Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-09-02


Congress of the oath February last. was
Iintendcd to provide for such cases; by au-
thorising volunteer associations, Who's,
term of service will be sufficiently long
The "Virginia Legion of Volunteers" is
Inothing more than one of the associations
contemplated by, and established under the
authority of that law. 1t is termed the
SVirginia LEGION" for no other purpose
than to point out the particular NATURE of
this corps, as containing n mixed force of
infantry, cavalry, SC. as'was the case with
other &C Legions" established during the
revolutionary war.
1t was planned by fcur gentlemen of res
pectability, William Writ, Alexander
Stuart, John Clarke and Dabney Carr,
who on the 1 1th of this month, submitted to
the executive a petition stating that they
had "associatcd together and with many
"others for the purpose of raising fourre-
"giments, to consist of two battalions and
"ten companies each, under the act of
"Congress of the Oath of Feb. 1907" and
IN addition 10 the engagements of that act,
/, they pledged themselves in the event ofwar,
"to tender their services to the govern
"ment of the United States for and during
"its continuance" and requested, if the
| plan was approved BY the executive, that
commissions mightissuc to the persons pro-
posed as officers. in order to enable them
| to carry it into effect. 1t is 4 fact that "a
bout the middle of the month of July, the
| act OF Congress, authorisipg volunteer as
| sociations was published by order of the
executive in all the papers of this city, for
the information OF our fellow citizens; as
was also the letter of the Secretary at
war, authorizing the executive to accept
| ofvolunteers under that law in part of the
| quota of the militia required from this state
1t is also fact, that onthe 11th of August,
altho' numerous and patriotic tenders of
service, of a general nature, had with
pleasure been received by the executive,
| yet they had not received one that was spe-
| cially made under that law; nor had there
been any applications TO grant commissions
for the purpose of raising volunteer com.
panies under it. The executive therefore,
| in approving the plan ofthe eNirginia Lee
| gion of Volunteers" approved the first
that was offered for their consideration,
and commissions have been granted to GER
tain persons as Captains, Lieutenants and
Ehsigns, for the purpose o enabling them
| to raise their Companies. No higher Off
| GERS have been commissioned, alho' they
are designated. But do not entertain a.
| ny doubt Of the power of the executive to
( grant commissions 10 any officer below tie
rank of general. 1t must be admitted BY
! all, that the object of this association is a
patriotic one. Does it Interfere with the
| rights of any individual in the common
! wealth have already shewn that the
commissions do not interfere with the exist
ing militia arrangements, and no person
whatever viii enter them, except by his
own voluntary act. 1t has been announced
/ to the public. that If companies already
organised shall tender themselves, they and
their officers will be received, and thar
they mil hold their Present rank and
grade. 1.-THE preseVt militia officers shall
I not be able to procure a tender of the SER
vice of the corps they now command, but
will raise associations requiring the same
command, they viii be placed at their
head, gvith their freSent rank end grade,
| or if they propose to raise associations
which require command higher than that
! they now hold, commissions will be given
for that purpose; and am expressly au-
| thorised by the executive, to state, that
| they will in all cases accept the tenders
made by officers in the militia in prefer
ence to the tenders made by others, pro-
vided the tenders shall be of the same eK-
tent. How then can the officers complain
! of this arrangement? A preference will
| be given to them ifthey will come forward,
But it they neither tender their present
COIlSJ nut TdiSG ilCW dSoOSidIIOUo, sWOulCt II
! be right that volunteer associations, plan
ned and raised by others, should be placed
under their command. / am certain that
they would be the last to desire 1.-THE
! Virginia Legion even if it shall succeed will
not raise more than about one fifth part Of
! the volunteers wished to be raised by the
President. Here then is an ample field
for the exercise Of the patriotism of our
| fcllow-ciuzens. They will not defeat an
| important object, OF an Important act of
Congress, by contentious about mere form
and technical propriety.
have Thought It proper 70 be thus ex-
plicit as to the power, views and policy OF
the Executive, in granting commissions to
the Virginia Legion of Volunteers; and
si1tereiy hope that there will no longer APP
pear any ground for dissatisfaction shall
indeed be.much concerned if we have mis-
i taken our own powers, or the pol cy which
the interest of our country required us to
have pursued. We, however, feel pleas
} ing consciousness that on this occasion we
have done nothing nor less, than what
appeared to US to be our duty
As TO that part of your letter in which
you request my opinion as TO the nature OF
the service in which the volunteers will
probably be employed, IL is out Of nv
power to give any definite answer. They
will be under the direction of the general
; government 1t is certain, however, that
they WILDE employed on no object except