Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-11-25

limited by the bill, the result 10 the c8s.
Ger must be the same, and has an ufi.
Ger any better means of knowing that a
rec,u.t is less than eighteen, than that
he i, less than twenty-one Sir, il thi.
section is made solely with regausto the
nro;ection of officers, it is clear that il
does not and cannot remove the diff.
Guilty.
Mr.. MINOR said, tina. if he urtler-
stood the Sd section OF the bill, undrr
confederation, it allows recruiting ofiis
cers 70 enlist minors above the age uf
IL wears, without regard to their si,us-
,;on as apprentices to tiadesmen, or livs
inc under the care and guar dianship Of
their parents and its object was to
hold out to young minds temptation to
desert the useful course destined for
them by their friends, to become SOL
diers. Now, said MIR. M. whatever may
be the necessity of war, on some occa-
sions, and however necessary some gen.
tlemen might thinl; that in which we are
now engaged, which was question he
should not now NEEDLE with, he wss de.
sirous that its operations should be 80
conducted, as to do as little injury a.
possible to our fcllow-cltizens, aud e,
the leading principle in the conduct Of
all politicians should be regard to the
public good, he hoped Tor general COR
currepce in this sentiment that for
his own part, he wished the war to DO
felt as little as possible in the families
and occupations of the people. We are
not, said he, to be organized into mill
tarv government. However necessary
some NAV deem this war, all will desire
a short one. Thank God, no Napoleon
has yet risen up amongst, US to change
| our free institutions into military des.
petism. Encourage, if you please.
| military spirit, that we may be ready Tor
| national defence, when necessary; but
let it be done in the spirit of the consti-
| tuition, by means of we'll reg ulated mi
Iitia. Let your artisans and your farmers
surrender their apprentices and children
to be trained and instructed in military
tactics, at stated times, that when arriv-
| ed at the age of manhood, they may be
ready for their country's service. But
what is here proposed! To go into the
workshop of the industrious mechanic,
or into parents dwelling, and entice a.
way By the lure of money and military
glery, the apprentice and the Child. No
| matter hat monies have been expena-
| ed in his education, or how great las
been parental exertion to advance tho
future prospects Of the child, amp re-
| cruiting officer, or even common sol.
der, prof1igatc in his principles, and In.
nursd to vicious haLits, is by this bill en-.
| couraged TO seduce him from his duty.
| This is not the only bad effect-Society,
no less than the individual, is interested
! in his acquisition Of a trade, that he may
have the means Of preventing himself &
family from becoming burthen to the
community, There is sufficient prone
ness to vice in the youthful mind, but
this mischieveus provision dangerously
enlarses the sphere of temptation. Mr..
81. said he was particularly alarmed for
the city where he resided; that it was
already to very great extent manu-.
featuring town, ard greatly increasing in
,nslufactures. The artisans are very
numerous, and many depend almost en-.
tireIy on their apprentices for the pre-.
secu;ion Of their busness-to them it
was q most Injurious measure. Every
one knows that boys ofthe age Of which
you here propose to make them soldiers,
very often become disconnected with
their situations they form connections
and acquire pTopensi,!es which create a
strong desire of release from their mas
ter's service; and do you propose to ELL
your armies by providing thass indis-
Greet young men with tho means Of le-
gally gratifying their improper inclina-
tons, and thereby do incalcnlable injury
to them, while you iacerate the feelings
of their parents, or give deep wound
to the interests Of their masters! View
ing this expedient on the score of it. ge-
neral policy, its morality, it justice or
humanity, Mr. NJ. said, he deemed it e
qualIy pe!nicious and unwarrantablee-
The honorable chairman of the military
: committee had said, that frauds wore
now practised by pretended allegations
Of minority, and the bounty paid was i'll
msny instances lost. Surely, said Mr..
NJ. this must be the fault of the officer,
in yelling too lightly to unsupported
Suggestions of this sort-be might, if hs
pleased, require the fact to be proved in
court Of justice on a habsas corpus or
otker process. instituted for Investigate
iag the matter.
Mr.. LOWNDES was Of the opinion
that the peculiar situation of our coon-
try required this law it could not have
en- immoral tendency, because it would
not operate by force; it was optional
with the youth of our country to enlist,
CT not-and therefore. the interests OF
the master, or guar dian, would not be
injured.
NJr cor n prep,icod H. M Ia. 1iI rot