Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-12-07

and permanent defeuce am aware of
the ordinary answer, that our reliance is
on the nerve Of Our citizens. Far be il
from me 10 doubt il. Bull are We so pro-
digal Of va!or, as 10 deprive il of that
which insures its efficacy? Is there no
thing in the safety of meeting an encm,
at the threshold, rather than a! our liesrils;
nothing in the economy Of doing al a sin
gle Investment aud by the mechanical a.
Eeacy of fortress wlia, must otherwise
be done. aud has been done inadeQuately,
by large amps al militia drawn together
at tenlold expense Or, have we vel TO
learn the policy of securing peace, by
presenting To all nations an armed aud
invuncrable front? Let our other prepa-
ratons be what they may, lei us be with
tactical kuO"ledge, or without II, these
three essentials must be the result of The
labors OF our engineers they may eacl,
be accomplished, and still leave more
than ample employment for The valour of
our citzeus. When we dc!erialne other
wise, aud reject the means which have
saved the blood and Independence of
neatly every nation in Europe, the hisio-
nv of civilized man will explain The extent
of what we relinqust. In The protection
o! social institutions, in The prevention Ii
servItude aud bloodshed, philanthropy
" no greater beueiactiDn, than the sin-
gle ART of foriific atiop. Where formerly
subjugalion VAS the consequence OF vice
tory, where "a single blow carried AN in.
vader Into the heart Of country, aud
made II his own, we ROW read Of victories
rendered useless, Of The weak rrpeiling
Tie sirorg, ct arts ana civil "a buttons
HDurishlng in the midst Of war of a
tranquil aud unarmed interior, while AN
enemy wastes his strength, in uuprOduc-
live assaults upon til. frontier.
The Typographical dcrarinen, is
part of The foregoing. Un,il The surveys
are completed, lis exis'ence Is indlsprii-
sable; that duty performed, lis impor-
taucc is diEiuiShed il bccom"s au ap
pendage OF the army proper, aud might be
dispensed niiir during tlGc Of peace.
Iae value OF the department Of ord.
nance l.as never been sufficiently rs.:ma
ed. Fiat which provides, preserves and
distributes Ihe Instruments and munitions
Of war Is aell woithy ri the national care.
The direct cXpcus 5 of il are invonsider-
able, the sums whirh appear against il in
the national expenditure, are al iave>t-
n,ent of the national capital on pcrma
neat objects; wbcu The militia is enibo
died and supplied, il wiIl iiad The brmciii
OF this Investment AMI IN lie corps Itself
al Indispensable auxiliary.
'i'aesc three departments during a time
of peace are, a. have already mentioned,
exlrinsir relations nf an array; ihos. re
trr,e.i 10 III my last a:c inicg,ai parts Of
-, II ASCERTAIN aw,i admini,ieriO lis wants,
To con,roul 1t and aiIridsr lis expenses.
Incy' are HE departments or HE quarter
master, 81 0ricrs, inspection aud paw,
tiie nHuiIsSarlat aud The medical amt
Judicial departments. have oucr sa:d
that the nuperica! strength OF the army
Il adequate 10 The national necessities
/ believe Ina: hy indiciOus management
iiS naGbers mIShi even bear rc,inciion
and lie nation b. equally well served
by abridging tina, whic!i Is moSl easily
reproduced aud s,seng ilenlug That which
causes The reproductions, wr unite ecouo-
my aud safely. The sen,i,a! principle
al military Sirrugth is III the departments
jus, enumerated. lie, al their duties be
asce!ia.ned AMI enforced, au,i VIXEN HE
nation requires pix steal force, it has but
10 select Tie mat, rial aud il vii! be mould.
cL 10 lis hand.
Before adveriiHg TO them, let il be re-
membcrrd ,ha, though they are lie pre-
sent administrative departments Of Tie
Frgniar army, ,hry are the same in pros
pertivr ot Tie militia. Having distinct
organization ut their oNn, they arc appli-
gable 10 ciiicr. During peace, HE iao
paris OF The national defence move in
different orbits, yet as they aCknow ledge
common ccntre during war, they nUsi
then be imprlled by The same impulses.
1t the governlucn, associates the militia
with the regular army in the performance
Ot The same operations under lie same
Su;es, and By atfording il no organization
Wlihholds the means by ~hicli this is 10
be accomplished, The militia. in the alb
senCe at administrative departments of is
own, may al least demand The aid Of those
oil It's associate. OF these the first and
most essentially important ia Thai OF The
4nartermaster, tie agency OF which is tcIt
IN every thing that connects the voll,ion
of the COMMANDER with The act. II is as a
centre oiihe other departments, aud either
receives or periecs or facilitates or APP
plies lie operations OF them all. Ii is res.
ponslble within itself for the performance
OF Tie dniies ct Typographical depart
meBf. III Is The organ by which The la
bors OF tie corps OF ordnance are connect
ell with The army. II receives and applies
she labors of the Two branches OF the
commissaflat, and is The assistant of the
medical department III lie discharge OF
ais professional dniirs II moves an army
III Tie field, aud shelters il when in camp
or garrison. II ascerlains aud administers
10 nearly all It's wants, and Is accessory to
the supply of Tie remainder. BY a double
responsibility il ia accountable 10 the ma
ton for knowledge Of the country itself
and us resources, whether OF money or
commodities, aud ascerIaius and deirays
st ITS own discretion all military expenses,
that cannot be previously asceria.ned by
the government. After this enumeration
II ls needless TO add, thai We look 10 tie
OtlllUaiIou no ,vI,,ot, fl,ts ,I.r.,,,,,.,,t