***"Massachusetts Soldiery" response to Lincoln's address to Soc of
Cincinnati (of Oct 11, 1786), published Feb 1787***

Mr., EDITOR,

HAVING observed, in one of your late Magazines, come resolves of a
society of Continental Officers, who assume the appellation of
Cincinnati, we, the Continental Soldiers of Massachusetts, in imitation
of their example, beg leave to address the publick for ourselves, and
present it to you for publication, depend­ing upon your justice and
impartiality to grant our request.

Resolved, 1st. That we will exert our utmost abilities to promote and
preserve publick virtue, justice, and good government. Our officers have
announced to the world, \"that they are publick creditors, interested in
the preservation of the constitution, and will support it so long as
publick faith is made the sacred object of government.\" Here they
gener­ally offer their incontestible abilities to government, on this
condition, that government shall sacredly support their computation and
other securities, by, at least, the punctual payment of their in­terest.
How much patriotism is contained in their noble resolve? •

Resolved, 2d. That we hold in high estimation the blessing of freedom,
which

Manifest by the sacrifices we have offered on her altar, which were as
costly and unsullied as those of our officers. They tender their
service, if government will faithfully discharge their securities; we
insist upon no such condition; we are not publick creditors; have no
publick securities; tired of the humble abode of indigence, they soon
fled to the splendid seats of wealth and greatness. While they remained
with us no interest was promised; no time, place or person ascertained,
to direct our application for payment; they fell into disgrace, which,
concurring with our necessities, as they could yield no present comfort
or future hope, induced us to part with them for the most trifling
consideration; but soon after they had chosen their elevated residence,
their credit revived, and provision was made for the payment of interest
up­on them. We, in event, literally sold them for nothing, and are
obliged to pay their present holders an annual rent for keeping them in
possession; for many of us have, or must soon pay, for the interest of
them, a sum nearly or quite equal to the money given to purchase them,
and still be annually taxed to discharge the interest and principal of
said securities.

Resolved, 3d. That whatever charact­er we assume, it shall be our
endeavour to justify it, by a correspondent beha­viour. But why do these
officers assume the appellation of Cincinnati, without imitating the
virtues of their patron? They indeed resemble him in the humble
employments from which they were taken: But did he cabal and threaten to
defect the army, unless his country would promise him half pay for life?
We need not minutely describe the transactions at New-Windsor, which
would have been deemed mutinous in the soldiers, and death alone would
have atoned for the crime, when General Washington inter­posed, and
procured from Congress that promise, for which the commutation is
substituted. Do they, like Cincinnatus, cheerfully return to tread those
humble paths, in which they patiently walked before the war, the
occupation of mechanicks and the pursuits of husbandry? Did he claim the
merit of being the fa­viour of his country, and wish to be the sole
master of the labour of that people, and the property of that country,
which he fondly imagined he had saved?

Resolved, 4th. That we will never serve under our former officers, on
any occasion whatever. Are they not discontented with their commutation,
in addition to their stated pay, which was enhanced beyond all due
proportion, ima­gining both an inadequate reward, whereby they betray
such ambitious views as render them improper to be a­gain intrusted in
the command of an ar­my, unless they had a Washington at their head to
controul their boundless ambition. Indeed the officers might suf­fer by a
depreciating currency; who cannot make the fame complaint? Were the
soldiers exempted from such suffering?

We recollect, with indignation, with what voracious appetite the
officers consumed and appropriated the Bay stores, as they were called,
while but a pittance

fell to the share of the soldier; yet he was obliged to pay for them a
sum equal to the most exalted officer; by a deduction from his wages.
They were not content with appropriating to themselves the best in
quality of the general supplies, but, upon the prospect of a scarcity,
would draw a week\'s provision, or more, leaving us, at times, to pine
with hunger, while they had a plentiful supply.

We shall not descend to the numerous instances, in which we were
deprived of our right. When we mention the officers in general terms, we
mean always to admit of exceptions, for there were numbers who did
honour to their professions and country.

Resolved, 5th. That we reprobate the idea of calling the officers of the
continental army, for the support of our free constitution. Those who
have been so accustomed to the despotick government of the army, can
never be fully reconciled to the principles of equal liberty and
liberality, recognized by our republican constitution. Accordingly; on
all occasions, they are heard to complain of it, as totally inadequate
to the purposes of government, being destitute of energy and decision.

Resolved, 6th. That we wish to preserve our civil constitution in its
present form, and in full vigour, until a revision may regularly take
place, in full confidence that such deficiencies will then be supplied,
and such alterations made, as experience have found necessary. So long
as government shall have just and equal law for its foundation and
support, and be attentive to the just complaints of the subject, exhibit
a spirit of tenderness and sympathy, manifest a disposition to redress
the grievances suffered, we never yield to the seductions of its
enemies, but pledge ourselves to exert every effort in our power in its
defence.

> MASSACHUSETTS SOLDIERY

**Mr. Editor, . . . Massachusetts Soldiery, [The Worcester
Magazine]{.underline}, no. XLV, v. II, pp. 545-6, Worcester, Mass,
Printed by I. Thomas, February, 1787.**