The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-10-10

| Il lew minutes 10 the preparation OF inns COM
munication, for the perusal, and hope for the
benefit, of your readers
In the Cd Regiment, Cd Brigade, of the 9th
Division of the Militia of this Commonwealth,
which was mustered and inspected at Westbo-
rough, ON the 2Sth ult. there were twelve COM
panies on duty; the aggregate of whose rolls,
together with all others attached to the repi-
ment, exceeded 800, as appears by the returns
in May last.
Their time on muster day cannot be
calculated at less than eighty
four cents each, equal to 1872
Their average expenses IN going, re-
turning, and while there, fifty
cents each, 400
Estimated expenses of the marquee,
&c so
do. DO. of company officers,
for refreshment and transporting
the same, with baggage for their
men, 100
do. do paid for extra music, 60
do. do paid for powder, 40
There were not less than 1000 specta-
tors in attendance, exclusive of a
multitude of children their time,
and all their expenses, are esti-
mated at 81 each, 1000
Allowing half day for each soldier
to prepare for muster, and the
same to get over, (some require
two or three days. at Cd cents per
day, is equal to G72
Making the cost of the muster, in time
and money, 1904
There are eleven Regiments in the 9th Di-
vision, comprising the County of Worcester.
They have all, in the course of the last fortnight
performed their muster duty for this season.
There is no reason to suppose the average of
their time and expense TO have been less than
in the Regiment above mentioned; suppose it
were the same in each the late musters,
cost the County of Worcester 1913, 154!
There are, in Massachusetts, 6S Regiments
of Infantry and, allowing the Cavalry and
Artillery to be equal to four Regiments of In
fantry of 800 men in each, we have ~ Regi-
ments, whose muster duty, this fall, has cost,
accordn0 To the ahoue estimate the anorraous
sum of TWO HUNDRED AND SEVEN
TEEN THOUSAND AND EIGHT DOL
LARS!!!
Nor is this all Damaged vehicles, broken
limbs, and broken heads, too,-the loss OLIVES,
(for every year there are more or less) and the
degradation of morals, that never fails to fol-
low in the train of evils, is greater, and more
injurious to the public welfare, than the loss of
all the time and money spent on such occa-
sions. The numerous ShantieS, that are usual
ly located around the muster field, where ar
dent spirits, of base and poisonous quality,
are urged upon the surrounding multitude, are
productive of tumuts IND riots, and ought to
be abated, as public nulsances. Near them, are
congregated, pickpockets, gamblers, drunkards,
proiane swearers, with many others OF SINH
lar stamp, who, when at home, are placed on
the roll of nfamy, and exempted, even by hope,
from the expectation, that they will ever be-
come rood citizens. These characters are
sometimes surrounded, and always intermixed,
with the rising generation, innocent children
and youth, whom curiosity has brought togeth-
er, but whom nothing but night sends home,
more corrupted than they went. More mis-
chief is here done in one day, more vicious IN
clnations here take root, than home, or the
pulpit, can eradicate in a year. Every man
ought to enter his protest against such waste
of time and money, and the corruption of pub
lie morals, arising from such farcicll exhibit
tons.
Two HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN THOUSAND
DOLLARS of our substance expended and our
moral force weakened !! and this annually !! Z!
for what ITO wear an epaulctte and burn
some powder Such a sum to be assessed and
paid, as a State Tax no matter for what pur-
pose, would not be borne and, with knowl-
edge that it would be assessed annually, would
hurl every member of the Legislature from his
seat, who should undertake to justify so bur-
thensome a measure. This waste of time and
money can be estimated, since it is, in some
degree, limited to the day but the deleterlous
effects upon the morals of the community, be-
gun with the day, do not end with the year.
Yet. military musters, these great sores of the
community, are required by lao, and that, too,
aYenuatty,-and for what? There is not, pre-
sumo, single officer, not a man Of general IN
formation in the community, who will pretend
that the exercises Of a large body OF men, on a
muster day, in the least qualify them for actu-
al service. They would, as efficiently, meet
and resist enemy, and, in all respects, as
honorably acquit themselves IN battle, the day
beforea muster, as the day or aoeok after. No
man will hazard his reputation by denying the
truth of this. Then, military musters are
worse than useless and it becomes the duty
of the Legislature to repeal that portion of the
statute recurring them. While they are busy
on the subject of internal improvement, they
would gain credit to themselves by turning
their attention to this subject. 1t would not
require, as it does to make rail roads and ca
nails, large sums of money, and an overlooking
I Treasury, to abolish military musters. If 1t
were done, instead of making large drafts on
the public funds, the saving in Il few years,
throughout the State, would be amply sufii-
cient for all purposes of internal Improvement
that have ever been under contemplation.
Every soldier, all of the mddling interest,
and the poorer classes, are deeply interested
in this subject The burthen and the expense
bears heavily upon them. They are further in
terested all the friends of good morals, all who
are the friends of our holy religion, all who
would strengthen the pillars of our free politl
cal institutions, are in duty bound TO cry aloud
and spare not, against measures, not only ex
pensivo and useless, but which, like canker
arc CONSUMING tho vital interests of our pros
pcrity SENEA'