Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-18
From the North Americdn RevieaO.

AKIN OF iHE y MI ED y n Id.
''Our venerable fathers, in framing the Con
stitution of the United States, reversed the
| principles upon which military establishments
had been founded for ages. They acted upon
| the conviction that the power of declaring war,
and of creating the means of defence and offence,
those high attributes Of sovereignty, upon the
due exercise Of which depend the welfare, and
often the existence of nations, should reside
with those who have the deepest interest at
stake, and who are the least likely to abuse 1t.
Accordingly, they placed ii in the hands Of the
Representatives of the People, that SO the milf
tary force Of the country, instead of being the
creature of an arbitrary and irresponsible will,
should be the offspring Of the same popular and
deliberate legislation, which originates every
other measure connected with the general good.
| jealousy Of military power has ever been a
| practical feeling in this country It's influence
was felt by the colonies, and was among the ex-
citing canses Of the Revolution; and ii required
all the difficulties, and even occasional despera-
tion of the struggle, TO restrain 1t from embar-
RAISING all the measures of the The Con-
tnenla Congress, it is true, standing on high
and central ground, and comprehendng the
fulfres oonsibility of the cause it was directing,
often gave signal proofs of an elevation above
tall narrow prejrdices, when the fate OF that
cause was in jeopardy: and once or twice contd-
ed to General Washington an almost Dictator,
al power.
| The war Of the Revolution ended in l753.--
In April, 1885, the military establishment OF
the United States was fixed at one giment OF
infantry, and two companies Of artillery, or "a
bout 800 men. Thus the nation, two years at
ter protracted and exasperated struggle with
one of the most powerful kingdoms Of Europe,
while most important relations were still unset
tied, and with host of unquiet and formidable
neighbors upon its interior frontiers, whose ex
cited spirits could not subsida into peace, like
those of more civilized nations at the bidding
of treaty, stood nearly Invested of every means
of organized defence.-Whie we recognize a
strong cause of this abandonment: of self-protec-
ton in the exhausted condition Of the country,
we may likewise discern il in that cautious pol
| icy, pushed somewhat to an extreme, which re-
garded soldiers as useless, and even dangerous,
when not required for immediate service.
| About two years after this PERIOD the militia
ry establishment was augmented by 700 men,,
and remained thus until 1890, when, under the
new constitution, it was fixed at one egiment
of infantry, and one battalion of artillery, en-
j
same time authorized to call into service such
militia, for the defence OF the frontiers, as he
might deem necessary. In l79l the establish
ment was again increased by the addition OF an
other regiment of infantry, and the President
was empowered to raise 5000 levies they
were termed, in lieu of the militia he had be-
fore been authorized to call out In 1892, the
infantry was still further augmented by three
additional regiments, one OF which was 50 or
ganized, as to embrace squadron offour troops
OF light dragons. In 1894, eight hundred men
were added to the artillery, which was thence
forward to be styled the Corps of Artilleri>ls *
Engineers These several additions 10 the es-
tablishment fixed in 1870, formed force OF "a
boul 5000. They who are familiar with the his
tory of those times, will recollect, that 1t was
period of constant and increasing hostility with
the Indians, who, as we have before remarked,
did not bury the tomahawk, at the general pa
! Cihcation which terminated the REVOLUTION
Our frontiers were drenched with the blood OF
our unprotected settlers. General Washington,
then President, at each Session of Congress re-
iterated his strong and eloquent representations
of these barbarities, and urged the necessity OF
investing the Executive with power to protect
the defenceless, and Chastise the aggressors.-
But distrustful and improvident policy, which
seemed to perceive no danger SO great as that
which might arise from placing an army at the
disposal of the Executive, dealt out the means
of defence with such a sparing hand, that it was
not until one or two abortive campal gins, and
two or three defeats, marked with unprecedent-
ed carnage, showed the irresistible necessity OF
more liberal and vigorous measures, that the
President was enabled 10 bring the war 10 sue
cessful close. But it was not from the Indians
alo ne that we at that time had danger to appre-
bend.
Our sea board was not secure from insult; and
the angry recrimination which then marked our
negotiations with Great Britain, whose Navies
governed the ocean, admonished us that we were
100 vulnerable on that frontier The President
was accordingly directed, by the act of March,
1894, to forify the principal ports on the coast.
Twenty different points were indicated by the
act, among which, it appears, $50 pieces of
ordnance were to be distributed The Presi-
dent was, about the same time, directed TO es-
tablish three or four arsenals, with magazines
and armories connected with them.*
In May, 1896, the military establishment was
again fixed, embracing the corps. Of Artillerists
and Engineers, two companies of light dragons,
| ,nd four raornents of infantry mr. ahout 2 600