Notes on the Bill for the defence of Orleans.

A. §.1.l.10. two millions of acres will only provide for 6250. men if the alternate quarter sections be reserved. we ought to have 30,000. men at least there. that territory will never be invaded by an army of less than 15. or 20,000. men. leave a blank for the numbers of millions of acres

B. §.2.l.3.4. cl ‘other than those of surveying expences & office fees’. many a man can carry an able body there (which is all we want) who could not carry surveying expences.

C. §.2.l.6.7.8. cl ‘and who was not Etc. _____ to Missisipi’. and instead thereof line 5. after ‘citizen’ insert ‘of some one’. we should not weaken any of the territories; nor should we tempt the Creoles of Louisiana to remove to the lower government. they would strengthen the wrong party

D. §.2.l.13. cl ‘and Etc _____ to the end of the section. I suggest this on the advice of others who say that the bug bear of military tenure will defeat the bill. if so, let us have the men as mere militia, which they will be of course, without saying any thing about it. I am doubtful.

E. §.3. had not the whole of this section better be omitted. the people will certainly build themselves houses to live in, & clear lands to make bread, if they actually reside there. unnecessary restrictions & forfietures have a discouraging aspect.

D.d. §.5. cl the Proviso l.11. this depends on amendment D.

F. §.6. the utility of this section should be well considered. to permit a transfer to an able bodied man will often strengthen the settlement & in no case can weaken it. interchanges, which might gratify and benefit both parties, would always be innocent.

G §.7.	l.2. cl ‘the military services or’.	} these depend on amendment D.
	l.15. cl ‘in case Etc ___ to ‘on his part’ l.23.

H §.12.l.5. cl ‘such applicant Etc __ to ‘lands’ l.11 a consequence of amendment B.