The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-02-04
ENQUIRER oFFIcE. Fe6. 4.
SEI.F-l)EfENCE..

q,
necessary to state. But il is time TO speak OUT
Have not the Lsgislaiurt wasted enough of ,i,eir
time on mere subordinate subjects! What is their
Jnuri's with few executions, hut =" "A beggariy sc-
count OF empty boxes?' VIII they raise one man
for the defence of their constituents Win their
constituents thank them for this
" The majority o the house should think that un-
der the constitution the states have no right to
raise troops" or detail volunteers in time OF war;
can they not make provisional Org anzat;on Deepen.
lieut. upon the consest of the U. Statesl
Extract Of a letter from distinguished Gentle
n 1: an the Uteer Country. TO his.triend in the
DEAR SIR-The anxiety / feel for the
welfare and safety Of our country, will
hope induce you to- pardon the liberty take
IN suggesting to you the propric,y arr ne
cessity OF some precautionary measures of
defence. 1t is the duty of the United States
TO provide for the safety OF every par; of the
country, St am convinced the p esdent is
perfectly disposed to do so and at least as
willing to take care Of this state as any
other ; but we must Judge Of his capacity
from his means. The regular troops OF the
United States are, and probably will be for
some time TN eur frontiers I; all of them at
too great distance AMI too much occupied
to afford the least aid in defence of tn
state. There is too much reason to fear
they Will be scarcely competent to the SER
vice they are expec ted TO perform.
what then is to be our resource in case
OF invasion No other but our militia. The
experience of the last war and believe /
NAV add of this, ought to prevent our rely
ing exclusively upoh that force. Arnold
marched to Richmond with a small force
Il beheve) within two days of the time that
it was known there, that he had entered our
capes. With a few Thousand men, Corn allis
| marched from Charleston and was in pos
! session of great part of this state for a con-
siderable time, and was not assailed by us
until the arrival of the French feet and ar
my and the flower at the northern army TILL
der general Washington, although during
that campaign there were three regiments
OF light Infantry and the Pennsylvania line
i'll this state under the Marquis. Our
sparse population now we'll as then rem
ders it impossible suddenly to collect a
large force and if the stores at Richmond
are again lost, our means would be as
scanty as as they were in 1871. Indeed with
them, we are not now provided with many
or the essentials of war. The improbability
of an invasion of the state is not such as to
justify precautionary measures being as
| Crlbed To umidity or unnecessary caution
The single consideration is, have we within
our reach, such means of defence as gives
a reasonable security to the state at the dis
posal OF either government ?-The state
government has right to raise regula,
soldiers i'll time of war. bat it has not m oney
to detray the expence of a large regular
army. and if had, perhaps the danger is
not SO imminent as to require it. / think the
state OF the country calls for and wo;ild ius
uty the raising a legion of 900 regulars
and the organization of corps of Volunteers
who would engage voluntarily to SERGE in
he state (perhaps i'll an adjoining state
twelve months before their engagement,
would cease.
would Immediately make provision fol
teight or ten thousand men of that number
1000 or $500 should be horse and du.
proportion artillerists. The efficiency o
horse was so fully demonstrated in the ope
'ations OF general Green's army and is $,
much required by the nature of the coun
try and other circum stances that will occur
TO you, that nothing need be said to iAouc,
you to believe there is any Country where
cavalry is more necessary, where they
could operate to more advantage or tina
could furnish better men or horses. You
know too we Lave numerous class of PEG
pie who would serve in the horse, tina
would not with the infantry. The superb
ority OF such corps to militia under sucl
commanders as Writ, Daniel, w. Leigh
Mercer, James M'DoWell, Ro5t. Taylor, tn,
Prestons, Parker and many others. canno
~ vuCStioieu.. y ne men WOuiO De select
they would serve longer time and mos
probably be at a time of life more capable
vt service than any body of men dra ftet
from the nilitia.--lf this project is no
otherwise objectionable, it ought not tn be
on the score OF expense. No expenditur,
ought to be withheld, necessary Tor tie de
fence of the state Livery cent employed il
lthis way may save dollar to the state In
actual expenditure, great waste of pro
ne ~: blnnd auh character sithat IS & 49,
vents invasion or if we are enabled by it tn
make successful resistance at the threshold
presume however the state would be al
little expense, except for the Legion. The
other troops, would cJst nothing until the,
took the field, which should only be done il
case OF invasion, & then they ought to be a
the expense Of the general government.
The money necessary / have no doub
can be borrowed of our Banks The onl,
objectisn see to what propose, is the i'm
preston it may make in the other states
that we only feel Interested to- take care O
ourselves and the effect it may have
upon the recruiting for the service of tn,
United States. How far the safety Of tn,
STATE ought to be risqued, under existin-
circumstances, tor such considerations, OUCH
to be well weighed. The people have RICH
to expect and do expect protection tn,
responsibility is upon both governments i
It is not afforded, che members Of 18th nj rs
answer for il. The objections have sug
gested are more plausible than solid Thi
measure would certainly add to the means {
general defence and would require a smalle
lsubduction from the force of the nation Al