The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-10-30


infantry, one regiment Of light artillery
and one regiment Of light dragons. aug
menting the establishment already on foo
bs sboat rx Thousand. The act creating
this augmentation, contained a clause
which required that every officer appoint
ed under II, should BE citizen of th'
United States. or" as it adds, with super
huous precision, one of the ie ritoriei
thereof" Previously 10 this time, many
foreigners hid been introduced into ou
service, some Of whom, il is believed, hat
not even taken the oath Of allegiance. Th'
recruiting under this act was suspended
about year afterwards, in consequence
probably, of the arrangement with Mr.
Erskine, the British minister, and was no
renewed, although this arrangement wal
soon dlsavowed and annnled, until with
in about six mouths before the deeara
ton Of war. Shortly after this renewal
early IN 1919. Congress passed an act
authorizing an additional military force N
a., 900 men, TO consist of ten regiments
of infantry. two regiments of artillery. and
one regiment Of light dragons. In the
beginning of 1918, twenty additional regl-
ments ofinfaniry, or 90, 900 men, were au-
thorized and in the beginning of 1914,
three additional regiments Of flhemen.
| No further approximations were made to
the regular force during The war.
II weold appear from the foregoing acts,
that the nominal regular force on foot,
during the war ofl8l2 WIS between go.
900 and 10000. II is not probable, how-
ever, tha. the establishment e,rr approx
mated to an efficient fulnpss. The recruit
ing service held out powerful inducements
10 enlist. the bou1tes having been enlarged,
until the recruit, besides his monthly pay
OF eight dollars, was offered fifty dollars
when enlisted, an addi ional fifty when
mustered, aed twenty four dollars and $50
acres at the expiration of his term Of SER
vice and we believe there VAS NO want Of
men; but the pressing exlgencies of the
war, transferring the raw soldier mmcdi-
ately from the rendezvous to the scene Of
aclop, left no Time for the operation of
that preliminary discipline, which gives CO.
hrslon and permancncy To body of mcn.
Hence batlalions, which marched from the
r"ndtz' Gus complete as Ia numbers, before
they reached the frontiers were Olteo re-
duced 10 mragre delachments.
Peace WAS ratified With Great Britain in
February, 1915; AID among the subjects
which 6fst eng grd the affection of Con
grrss, was thai of reducing the army to lis
proper standard of peace. Accordingly,
90 the Thu d of March following, the nlli-
tary establishment was liked at 10000
m.n. Again, IN 1921, il was still furihrf
reduced, being diminished to 6 900, which
is the number on fout at the present time.
Such is y brief sketch Of legislation,
which has affected the numerical force IT
our army, from The nmencrment of on,
government. II is dry subject, but il
suggests some Interesting reflections. Tn"
manner IN which the country threw of IT.
armor, at the close Of the revolution, and
stood among the nations Of the earth, pro-
baby a solitary instance, without any or
ganized means of defence although il bore
the semblance nf high degree Of seIf-cou-
iideure and moral energy, yet was duubI
less more the result II n weak and rxhnus-
ted government, aud of deep rooted a
version to military establishments 10 time
Of peace, than Of any sound calculations of
economy, ar Just notions of nalonal de-
fence. The wisdom of that enlight, ned
period could not have been deIndrd by "a
belief that the causes Of hostility among
States had ceased to operate upon earth,
or that the mere reputation nf having
struggled, however nobiy, for independence
would be a sufficient panoply of strength.
We soon had sufficient roofs that we
were liable to collisions and injuries. But
II required time and experience 10 correct
that tendency 10 extremes which marked
many of the strong and salutary prrludices
OF the revolution. Perhaps more impo-
sing array of national defence might mt
have averted the troubles which gathered
about us but we may br allowed to sup
pose, that manifestations OF greater vigor,
and an attitude more more likely 10 cOm
maud respect, would IN snme degree have
restrained that spirit of insult and aegres
sion, Which visited us "ih wrongs from
the close nl the Revolution down to the
late war"
TIE Principle of representations
Constitution of the United States was, IN
mauy particulars, "A new experiment in po-
lllcs. II was the first Government, aud