Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-02-22

of The government. a governments on
parchm9nt and without force was no gov
eminent at, all. Il had been itsted thar
this provifion grew out of tfAnlaetioa at
Philadelphia, and aiked what dependence
was to be placed on military force when
that force was iiielf the aggreGor ! But
that traniaefion iuggeited different re-
fult. Had the militia been we'll eqiPprd
aud ready for iervice, and under the ir,-
mediate controul Of congrefs, would the
military force have been fafered 70 over
awe them /? This ve,y cafe furniihed an
argument for inveRing congseis with the
complete command of tie militia force Of
the territory, TO fcreen them from infoIt
add to project them from the application
OF force that might dearoy deliberation.
They had already taken courfe c u!at-
ed TO prove the fonndnefs of this mode OF
protactlon. Their laws had recognized
the militia of the territory and lome
meafures had been taken to organize them.
The militia was the phyhcal force Con-
greas mutt rely on. Suppole that militia
were under the command of Maryland,
and Congrefs was about to pats a law OBJ.
noxlous to thd, Gate. Suppofe the mill
tia Of Marylind to be mutiaous, and u
iunound ,ilele walls. Mue you refort TO
Maryland for protection and wait on her
mealures3 No, tie Gtuation Of the terri
tory and your immediate power over the
militia mutt furnilh you with the means Of
protection. He, therefore, thought it
one Of the beG proyilions Of the Coniti,u-
ton TO fubnig the phyGcal force near the
government to is di estioa. TIE fame
reaions that give command over the MI
li'ia to the Gates apply to the federal 60
vernment more ierongly and dictate the
propriety OF the meaflre by a more impe-
rioas necehity. What has happened may
happen again. Congrsfs may chance to
PATS laws obnoxieus to the itates or the
territory. lie would ak il to-day, they
were about to pats fuch az obnoxious law,
and there was no organized militia, where
would be their protection He hoped the
government would give fupport to the lyf
tenn Cor organizing the militia of the DIFF
trict, 70 that they may be an efficient and
Respectable protection The principle on
which the militia was founded WAS, as lar
as practicable, found one it was Dc
mocrslic principle, which put arms into
the hands of every citizen, and placed him
under the command or the federal govern
ment.
He acknowledged the difficulties of lie.
gilla'ing for the territory. But it was
duty which they could not foreso until
The government of the people was provid-
ed for in fome other way, and that he
thought lhould be by an internal legilla-
ture. AS TO the receGion of the territory,
it was ilnpoli,ic in point Of time. He
hoped thar Congreis would, before they
role, by fome at thew that they were
imprened with an obligation to make this
the permanent feat Of government. After
this quel}ion was difpoied of, he would lay
fone fuch refolations on the table.
Mr.. Thatcher iaid he was NOT prepar-
ed to go fully into the fubje9s, but ne
withed to add few ideas to thofe which
had been already exrrefed. He conhdef-
ed thele refolnlions as having a tendency
to diltrad ard obitruct the operat.ons of
buGnefs in the territory. Congress had
experienced confderable Inconvenience
in this place but they had been calculat-
ed upon when the government was remov-
ed and he believed if hinilar quefions
had not been {, frequently agi5ated the
accommodations of Congrels woa!d before
this time have been much better. He
hoped this would be the lal} time fuch re-
lolu,ions would be offered. His colleague
(Mr. Bacon) had fnggeited the expence
and trouble of legillating for the dittritf.
As TO expsnce he did not Zee any and