4813. LOUISIANA, Defence of.—
What
would you think of raising a force for the
defence of New Orleans in this manner?
Give a bounty of 50 acres of land, to be
delivered immediately, to every able-bodied
man who will immediately settle on it, and
hold himself in readiness to perform two
years' military service (on the usual pay) if
called on within the first seven years of his
residence? The lands to be chosen by himself
of any of those in the Orleans Territory,
* * * each to have his choice in the order
of his arrival on the spot, a proclamation to
be issued to this effect to engage as many as
will go on, and present themselves to the
officer there; and, moreover, recruiting officers
to be sent into different parts of the
Union to raise and conduct settlers at the
public expense? When settled there, to be
well trained as militia by officers living among
them? [314]
—
Circular Letter to Cabinet Officers.
Ford ed., viii, 425.
(Feb. 1806)
