[coyne] THE TALBOT PAPERS 141 
to a Successor I may deliver over to him a well regulated Regiment 
and not an Unruly Mob, &c., &e., Xe. 
R. NN. 
Extract to Captn. Glegg. 
Jt is my wish that the General may perfectly understand the Motives 
which have induced me to prefer these charges—and I beg leave to 
assure him through you that they are entirely of a publick Nature. 
Publick considerations alone have been my motives for I feel that while 
these reports circulated by Rapelje & Ryerson are circulated uncon- 
tradicted they will be believed and consequently will render it impossible 
for me to be of the smallest service to the Government or Country as 
the head of the Second Regiment of Norfolk Militia. 
It is a well known fact that almost ever since the first Establish- 
ment of a Militia in this Country it has been little better than a legal- 
ised Mob—the Officers without respectability without intelligence, and 
without Authority—and the men without any idea of Subordination— 
Now S'r I am desirous of putting an end to such a state of things 
in my part of the Country— My wish is to Command a Reginent and 
not to be the leader of a Mob. To Enable me to reform abuses and to 
bring both officers and Men into those habits of regularity and sub- 
ordination so necessary in all Military Service—I shall have occasion 
for all the Popularity and Influence over Publick Opinion—that I pos- 
sess—and had I ten times more it would not be too much—and there- 
fore I do conceive it to be my bounden duty to resist and punish on 
the threshold every attempt of my immediate Officers to weaken or 
destroy these— You know well Sir that in a Militia Composed as 
ours is of Independent Yeomen it would be both impolitic and useless 
to attempt to introduce the strict discipline of the line—they must in 
a great Measure be goverened by Opinion— Just and Firm Conduct 
with a Conciliatory Disposition on the part of their Commanding Officer 
will do much—and this was the line of conduct I had marked out for 
myself—but if before the Regiment is organised—which is composed 
almost entirely of Native Americans—and before I have assumed any 
command the Officers appointed to serve under me Circulate such 
reports—and make such assertions— And if these reports and asser- 
tions are not immediately investigated and proved to be unfounded— 
1 feel that I cannot with justice to the Government and respect for 
myself remain in the Command ”— 
I have no hesitation in denying most unequivocally the truth of 
all and every one of the reports circulated and my only wish is to have 
a publick opportunity of vindicating my Character from such infamous 
and foul aspersions. 
