The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-12-17
WAsHtNeroN, December 20.
MILITIA DRAFTS.

WasHtNeroN, December 20.
MILITIA DRAFTS.
The bill now pending before Congress for
authorising draft of Militia for one year for
the defence Of the frontier, is no in our view
q measure of much moment, or from which
any great efficacy can be cYoectci. It has
however been placed on a different footing by
the opposition in Congress, who have opposed
i Eas a CON scRiPTIoN) within tho walls
with rancour and acriraony OF feeling which
they viii doubtless endeavor to diffuse among
Their constituents.
The doctrines which thew advance in re-
Ie.ion To the Militia arc calculated entireiv
II destroy its efficacy; to palsy, nav, to crit
of the arm of the general government, to
rae to the foundation that force which is
e'nphaticaliv called the RilwarlS of the Ma
ton. Il is cortcoded that the Militia is ex-
o'usively a state force, anil disposahlc by the
National Government, only in cases of actua.
Invasion. actual insnrrectinn, &c. and then
only through the agency OF state authorities
Thus, The nation is to be stripped Of It's natu-
ri defensive force, and to depend for defence
against unprecedented invasion on the mercy Of
as enemies, or tte -ecast and liberAlity of
the state governments, who are hv the con-
s.;tnti~n preclr,lsd alike from DECLARING war
and making, peace, aH>i of course were never
;nteu IL b. tn co1ss; .u-;o1 n have any pow
- to control ether of these. events. TIE de-
hate on This subject has been able aud inter-
eSting-poiats having been drawn into discus
Sim not ut MI embraced nv the bill row under
debate but ny propositions which have heep
laid before the house ami the nation, which
have not yet been. asd probably VIII not be,
acted on.
An inciicH. oroirre'I IN the debate on Sat-
uv,lav, worthy of earlier ncsice than it viii
reccive in the regular publication O. so difFuse
deI,ate. 7. deserves 20 be recorded and re-
rnembered.
In the tu'i tide ofdenunciatioD of conscrh-
siou, rs replete with tyranny aud Gespotisrn !;
s<,,co,sti'xti6ual !; isrhreoeHerted-such as
n~ver entered the head ofany but the French
Tyrant IA c7lecrable deserving the con-
Fs1npt cf all good men /; worthy the wicked
rulers of the present day, and jr'- lying re-
s;stonce 10 the laws, &c. &c. Col TRoUP
read ~ the House a letter Of Gen. WASH
-NcroN ~ Congress in IAN. l79D, proposing a
plan for the organization Of A National Mill
ia, IN which-the Militia ie, in every attribute.
considered NAr,owAL and not stare mill
t;1--17 a force applicable primarily to the
defence Of the United States under the au-
thorfty Of the General Government, and in
which the mole IF raising armies nv ro!ur
s1ry enlistment which the opposition say is
the only constitutional model is decidedly
condemned as Uiciou1 and immoral, and pro-
tln-tive Of force In its character unfrienGly
20 liberty As if this document had been de-
si-nel as a couh Or e-rre to all the doctrines
&c the n no,itv, it distinctly proposes to divide
the whole militia Of the country into classes
of ,qgelve u,en eGct, FROM which the Uni
ted States should be empowered TO draft o7e
nm Jlr TIE rsritlGr arniy, at any time and TO
qry p-rtcrt they HieGsea.
document Of this kind, eFnanating direct
T. from Gen. Washington and his cabinet,
fGea. Knox being Secretary ri War and Col.
Hamilton Secretary OF the Treasury could
mr. fail 10 produce The greatest CONSERVATION
among tSr Federal Panks. Surprised, a1d
thrown of their guard, it is no wonder the
forgot Themselves. Cen. Washington was in
ssantly put UPON level with drill -seygeaat.
Nv was no civilian, it was said he was rct
fried 10 construe political Instruments; he
was not brought mp in the schools : he was
nothing but soldier and he suffered him
soF to be imposed on hy Raron Steucer, a
prussian officer, &c. Gen. Washington was
-, fact nourtrayed as miserable being nv
those who affect to defy him, that they might
enable themselves TO proceed in the denunci-
s,ion Of French CONSUMPTION, rcpubli an tyran-
Nv, &c all the etcetera Of unmeaning declama-
Won ,,.i,h which our great opposition orators
rlgud offther periods. Nat. Int.
We are sorry 10 learn, by accounts from
slc II. Quarters Of the Army, near Buffalo.
,,a, several dnelS, some o. which have ter
TnaffJ ldttitfs '4stN'' 'oNNH Pif-Nf hHiolt7 w
,S1cers on that frontier. 1t affords cause for
7gnndcr Is well as regret, thattbe peremptory
orIers Of the War Department, foroidding
this practice, are thus frequently contemned
and set at nought by those Immediately under
It's control. 10.
The Office az SEeRZThRv or THE NAV
$ vet vacant and possibly may remain so
mil Congress determine the proposition
submitted 20 them by the late Secretary Of the
- wv, f,r the establishment 81 a navy Board
N AID n the Head Of the Department
Mceawhile BENJAMIN HowhNs, esq. Chief
C,erk in the Department, acts as Sccreta-
fY
7F7HI. 8 FOR TPE.6SO.N
9ir .'cut art FER he Disfr'cf of o.
q ,-,, m he mini