The Gazette

FOR THE GAZETTE.

TO THE SELECTMEN OF THE TOWN OF PORTLAND.

GENTLEMEN,

AS you are, in the month of January, annually, required to appoint a number of men to manage the Fire Engines of this town, not exceeding 18 men to each Engine; permit me, through the medium of The Gazette, to suggest to you the expedience of collecting for this trust, at this important crisis of our public affairs, as far as is attainable, men that are by law exempted from military duty.--One of the engines (the Vigilant) is now managed in part by gentlemen of this description;--the other, if I mistake not, by those that are not otherwise exempted from military duty--I presume you will be convinced of the fitness of this measure, when you are reminded of this fact: that the standing companies of militia of this town, did not the last summer, and it is probable they do not now, bear a sufficient number of names on their respective rolls, to constitute full companies; notwithstanding the number of taxable polls of this town exceeds 700!!!-- It is to be hoped there is an adequate number of citizens, sufficiently patriotic, among the exempted, to perform this duty; or that those now entrusted with it, will pledge themselves on their reappointment, to perform military duty in the standing companies of militia to which they respectively belong, when required so to do, notwithstanding their being intrusted with the management of the engines. Those undoubtedly will, whose motives in accepting this appointment, will not be the privilege (if it is so deemed) of exemption from military service. To those, whose motives are different, I am willing to acknowledge, I cannot discern any uncommon degree of patriotism in their acceptance of this trust.

One exempted from ordinary trainings.

Portland, 9th Jan. 1799.