him to it. This is evident from the necessity of military discipline, the basis of which is im∣plicit obedience, and however the feelings of a citizen may be hurt, he has this consolation, that it is a sacrifice he pays to the safety of his country.You are pleased to ask, "What my feelings would have been on a similar occasion." They have been tried; I have served a whole campaign under the command of a gentleman, who was not known as a soldier until after I had been some time a brigadier: My feelings were hurt not only as a citizen, but more so as a soldier; they were however sacrificed to the interest of my country. The event proved unfortunate to me; but I have the satisfaction to think I rendered some service to my country.I wish to make the duty as agreeable to the militia as is consistent with the good of the service, for which purpose military discipline has been greatly relaxed; was it executed with strictness, most of the militia, from their inattention, would feel the effects of it.I cannot think (as you seem to imagine) any indignity is offered to the citizen, when he is called upon to do the duty of a soldier in the station he is in, which was the case of the serjeant; who though he may be a more respectable character as a citizen, yet, as an orderly serjeant, it is his duty to obey every order of my aids, not a breach of the laws or principles of the constitution, as mine, without judging of the propriety of them; neither can I have any idea from the militia's being put on the same footing as the standing army, they will refuse their assistance, as self preservation is the first principle of human nature, theirs will ever induce them to turn out and defend their pro∣perty.These, Sir, are the sentiments of a soldier, a citizen, and of, Sir,Your obedient humble servant, B. ARNOLD.Sir,I RECEIVED your letter of the 6th instant; and it gives me real and great pleasure to be in∣formed of your patriotic behaviour in the case you mention. Such conduct is the effect of genuine spirit and true greatness of mind; but it is very different from the case I stated. You obeyed, because the effential interest of your country was concerned, and a regard to your own same required it; but the same principles, which induced this conduct, would have induced you to spurn at commands dictated by pride and insolence.I cannot bring myself to believe, that the respect due to the citizen is entirely lost when he takes upon himself the character of a soldier: I entertain a higher sense of the rights of citizens and freemen.If, on the one hand, soldiers are bound implicitly to obey military orders, so, on the other hand, are officers accountable for the orders which they give; and their propriety or impropriety often de∣pend entirely on time and circumstance. Occasions may occur in which an officer may justify com∣mand which expose a citizen to certain death; but I know of none which would justify a command to a citizen serving in the militla to clean his officers shoes. The necessity of implicit obedience on the part of the citizen, when in military service, is so far from being ground, on which to justify every command which may be given, that it is the strongest possible reason, why an officer should be very cautious and circumspect in his orders; and it also lays the citizen under a necessity of call∣ing officers to a strict account for the orders which they give. I will venture to say, that, in a free government, implicit obedience will not be submitted to much longer than commanders use their au∣thority with great prudence and discretion, and, if it be really necessary, commanders, who destroy it, by degrading and unnecessary orders, they will be accountable for the consequences, You say it is the duty of an orderly serjeant to obey every order of your aids (not a breach of the laws or prin∣ciples of the constitution) as yours, without judging of the propriety of them. This sentiment must have dropt from your pen in a moment of haste; as it appears to me to be a sentiment impro∣per to be entertained either by the citizen or soldier: For even common soldiers retain some right to judge of the propriety of the orders which they have obeyed; and to demand satisfaction in cases where improper or unnecessary orders have been given: And freemen will judge for themselves and speak for themselves with decency and firmness when the occasion requires it. The calling of major Franks's barber to dress his hair, was the office of a menial servant, not the duty of a soldier; and I still think it an indignity to a free citizen to be ordered to go on such an errand. Such commands cannot be mistaken for and obeyed as the orders of a wise and prudent general.My letter to you was written for the single purpose of preventing orders being madvertently given, which would offend a militia who have suffered greatly many ways; and I had a hope, that you would have thought it proper to have given some assurance that attention would have been paid to this, as 0