appear so
armed on that Occasion, their Officers insisted it was Part
of their Dress, and they the Soldiers should not be disarmed.
6: That after the Officers were informed of the barbarous
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