Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-03-08
N1s l-2 Gents SingYe.I

lattention To the communications made from
the state Executives To Observation-Disclosures
We find also that the state legislatures AL
most every year and in every session have
HAD the subject under their consideration,
land turned IT over in one way or the other.
This proves that there is IN their opinion
some defect. We must nav remedy thar
,deiect II we can, it behoyes Us Ia do SO; and
llt shall be fortunate enough to point uut
the propriety and mode of making this a.
Iteration, shall have done my duty. We
| will go further back than the adoption of
the constitution we do not recollecr the
whole body of the militia ever To have been
drought into action, to such effect rs cllr
strength of numbers would have variant
ed, II the militia had been properly ursa.
n 2ed; there was defect somewhere.
which should be remedied without gong
either TO one extreme or another ] een-
tiemen will turn their eyes 70 the bill on The
table, they viii find that our project is TO
steer between the two, not to harrass the
militia, but 10 render them at for efficient
service, by aking only those that can be
best spared from home, and when IN actu-
| al service can be most relied on History
itself furnishes no instance, let the mode OF
warfare be what it light, where the whole
body OF the militia were ever called into
actual service and kept1here for ANY lcheiA
OF time TO advantage; if there was much
marching and fighting the old men with
families would soon find the way home
they could not be relied on for length OF
time. remember often To have heard this
complaint made before the revolutionary
war when We were at wal with the Incians.
Nay farther II we so amongst the sayages
we lind that they do not all turn out ~ bat
tie, and leave their women and children
only behind; they take neither old or Dung
men, mean their lads TO battle, but such
on'y as may be useful in the Ecld.
When we recur To he tn.es OF the reyo-
lnllo",W &c every old gentleman recollects,
every yonng one has heard Of, every one
thtn IN service Will attest The fact thaL
wherever the body OF the militia were call
ed Oh 70 march, old 4ud young together, The
Old men soon found their way into che hos
Dital; they would complain of old rhcuma,
usIns, sc s>c SSc.--they would OF E, j. fatigue
ma break down the young 0en by inipo-
-ihg on them the additional burthcn OF their
knapsacks.
My OBJECT is to leave at home tie senior
and minor class, as much as possible no
ning butlmpercus necessity, and imni-
nent danger should cali thrm TO the field,
and that within their own.state, OF IN th.
ncighbo"inG state. wish not TO defiance
tne State uf society, which must be tbe
-
called ont at once. During the last war
W. saw moi only fields and ncigh5arhoods.
AU "Aole states laid waste from be ne de-
prNrd Ot their CuluVduurs / wish t. avoid
thH cWl; l wish 10 leave men enough 1T
hons to cultivate the earth and take care
TT the crop. 1t Is well known TO gentlemen
OF the revolution that while We lAy al VAL
ley Forge in Pennsylvania, al Midd,cbruok,
in New Jersey, and at othef places, VIC
were almost IN state OF starvation, be-
cause all hands, meaning Tie whul- body
ct the militia had been called out, and
cultivation and manufactures hCg.cctrd
have seen (and an awful sight u was) nor
less than ilVe Thousand men on parade at
a time IN the midst of winter, almost naked,
without shirts or shces--oft times have /
seen them march on the frozen ground bare-
foot, marking their footsteps with blood as
they marched. At the times here spoken
OF, the army was reduced to the Hwfn ne.
cessity eft going into the adjacent country
and threshIng ont the grain from the straw.
and whilst thus Engaged the poor and al.
most naked women with thcir helpless babes
crying round them. woulJ ask with tears
running down their wthcrtA chicks, for
Gods sake not 10 take all, telling the sclai-
ers that was their all. end whcn that was
gone they must starYe that dizzy had no
money nor wherewith to yet money Nov
my object IS 20 avoid such another scene.
Not only ON this account, bot I'm some q. tbs
Southern states We have an interna, enemy,
an enemy within our own families There
should always be a sufficient force lclt 40
home to ave and Keep chat enemy down.
BY taking out the junior class only we shall
always have a sufficient humber leit to auelg
and keep down insurrection az home-kNc
shall presently shew that we have suffi.
Client number Of young mcn under the age
! OF twenty-SX and over twentv-one "a meet
the enemy whenever they are called Oh.
! We have three great points ofassanlt, flcw
| York, Charleston, and New Orleans, and
shall ! trust be able to shcw thnt We have
a sufficient number Of young men OF The ju-
hior class 90 keep zap continual force ifne.
lcessary to meet all attacks.
II behovcs me now 10 slcw what dispositi-
ON / intend to make OF the minor class.
iyoung men under "a years at age. " is not
Imy intention that they shall be called inio
Service, except in cast oithe utmost ncCes-
! sity, and then only within their own state.
I'VE find from report thattO be the rock on
(which the emperor of France has split lie
takes his men when IN their infancy from
tic age Of i8. They ought to bc lefi until
/ they are twcn-one TO lay in a suGcieGtstock
LOT information TO carry them into lie ct
them learn trades or attend 10 their s.udies.
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