Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1813-03-01

TO- people who wish 20 preserve thar
liberty or po,ilicai existence the necesio #
"a military force is too evident 10 be ques ,on-
ed. Soldiers are the protectors offs nation,
aud WI oo, them us rights can neither be
asserted nor maintained I; all lie blessings
Of plenty and freedom would be st the dis
pOsal 1t foreign foes, or sedllinus cIuzens
But how 10 constitute that force, how 70
make ii the prop and not The scourge OF
empires, how 10 organize Il N such n man
ner ~ To render IL he Instrument OF perpel
usi pte,erystion, aud take from II at the
same uIne tie power OF ever proving dan
serous 10 the state whose object IL should
be 10 project, seems % have been hitherto
too much disreEsrded. The experience OF
ages has pouted oui TO people and govern.
mems the dangers IF a bsd mil ary c-ns,i
tuion partial attempts 10 avoid IL m We
been made /; but IN guarding agalus, Dan.
gers on one side. the, have been multiplied
on the o,her # weakness was feared, an
excess ofpo~er WAS g'veni # an abuse OF
power, impotence WAS the remedy. Hence
Nations have been ensiayed by the original
guardians OF then liberty, or have found IN
Them no protection m the hours OF peril
To inquire whe her such an alternative be
absolutely incident to the course of hpmhn
events whether empires, Ike men, must
forever by turns rise and fall whether no
possibility exists OF curing he gres,e't Of
poliucsl evils, Isl subject TOO interesting
not to command the attention Of all men
convinced of the Necessity Of making the
science Of war The guarsnlee OF peace. To
them, therefore, l sunni lie following ideas
with diiIidence, II Is true. but with The
most ARDEN wish that my feeble endesyors
may direc, their minds TO an object worthy
of ell their researches.
Ambition and thirst FOR power influence
whole bodies as well AS indiddusis and the
government, where the profession OF arms e
most honored, and the military most pC wef
ful, will naturally prove m the end ih'
choice of an army In no times can the
monsrchies exIst WI h1ui them The mon
arch falls when he ceases To b general
to make IN, soldiers the depos tories OF his
authority, the parlskers of his prerogati'es.
To mon ,rohicsi government the forces AT
ME. must be inclined, nd a tod and siLl
ful chief vi find no great d tfi uiy IN ms.
king troops used TO his command pave The
way to the throne. Awake to tins danger,
republics q s,erse 10 large standing AT.
mes they prefer system where arms are
in, rus,ed 10 ciuzens, 10 be used by them
ONLY on some particular emergencies. The
few simed men WHOM they keep in their
pay ha,ero civil distinctions, less power
than tue rest OF cilizens. and are constantly
watched with Jealous eve. The peculiar
situation Ga county, the m nners ofiIs IN
habtanls, the thinness of rs population,
may for time give to this system AL ap-
pc srance of safety, but let any Of these cir.
cumstsnces be altered, let such peaceful
country be attacked by dicipl'ne and pow
erful invaders, or threatened by sedi,ion, &
lis militia must be turned INTO regular ar.
my, or It's Independence and constitution are
ut stake. If bravery, ifa sense Of national
honor, ifthe love Of ones country, were Lhe