Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-01-25
THE MILITIA

To the Hon JAMES BARBOUR,
Secretary Of War.
The Board Of Officers now convened al this
Mace. have had under consideration your IN
st-uctions of the 5th ult. requiring report on
,be organization Of the Notwithstanding the
defects (f any Of the existing organization, and
recommending such remedies as IN us Jua@-
men, will render our militia as skiliul and eiiec'
tive, as it is brave and patriotic.
To enable the Boarc 10 execute TINS impor.
tani commission, with a reasonable hope oil be.
ne6cial results, it has carefully read and con-
sidered the numerous communications from
Governors of States, militia officers, and other
distinguished citizens, in reply to your circular
letter Of July II, i826:-also, the several plans
of organization and instruction Tor the militia
which have been Submitted to Congress, al
different periods, by Committees OF that body,
and by the War Department.
Promising that, alter full consideration OF the
whole subject, the opinions of the members OF
the Board have been brought into great harmo
nv with each other, the following Repor. is now
most respectfully submitted:
!. "Defseis of The Existing Organization"
The Term organisation will not here be taken
in its restricted or technical sense, but as en-
larsed.by the general tenor and purpose OF the
circular letter before mentioned.
The primary defect of the militia system, az
This time. il is believed will be found in the eX-
cess IN numbers, which the law proposes IN
hold 10 service; an objection that did not apply
TO the period of 1892, the dale OF the still eX-
listing law on this subject. In 1872, II might
well have been supposed necessary 10 enroll, &
organize into corps of militia, all the able bod
led white male citizens of the United States,
Certain classes and persons excepted) between
tine ages of Is and As years; but in the thirty.
four years which have since elapsed, our gener-
al population, and consequently the male citi-
zens between those ages, have been .reblcd,
whilst, it is believed, the dangers OF foreign as
erosion are now much diminished. The other
occasions under the Constitution, viz: resist
ance 10 the laws, and Instructions, 10 meet
which, the militia were also intended, are sup
posed not more likely to occur in future, than
might have been apprehended in 1892: and yet,
a; that period, third Of the present militia
force land about three fourths Of the male Cit
liens then capable Of bearing arms,) was sup.
posed amply sufficient for all The purposesexih.
in the contemplation of the Constitution.
Ii would seem, therefore, from the foregoing
views, that the United States now hold 10
nominal service, growing militia force, al
ready considerably larger than any probable,
it may almost be said, possible, emergency,
would require.
But its nominal character is notthe only OBJ
lection 10 this extensive scheme of enrolment
and organization. 1t is true, that the militia
costs the Treasury, in time OF peace, nothing
beyond The inadequate sum annually appiopri.
aled for the supply Of arms and equipments;
yet, the musters and trainings; the arms, am
munitioD, and equipments, which many Of the
militia actually purchase, and all are required
provide for themselves, if not supplied by the
United States, or the respective States, operate
as heavy burdens on the most productive class
ofthe community, without the acquisition, ex-
cept in the cities, and few other highly peo
pied districts, nf any adequate degree Of militia
~ instruction OF efficiency BY far the create
number OF letters submitted to the board, and
the exceptions come principally from the cities
and the more populons parts Of the country,
represent the ordinary militia musters, sc. as
useless, or worse than useless; as SO many oc
casions for hurlful practices, instead of martial
exercises, and the images Of war.
The same difficulty (of excess in numbersl
renders every scheme Of improvement in the
general mass, without the aid of high war ex
element, hopeless: for, it is Obvious, that so
great body Of enrolled men, or officers with
GU; the men, would not bear, in time Of peace,
and without remuneration, an encampment OF
many successive days for instruction; and on
the other hand, it is supposed that the Govern
ment would be unwilling to incur the necessary
expenditure. Neither is it deemed advisable
under the present organization, to recommend
a selection Of particular companies, baltalions,
regiments, brigades, or divisions, or parlicu.
lar number Of officers, out of the general mass,
Tor better instructions, either at their own ex.
pense, or that Of the Government. Such Sc.
lections could not fail to be generally regarded
as in'idious and unjust And yet, without an
encampment Of many successive days for the
militia oil the thinly peopled districts, it is sup.
posed impossible to impart TO the officers, and
through them to the ranks, any adequate de.
gree OF military efficiency.
But one other objection, Of the same cbarac.
ter, 10 the existing organization, will be stated
by the Board.
An amendment to the Constitution Of the
United States, consecrates the great princi
pies-"tha, well regulated militia being ne
eessary to the security of free Stale, the
right OF the People to keen and bear arms