Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-03-08
2,376,764
100000
$1,000
$4,000
100000
s2,eee.7e4


Making an aggregate expense of two mil
lions SIX hundred thousand dollars. The act =
uai expenditure would, he was convinced, fall
short oil the estimste-the war cost of SOL
dier, completely equipped and furnished, was
$40 dollars per aarum the peace cost was one
" $50 dollars per snnum, but he had set it
down at 200 dollars per man besides, the es-
innate supposed that the corps would always
be full, which would seldom or never happen,
and the Quantity OF camp equpage, hospital
stores, and qusrter-master's stores on hand
would Tor the first year or two make a consides
rabie deduction from those items; with these
observations he would submit the subj ct for
the decision of The house.
Mr. Pickering, said. he should be glad to
know how this force was to be disposed Of -
"lie-e II was 10 be stationed, and how employ
ed. He should be glad to hear the reasoas
why so large rualber of men were to be efn.
p'oyed, as, he said, the reasons in favor of so
large force had not been such as to satisfy
him. !. any detailed statement on these points
were afforded, he said. the house would be
better able to judge Of the propriety of the
course proposed.
Mr.. Troup, said, the committee had no such
detaded statement but, there could be no
doubt the troops would bs stationed at the va
rlous posts and garrisons III the United States,
and wherever their services would appear to be
best applied.
Mr. Desha said, duty impelIed him TO m axe
motion to try the sense of the committee as
to the number of the army, necessary to he kept
up Tor peace establishment. Although be had
always been in favor OF the greatest number
proposed IN time of war, because he thought it
prudent to relieve the militia from being har-
raised by drafts /; yet he was not in favor OF a
large peace establishment He therefore NOV
ed to strike out the word TEN and insert the
word SIX. He clieVed six thousand to be suf
hcient for all purposes in time of pescA; we
have no use for irregular army in time ofpsace,
but for the purpose of keeping up the frontier
garrisons, and to take care OF the arms, &c
then how many garrisons will it be necessary
to keep up not exceeding twenty Ave or fliiriy
Indeed he believed thirty to be the extent of
the number we have, and will not one hundred
be suiii lent, on an average, to each garrison
he said some would require perhaps more than
hundred, but others would not require more
than twenty Eve or thirty men--then surprising
the average to be one hundred and the number
OF garrisons thirty, which will be The extent,
you Will require but three thousand for earri
son purpose ;then admitting the amendment
succeeds, you will have three thousand 70 GO
on, surprising the nuraber aways to be -, m
plete, but which Is not to be presumed Then
where is the necessity OF keeping up ten thou>
sand Gentlemen tell you it is necessary as a
SSSusIly from foreign D0W~
ers. Mr., Dcsha said we have better security
than ter, or even IF y thousand regulars The
yeomanry OF the country is the great security.
and circumstances have proven in this war, that
tue militia and volunteers OF the country, when
well otiIcered and managed, are able. for the
best veteran troops Of Britain, win ch IS, con
TESS, subject of pride be cause It proves that
there rs no necessity Of keeping up large
standing army in time OF peace. lie said the
people had suffered privItions of every descrip-
ton since the declaration OF war, and would
have borne as much more if it had been n, ces.
sary They have acted generally worthy of
ireemen. But # all the taxes are to be riveted
on them tor the purpose Of keeping up large
standing armies in time of peace, what have
they gained by u4ir patriotic exertions Very
little but the satisfaction of having decenty
drubbed the enemy in many instances We have
gotten through the war--peace is concluded
the tlrSt consideration in my estimation is to
curtail our expeDces, and by which ameiiorate
the condition OF the people. 1t is proven that
the militia OF the country are capable az all
times at least OF defensive operations, corse.
quently will not be willing to pay heavy taxes,
for the purpose of keeping large standing ar
mes We have boosted that a well organized
militia was the bulwark of our liberty, and re.
cent circumstances have proved L TO be fact;
then where is the necessity OF going inte mea
sure that - inconsistent with the nature OF our
government But is sad, ten thousand re-
gular forces are necessary to keep the hostile
lndians ofthe west III check Mr.. ID. SAID re-
gulars were not the kind of force the best a.
dapted 10 Indian wsria, the western rifemen
we're tie best calculated 10 chastise the inso-
lence OF the Indians. There will be no difficult
" II IT become necessary to obtain sufficien
cy OF volunteer rihemeD from the west to keep
the Indians in check. They are The kind OF
force that the Indians are afraid Of, they care
very little for your regular musquetry. But il
IS said to be imprudent to reduce the regular
army much ill the British give up our garri-
sons. Sir, we have possession OF and have gar.
risons on their territory We have also posses
sion Of two Of the lakes. Il IS presumed that
the garrisons on each side will be given up ST.
multsneously He said he believed there was
no danger but they would give up the garrisons
and be glad to be off so. They will not run the
risk Of having their veteran troops again chas-
tsed BY the militia. Dir ID. said, the best Sc
curly was, that the enemy know that we have
nearly million Of militia, composed Of the yeo.
many ofthe country, who are willing at all