Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-05-31
ARG Us OFFICE, Mr. 81, 1915.
REDUCTION OF THE ARMY.

REDUCTION OF THE ARMY.
We inserted in our paper of Saturday last with
much sensibiiity, the able and affecting address
OF the acting Secretary of War, announcing the
organization of the Military Peace Establishment
We knew tie difficulty and pain 20 which orr WV.
nious Cd etmsgistrote would be exposed in mp
th> arrangement, imposed on him by the national
.eg'sature' IN consequence ola" Just war, termina-
tSd ey sn honorable peace" We knew how nl,,
atduous and affecting II would be to soul like
~ 20 MAKE selection, where all were brave and
crowned with v-eaths of inpefishable glory; but
inc Crisis beng over, there was no Longer field for
our heroes TO distinguish themselves on. and the
lreaucbon OF the army, from the nature of our gov
ieThiAent, became measure of sound policy. If
10y .0hi u'e stateo CT things, measure of indis-
lpepsaole necessity. LARGE standing armies IN
mes otpeace, are extremely burthensome To the
icelnmInlty, and arc looked upon as DANCE rous to
institutions formed ike ours, upon the p,.n,1ine
principles OF Liberty. The sol5iery accustomed
TO implicit obedience 70 the orders of their chief
-'tholeh at hrst composed cfthe p,irest materials.
nave nesr welded TO answer the purposes OF his
YNii Siiipltious views, and the swords which were
nsneSdes To protect the dearest and most sacred
th@in. . >'-7
hhelones to The Eorld to furnst, iliustrio,ls
examples to the Old. Erut,is is e~tolled for
iPunglng the ponaTd into Csesar's bosom he lives
N the page OF the historian snd ia the SONG of Inc
poet But nowtar short does ne fall of our Wash
ihg0oh we behold him II the had Of Yictori-
Gus army, pouring oil on the deep which had
oe:n insidioIsly agcsted after hercult,an ,abors
ana successful cotictss he s. rFnd cred his sword
to tie " Ccnscript Fathers,p from whom he had
sScelfea AZ, thereby guaranteeing the liberties his
yaior had achieved. Tut above III. after he had
been called to Tie highest station i;s country
e,',ld o'lel, md Inn voluntarily relnquishing
power and retiring into the graceful shades of
private he. MIR. Jefferson. disbantled an ar
my after the cause had ceased to exist for which
! had been levied and in other respects ABRIDGED
those means Ly which ambitious souls have sub
Vt,ed the Liberties OF their country and on their
! ANS erected inalorloGs thrones He also in
IMITATION ofhis luxurious precursor retired from
( the hish office TO which he had been elected hy
lss ir'S ,u'ir;%>s o. dfe people, into the tranquil
vale and humble walks OF private life Our pre-
tsdent Madison has enulated these examples. md
merely gwen us perfect assurance that tie
Closing scene oi his political career, will equal
y rebound to his own giory, and to the honor OF
| his country.
40 dread could be entertsincd of die patriotic
army OF 1919 commanded by Generals whose de-
VoSien TO Their country has prompted them Brave
leyery peril IN tic tented field and each of,yborn
ltt;e the gallant Jackson, when the storm of war
had ceased, would unhesitstingly stack his arms
and bow to the empire C those avs and instit1,.
lo9s, to maintain which IN purity, he had fought
and bled. This brave army viii also emulate the
patriotic example OF that OF 1875. They will re.
'lrn cheerfplly 70 TIE walks of civil life like
them, % becomes" the benefactors and ornaments
ot socicty in the prosecution of various arts and
protessioss. and Ike them they will receive The
PATRIOTS highest need, the appreciation of their
own consciences, the gratitude of Their country
and the pladdits oi IN admiFng world.
| The act of Congress, SAYS the aetInoc secretarv
81 War; contemplates q small but effective force
and consequently TIE honorable men whose vears
ald lnhrmlties or wounds render them incanabls
ot tutheF service in active warfare, are necessa-
lrlly excluded from lie establishments In r,It-
ting INTO execution law, it is incumbent upon
the President 10 pursue It's spirit and meaning. go
as lest to attain It's Contemplated object. The
lexcuson of the boar veterans of the revolution
and the wounded and infirm, then became an act
of indispensableduty in consequence of the viii
iofthepeople thus expressed by their representa-
tives IN the legislative body. Yet adds The elo.
lguelt Secretary, the hope NAV be respectfully
INDUCED that the benefcence ofleeisIati1e autho.
Irity viii beam upon suffering merit an adnirino.
nation viii unite the civic with the martial bonf,S.
which adorn its heroes and posterity, in It's
theme Of gratitude, viii indiseriniinateiy praise
tie protectors and founders ofAmerican Indepen-
dence."