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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Alexander Martin to the North Carolina General Assembly
Martin, Alexander, 1740-1807
May 10, 1782
Volume 16, Pages 324-325

TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FROM GOV. MARTIN.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

May 10th, 1782.

To the Honorable the General Assembly—

Gentlemen:

I beg leave to draw your attention to the Officers and Soldiers of the North Carolina line who are now looking up to your Honourable

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Body to ascertain their Lands with precision which you have heretofore granted them as a reward for their Military services.

This bounty, however, is inadequate to the dangers of the field; the want of pay, of cloathing and every necessary these brave Men have stood in need of, and every difficulty they have encountered for the six years past in supporting the Independence of this State with a virtue equal to their bravery, yet it would be very acceptable to them if the same was laid off by proper bounds, secured and protected from intrusion.

A favourable opportunity now presents to indulge them with their wishes agreeably to your Liberality.

At the same time permit me to recommend to your generous notice the Officers and Soldiers of the States of Maryland and Delaware, who, with cheerfulness, marched to our relief at a time our captured troops could afford to us no assistance against an unrestrained and conquering Enemy, who, with unremitting perseverance in hardship and toil, have followed their Gallant Leaders thro’ every hazardous enterprise, and with prodigality of life have copiously bled for us in every conflict. Much gratitude is therefore due to the brave men, to whom, under God, we in a great measure owe our political existence, who, by the prudent conduct and heroism of Major General Greene on all occasions displayed at their head, have rescued these Southern States from the domination and Tyranny of Britain, late the object of her vengeance.

The Maryland and Delaware States have not any vacant or unappropriated land to bestow on their Troops, being circumscribed by their more extended neighbours, who have it in their power amply to provide for their Lines, while these may yet remain unnoticed and neglected.

Let then the agreeable task be ours to make provision for men, who so well deserve it from our hands, by making them donations of lands adjacent to those reserved for our own Officers and Soldiers, equal with the same, both as to quality and quantity. This generosity will do honor to the State and give it more importance in the Union. At the same time it will remain a monument of our gratitude and impress a pleasing satisfaction on these generous minds that their services have not passed unnoticed.

ALEX. MARTIN.