Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-01-11


= US frcm this resort. Cali them
short term of duty, for so much
m swarching ca and from the |
%AonS YOU are subject topay |
s<f3xcrce necessary to main |
X%HA,nake the term of SER |
<yHtt <propo the burthen
.!&<1e the great mass who
ssfte 81 ~ Ind II cheaper TO pay
ftfnff7<< themselves.
t>*tl1< ~ any ltnger deceive ourselves by
,<>iff<tff Etp<n deuce on the absurd volun
><7S sSr}S s., perience is equally warning
Nt'1e0i. Sfthough thousands Of your brave
Htrynien, Mr.. Chairman, have rushed to
Telu OF danger, il was certainly not under
Wolun'eer acts---if ever one scheme
Vetter calculated to deceive its authors
fncther, this surely is il. To say no
Haoout its unconstitutional character,
YniSerabie Continuance, perfectly nu-
Y, except to accomplish disappoint-
Without head, its operations, to
ne least OF them, begin at the wrong
lhe people are TO manage the affair
Rssociate--te enroll themsclves--tore re-
mend officers. Organize regiment,
fiii be made UP OF such discordaut insub
hnate materials, strangers 10 and ignO-
Ant OF each other, confidence cannot exist
4 1t but, above all, the volunteer is to in
Fent himself tor three years for the perfCr-
1nance OF one years service. Repeal these
acts. az the bill proposes, with reservation
OF the rights that have accrued under them
and the services To the government of the
men who have enrolled themselves-and in
their stead. authorize corps Of twenty
thousand men OF an efficient regular charac-
e.. Wheukne colonels shall have been Sc
iectcd tor their virtues and influence, give
to them the selection of their otficers-they
can better Judge who ought to command,
and who can raise men in their own neigh
bourhood, than the President or the Senate
lhis mode will only change the appoint
ment ct officers, from Individual members
OF Congress to co,Oncis, who certainly will
be more scrupulous who he associates with
him IN time of danger than any other can
be: they may be safely intrastcd with this
power, under the appreciation of the Presi
dern. With such provision the corps can
he raised almost az the officers can be no.
minated by the President, approved by the
! senate, and Commissioned hy the Secretary
at War. The term OF enlistment IS, CON
sesSedlS, not the most eligible to form SOL
diers; but, in as much, asst is douhtfuI, whe-
Their you can get force sufficiently strong
on a long period, the present is proposed
| But for the gallant and brave patriot of the
| revolution before him (CoL Stuart) he
should have omitted To add, this mode
was found the most eificatious to raise mer.
doring the revolutionary war having been
tested by experience it may again be relied
on.
Having shewn the necessity of augmentins,
;hc regular forces, it was equally material to
provide for filing the ranks, and for keepine
them az their fjllbcCnplement vhcn filled .
n -. tI, -.
The greatest evil, incident to the recruiting
service, results FROM the, number of persona TO
whom the pubiic money was ncces5arilj, dis.
tributed III proport ion TO the number of per-
sons with whom it is intru.tcd, will be IT'S mis-.
application. To remedy this, il is nroposed
! to appoint ofhcers to eSch regiment, for that
particular purpose, in no way different from
those already appointed, who shall be employ.
ed IN recruiting for their respective regiments
--these TO be under the order Of major. who
shalt receive and be accountable fer the issue
! OF money and clothes for chat service The
ranks filled, the presence of all the officers
on the present establishment viii be indispen
cable, as in our service the proportion Of pri-
Yates 10 the officers is greater than in any o.
Their service whatever. The new organization
which given TO the army At the last ae.-
! sion, increased the number of privates in each
company without corresponding increase of
officers. 1.-TWO iieutensnis were necessary in
company, Tor the purpose of discipline and
recruiting, when il consisted of only sixty -four
privstes, 2ssursdly three are as much so now il
IS raised to 30. The recruits as fast as they
are enlisted may be concentrated under The eve
Of the major, whore they may be exercised ard
drilled, so that when he joins the regiment
they Will be qualified to enter the ranks and
face The enemy.
He expected 20 hear it objected, that these
additional officers were unnecessary, seeing
the regiments were not full. He apDrehended
this objection was more specioUs than solid
Considering al the circumstances in relation to
the army, the period when raised and how of.
hcefrd, he believed, surprising the regiments
only halt filed, it was indispensably necessary,
the officers should b. constantly with them
He was much mistaken If the officers were
not as raw as the private soldiers--it was as
important they should be fsmiIier with the du
ties, as they whom they are TO command 1t
you'd be nothing short of butchery 20 send
brave men into t!e field, under such circum-
stances, wtenin oas power to avoid them. An
the dollars and cents you will save, by refns-
ing these + W additional officers, would not he
worth the life ola single man, to say nothing Of
the possible slaughter Of thousands without
them. or necessity, our officers need instric.
tion-4they should be devoted to it during the
winter--they Can be no where SO beneficial,
employed aswith their regiments on duty Ii
IS the quality, not the number of the troops,
that secures and improves victory
One other objection he could an,icipate--ner.
haps those who can sneer at the disasters and
m'stortunes OF the Late campaign may oh ject
that there Is no encouragement TO vote afdi.
..1G e.. al l.