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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Richard Caswell to William Taylor
Caswell, Richard, 1729-1789
August 13, 1777
Volume 11, Page 571

GOV. CASWELL TO WILLIAM TAYLOR, ESQ.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

Dobbs, 13th Aug't, 1777.

Sir:—

Capt. Alexander Outlaw has informed me he was bound over by you to appear at the Wilmington Court of Oyer to answer some matter alleged against him for passing counterfeit money: in this particular I have only his own story, which if true, I should suppose no proof of any consequence will appear against him. Yet he seemed apprehensive that his wishes to serve his country in the character of a soldier would be impeded and in effect prevented by those he called his enemies endeavoring to get him bound from court to court to harass him & prevent his going out of the country if there should be a call. I therefore told him, admitting his own acc't of the matter to be true, that if he would enter into the service of this country and use his weight & influence in the recruiting business, I would endeavor to, put a stop to any litigious prosecution against him. He in compliance therewith did inlist himself and prevailed on many others to follow his example in that particular. If his crime is not of too atrocious a nature to admit of this indulgence, you I presume, for the good of your country, will think it expedient to comply with my proposal to him, so far as falls within your power. However, as you have examined the proof against him, you are certainly the best judge whether he merits this indulgence or not. My only wish in the case was, and is to serve the public.

I am &c,
RICHARD CASWELL.