The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1815-04-01

placing General OF the regular army in command in
EACH with such portion OF the regular force. artillery
and infantry, as could be spared from other service,
the object OF the President, to afford the best
protection 10 every part ct union that circumstan-
ces would admit of, with the least burden which might
he possible to The people. These Commanders were
specially charged, with the detencc OF their respective
districts. IL WAS enjoaei ON them to watch the move
ments of the enemy, to communicate them the go-
vernment, and 10 execute its orders in summo,ng TO
the seld menace o!invss,on, such portions of TIE
qoas Ut the militia OF eaen te, within ther respec-
tive Districts had been provided for by OF Con-
grsss, and detailed by this department, thought
nee ssary.
When this arrangement was entered into, it will be
Observed, thai there menace of nse,iate in-
VISION, and bu few mtia in The field II was intended
rs easurc precautions, to guard against possible,
but as was hoped, and presumed, distant dangers Tie
txceutivehad then no alternative between that az
rangencnt and any other. The militia officers oi rank
'ifo;Sied nope. They Vt home f,r the exeeu.
tive iss powerundor sting lws, ia cali then, into
the 'cld w'tou; command ~ men suited to tn ar
rank and even wien thus called fort,, tir term of
service must xpre with TINT OF tie men whom they
command. These Cscts show that nothing was more
remote from .he Intentions Of the eovcr Iaent than 10
Disregard the just cians OF our How citizcrs Of the
militia. They show sisohow ,iifcu.t { Is to provide
5y any arrangement wi,c. can b. adopted, for gene
IA, and pcrpane d. fence of our principal cities and
sesboar, vit.out employ ing officers who are ALWAYS in
service, IN the principal co.nand at least for the
purpose
1t Is admitted that ~ the encreasei pressure Of the
war. in consequence of~hich much larger bodies OF
militia have been called into service sad wit them ma
my general officers of experience aad merit these diff
entities have proportionately diminished OF these of
ticers, several have been already advanced 10 da,-
gnshcd commands, ia great faction % thcirfl-
low cit zens and adyantsse TO their country. The
committee may be assured that opportunities Of TN,
Kind, regarding the obligation OF aust responsible
lily, viii be seized by the executive with pleasure
How far these differences mihy be healed, or the
rceurre ce OF the like in future he prevented by e-
ylsl'tive provisions, the committee ON q full view of
thes documents, anil due consideration of the
whole subject, w II he able to decide Its p,oper
u viewer to remark; that the divisions of the country
into military Districts faras relates tn that special
object, reqres M legislative sanction, If indeed adj
nits of one The defitipn OF b,unt,arv was intended
to- tie purpose ct prescribing limit tive civil da,ies
1t they may he sn called, rather than the military of
the commander OF each distric; rather to the peroi
preceding an inv.sioa, with a view { the necessary
preparatory measures for repeing it, than after Il
should AXE place An invasion by lgc force would
probably require the concentration of all our tre,ps
along the sea coast, who sht be- brot tract in it. In
such event, all L. t,tions # boundary to- the seye
my would regulate that of our armies who would
from every qNarter be directed against them.
have the honor 10 be,
With great respect,
Your most oh, dent,
And very humble servant
~ NFS N1ONror