The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1819-11-02

OF any military duties, from which, or d.
rect equivalent, any white male inhabitants
OF respectable character and Of the same age,
IS by law of the state exempted"
The amendment was lost, l0l, to 1913.
Col. .atterton, gave notice that he should
move for reconsideration of this section.
When Col Atherton moved reconsideration,
he remarked as follows:
Mr.. Preyident-I should not have moved re-
consideration of the vote taken on this section
the day before yesterday, did | not believe that
the members Of this honorable convention are
wholly incapable of withholding from the militia
that protection ofrights which by the constitution
reported, is freely bestowed on every other class
CT our citizens.
They do not ask it of us AS privilege, but they
demand it as right Thirty thousand Of the SOL
diery ofthis District Ia We their eyes fixed on this
convention with anxious soictude-Deny them
their reasonable requests and however estmable,
in other respects, the constitution may be which
you will send forth to the people, it will be re-
iected.
Sir, would always hold the military in exact
subordinaton to the civil authority, but to do this
il is not necessary TO deprive them of all right
The petitions on your honor's table speak in Ian
guage which cannot be misunderstanding take
it for granted that the evils which have long be
endured will now find remedy by salutary
provision in this constitution.
hone. sir | shall be enabled to do away some
of the objections which were raised by the hon.
Gentleman from Alfred (Nr Holmes.) On sub
jects of legal nature, should not have the au-
dacity To put my opinions in competition with his
but on this question, after many years expert
ence of the injustice OF the militia system, my
judgement may have some lOeght even against
the all powerful influence ofthat honorable gen.
tleman-He has intimated that the proposed sub
stitution went even to cnmpel invalids and the
aged and intirm to perform military duty or pay
an equivalent. Will refer that honorable gem
teman to the militia laws of the United States
where it is stated that none but " able bodied
white male inhabitants Of the age Of eighteen and
under forty FIVE years." &c. are the subjects of
military duty.
It is therefore useless to name as exempts, those
who are positively made so by the laws OF the u
nited States. Other gentlemen, are apprehen-
sive that shall legIslate too far In this respect
have no fears of this sort. If the militia have
been prescribed is there any good reason why the
prescription should be continued. | am in favor
ofremunerating the militia for their services, but
it is impracticable at present to provide funds
for this object. They Will be satisfied ifyou will
destroy the odious distinctions of exemptions and
thereby equalize their burdens.
The proposed amendment will have the certain
effect oifilling the ranks of the militia. Ii will
also create handsome fund, which the legisla-
ture will no doubt appropriate to the use of those
who perform military duty.
By the aid of these funds and the arms to be re-
ceiyed from the state and the United States, we,
may in a few years expect to see our militia COM
Il II,
perior TO any other troops of the kind in the u
nited States.
would ask sir, why we should leave this con-
sttutiop at loose ends and give the Legislature,
unlimited power to create exemptions, with or
without a reason at their pleasure. Suppose sir,
ca we are bound to guard against possibilities as
well as probabilities) that the Legislature should
consist of a majority of men conscientiously scru-
pulous Of bearing arms? What would then be-
come of your defenders. They would to a man
be exempted by the Section as it now stands in
your constitution. And have we no apprehension
this will be the case when the government itself
holds out an invitation for men to become consci-
entiously scrupulous 1--WE say in many words,
ifyou will become conscientious about this matter
Of killing we will exonerate you not only from
military duty, but also rom an equivalent. Sir,
there is another way found out in New York,
and other States to obtain an equivalent for non
performance of military duty. 1t is sir, by
Communication tar, the scrupulous in New-York,
have paid as high as six dollars per ann. on this
tax for public uses, not however to be connected
with the military. Here then is mode pointed
out which will seem to obvlate all difficulties.
am willing to leave that respectable class of
our citizens called Friends in the hands of the
Legislature and thus does the substitute offer
provide.
In the year 1914, military convention was
convened at Gray--it was numerously attended
And petition to the Legislature unanimously
adopted, pointing out the grievances suffered by
the militia. Numerous other petitions from eve
ny part of the Commonwealth followed. And.
what become Of them They were ordered to
lay on the table OF if committed were never heard
OF more.
The members Of the Legislature first decreed
themselves exempt from military duty while le-
gislatins-They next decreed in favor of host
of Justices Of the Pace and other petty officers
and these were followed by other exemptions
and discretionary power to exempt until we lost
nearly one third ofour whole physical force.
Sir have any pledge that future Lesis-
lature VIII not do the same. Leave IL ia the
power OF the Legislature and at the first session
they will have an application, TO exempt 40
Engine men, from this town. Why sir let me
ask, should the state furnish enginemen for the
town Of Portland ? And to the ruin too of the
whole military establishment of the town. IL well
remember cir, during the last war, that the Port
land Regiment which ought to have been 800
strong, mustered tut about 800 men. Al the
same time the exemptions amounted to nearly
5OO.-1he militia sir. consider as owing their
services and allegiance to the whole state and
not to single town. never found them hack
ward at fires but always willing to do as much as
the fauoTed exempts themselves