Benjamin Lincoln To Henry Knox On Knoxs Plans For A Republican National Militia 12 February 1790

Writes a response to Knox's proposed plan for regulating the militia and gives his opinion that it has great merit and if cordially embraced it would make ours the strongest militia in the world. But believes the people of Massachusetts will not adopt the plan. The expence, pay of officers, no pay of men, the burden on Masters, calling the youth indiscriminately, disfranchised for a time in certain cases, officers excluded from actual service, subjection to a draught, for a service of three years &c &c will be magnified here and dam the bill. Thinks it is a bad time to bring this up to the General Court.