Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-04-20

|
~ The. following Patriotic Letter has been
addressed to the Commandants of Re
giments zvithin this Commonwealth, 6v
Governor BARBOUR:
Richmond, March Slst, 1912.
SIR,
| have thought proper by and with
the advice of the Council of State. to
direct the distribution of so manv
Arms as will be sufficient to arm COM
Pletely, (they being the most exposed
to danger,) the following Counties, to
wit: Accomack, Charles City, Din
widdie, Elizabeth City, Essex, Fair
fax, Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James
City, King William, King George,
Lancas er, Middlesex, Mathews. Nan
semond, Northampton, Nortoumber-
land Norfolk, Princess Ann, Prince
George, Prince William, Richmond,
Southampton, Stafford, Surry, Spott.
sylvania, Sussex, Warwick and West
moreland
instructions are given to forward the
quota assigned each Regiment to the
most convenient place for distribu
ton, which you will cause to be placed
In the hands of the Militia, without a
moments delay, The residue of the
public Arms will take the direction
prescribed by law, and be distributed
equally amongst all the regiments in
proportion to their numbers, unless di
rected from that channel by some e.
mergent occasion. must require OF
you, forthwith upon the receipt of this
letter, to cause az inspection to take
place or all the arms heretofore deli
vered to the Regiment under vour
command and that you will, with the
least possible delay, by post or other
wise, report their condition to this d
pa tment.-You will also report the
strength OF the Cavalry and Artillery
Of any) attached to your Regiment.
Wheresoever delinquency has occur
red, either in the distribution or SAFE
keeping OF the public arms, YOU will
take immediate and effectual steps to
bring 10 notice such delinquents, that
they may be exposed to such penalties
as the law inhicts. The preservation
of the public arms, is an object of such
primary Importance, that the necessity
of an unwearied attention and an un-
ceasing vigilance to this subject, cannot
be too strongly inculcated. Whilst.
on the one hand, we cannot too hirhlv
applaud that wisdom, under the gui-
dance ofwhich Virgins procured arms
to be placed in the hands of her citi-
zen, who might thereby be prepared
IN any exigency to defend their birth
right On the other, we cannot but
deplore the negligence and listlessness
(Which all agree in saying) have mar
ked the. conduct of but too manv OF
those TO whose care has been conf
ded their preservation. LIE those who
have been guilty of such objectionable
negligence recollect, that when the dav
otreckonlng shall arrive, land come it
wiil,) the vengeance of an abused and
injured people will fall heavily upon
the heads Of those who have BETRAYED
tie confidence of their country.
It's far from my int ntion to excite
any premature or unnecessary alarm :;
and wish you distinctly to understand
that l am in possession of no other in
formation than hat which IS common
to every cltizen--Yet, under nv pre-
sent Impressions, ari ing from the pro-
bable course of events, | should be
wanting in my duty, were not to call
your serious attention to the threaten.
ing posture of our Foreign Relations.
! Ii IS time we should be UNION the aIert
that we shake of che supineness which
Paralyzes every manly effort that we
should be sensibly alive to, and prepar-
ed tor, the approaching crisis.
4 II seems that no alternative :; If