Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-03-25

1f
DC as foul calumny on their patriotism as
1t would be on their understanding, to give
such a construction to the Treaty Sir. I
| trust the whole American people will be
saslsfied With the Peace, and will consider
the war as demonstration OF the strength
CT republican governments. founded on the
affectici. OF free people, not like those
governments of siaucs, executed by force
or fear, and have no doubt will demon.
strate to Great Britain our strength-that
we have not only the power but the will,
any thing in the federal opposition TO the
! Contrary notwithstanding, and convince her,
that America, united. is invincible.
Mr.. FARROW was in favor of a small
Peace Establishment. We had gone to
war, he said, with very small regular
force, and, after the conclusion Of Peace,
we ought at least 70 reduce the army to
the amount of force we had at a time when
war was daily expected, If ever we again
SO TO war, Mr.. f. said, w. shall act on the
defensive only. and our militia in every
quarter oil the country are prepared 20 de-
lend tho soil. From the experience of the
past war, we shall derive immunity from
aggression because cur citizen soldiers
have shewn themselves capable OF defend-
ing the soil. They now know, if they ever
before doubted it, that it will be IN vain to
invade US. If you want Canada, said ne,
entice the British government, if you can.
to attack you, and the militia will soon fol
low an enemy over the lines. Foreign ma
items he believed, however, would in future
have too much wisdom, if not too much
goodness, to attack US and there was no
occasion to keep up regular military
force, tor defensive purposes. He was in
favor oil increasing the Navy 70 a certain
Low liant hut H..
force. T.,
MIR CUTHBERT said, there could be
nc doubt, lie thought, that in the regulation
of our Military Establishment, there should
be some mean number to which it ought to
be reduced. 10 reduce il as low az was
proposed, would be as unwise, in his view,
as not to reduce It all. The reasons in IA.
vor OF the proposed reduction, were not
strong enough to balance the objections a.
gainst it. In the hrst place, he urged, it
was extremely important to know what the
determination aud spirit of the enemy is
In going into and coming out of a contest,
it is all important 20 know what is the spi.
rit OF y our Antagonist Are yon willing, said
he, to tell your late enemy, You REFUGE Elk
sremely in the peace, and are willing to
rush at once into extreme tranquility r.
IL you persuade him that the People were
SO anxious Tor the return OF peace, that
they would therefor sacrifice every thing,
you encourage him to Commit future ag-
gressions. He adTerted to the influence OF
such precipitation on orr OWE people, and
deprecated 1t as declarios peace and tram
guilty too much, and relaxing their spirits
so greatly, that it would be with great diff
ficuity, in case OF future wars being forced
on us, they could be Induced TO make the
no ha hn,
ever to be depended on, were not calculated
for garrison duty, winch they sbhorred
and. revolted from, and which could only
properly be performed by regular troops
Neither were Militia fit to contest a regular
campaign, With an enemy in fixed seat of
war--such a campaign for instance, as that
OF the last summer on the Canadian from
tier. Would you, said he, for SUCH SER
vice depend on Militia force, serving for six
months, and continually changing at the
end of that term, or on regular force,
competent to meet i'll the open field, and to
manoeuyre against regular army While
no one more highly than him, appreciated
the enthusiasm which militia had displayed
in occasional service; he denied their ca
| pacity to sustain an equal conflict with re-.
| gular troops in regular Campaign. On
| the other hand, MIR. G. said, he wCuld by
| no means go into large Military Estas
bshment, in time Of peace. The PARTY to
which he belonged. had always been avcrse
to heaping unnecessary burthens on the
People; and the lightness of the burthens
| imposed on them, was what had induced
them always to adhere to and support the
government as they had done throughout
| the war. He would not weaken that at
tachment, which, in the moment of danger,
became principle Of euergy and action
Ten thousand men, he said, for time of
| trouble, were not too few, and for the pres
sent time, he thought, would be proper
force. In time Of actual war, they would
serve as foundation, and foundation only
did we ever want, for good army.
Mn. STUART said nc had intended 70
have gwen silent vote in favor of the larg-
est number of men proposed and not.
withstanding the arguments urged against
the number of ten thousand men, he still
adhered to his own opinion, that ten thou
sand men would not be too many. 1t was
much easier to disband than to raise an
army and, whilst we have some of the best
troops in the world, let us not dsband too
many of them. The difference OF expense
between six and ten Thousand men for
few months, would be triaing. At the next
session, If we had peace with every nation
on that firm basis he hoped we should have,
he would join with gentlemen in reducing
the army still lower. Ten thousand men,
he said, he wished to retain neither as
peace or war establishment, but as consti-
Il