Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-02-18


te ;" are now seen, with no less cnil.usi-
assn, shedding sill greater torrents os
their own blood, IN fa,orof IA military dcs-
pot and tyrant of their own creating, uu-
der the thoughtless and giddy shouts OF
give PEmpereur." Rccollect, gentle
men, that human nature Is the same when
impe!!ed by the same causes, and acting
under the same influences ia every quar-
ter oftlie globe.
An army may be defined TO he an I'M
thinking machine. lis government, the
refinement of despotism. The appropri-
ate character Of an army is, that "t acts"
=" IL thinks not" The common soldiers
composingan army, then. arepersons who
sellthcir faculties eftliinking, and the SER
vices of their persons, and also voluntari-
lvplace themselves under gradalion of
despots, from the commanding general
down to the drill sergeant. This is done
for a stipulated compensation of eight
dollars per month. two suits ofciothcs per
wear, fixed portions of bread and meat,
and less wliskey than they can drink,
and NO doubt improve their condition in
society by the bargain. Yet it is propo
sed 10 improve the administration of our
civil institutions, by introducing this in
fiuence into tire very fountain from which
formers Of the present day, whilst they
cannot DENY, doubtless regret, that there
should be found such a description of
men in society, and hut fortber religious
impulses, might arraign the order Of Pro
violence, making the condition of man so
repugnant TO Their own tender seiSlbiiI-
ties. They might too, with as much pros
pect of success, call a Convention to re-
verse the order Of Providence, hv so "a
mendmg the Constitution, as 10 blot out
this condition ofman from society; as so
call one for making il perfect in other con
emplatedrespectS, for. wliateVe good pur-
pose Is inscruiahlet 10 weak morialS. endow-
ed only with finite powers ofpcrc ption
but we all know that impcrfeciions
mark the character of all human establish
ments that nothing is perfection in this
lower verdi; and that the idea of per-
feet Commonwealth altogether Utopian.
Indulge not the vain hope of perlccting
Your Constitution. by mixing portion
ofmiliiary l"aven, in any form. with the
civil ingredients: for, ga little lcaven,
ieaveneth the whole lump" Vt NAV be
SAID, in reply, that it IS not intended by
many to include those who bear arms in
the regular, but only in the militia ser
vice, upon the ground of military merit.
Let this distinction be examined. 1t is
first TO he observed, that no distinction eX-
ISIS in rewarding military merit, in any
other mode, between regular and militia
armies. Whv, then, should one be set
up In rewardmg them with civil rights
THERE'S no foundation whatever for the
distinction. Militia and regular armies
are the sa medescription of machines when
III actual service they are both subject
TO te same rules and articles of war.
Their government is equally despotic.
The only difference, then, consists in the
manner ofbringing them into actual SER
vice. This difference will be found in
the difference between the militia laws,
and those fixing the military establish
ment. The government in one as well as
the other, is the arbiter between the two
principles of personal service and pecuni-
AIRY contribution. But it is s.id, the SER
vice of the regular soldier is voluntary
that of the militia compulsory. This
The service OF the militia is most fro
quently vOluntarv-oftcn by substitutes,
and these generally composed Of that We,
ry description of persons, who would be
excluded from voting by the freehold
qualification, and would be included bv
an extension of the right 10 the militia
This description of the militia stands in
all respects upon the same footing with
the regular soldicr-Botb upon fair, vo-
luuiary compacts. But when the service
of the militia is not performed voluntarily,
and d draft is resorted to, it cannot he
said TO he on principle of compuIsion
because the service of the militia is
grounded upon the obligation, that such |
service is debt to the community, which
obligation is admitted, in its full force.
by the whole body of the militia. The
use ola draft, therefore, is to designate.
what individuals shall perform a particu-
lar service, when the service of the whole
is not required for It's performance
When the service of the whole militia
is required. a draft is resorted to-
and then ;Iie service may be said TO
be vountary-that is, voluntary dis
charge of an acknowledged duty. desig-
mated bv the militia laws, upon the prin-
ciple before stated. Can then this differ
ence in the mode of bringing these two
descriptions of men into the field Law any
Just foundation for distinction in re-
wardins their military merits respective
~ Kit certainly does not. 1t then leaves
the question upon its original ground -
Whether military merit, of any kind,
ought to be rewarded with civil or religi-
Gus rights? II must then be concluded,
that military merit furnishes no Just claim
to the right Of suflrage-tlIaf right would
be its most inappropriate and unsuitable
reward and would, if given, he fraugIrt
with the most dangerous tendency to So