Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-03-21


app.eher d we shall be reused from our
le,narpy wien the quiet and stiffness of,he
night shall give place 10 the shout of the
rioter, the hczEas of the mob, setting at de-
fiance the iecS!e arm OF the civil law--made
feeble by our apathy.
Mr.. COOK was in favor of the resolution
TO re-commit. He was not opposed to The
bill, but to many of its novel and unheard
ofprovisions. Among Qher things, he was
opposed TO the appointment of. officers by
the governor, except, perhaps, malor-gen-
crul; he preferred that the other Off.
GERS should be electcd-thosc who were to
do duty were the best Judges of who should
be their officers, and should have the same
right 10 elect them that we have to elect
civil officers. He did not like the provision
made for the appointment Of corporal 10
every ten men in a company OF one hun
dred-making zen corporals 10 u company.
lie was opposed to the school Of instruc-
lion as proposed and requiring ten days
drill. 1t would be an unnecessary tax OF
$4,000. He preferred that part OF the
New York system requiring three days
drill of the officers, and assembling the
whole militia onco or twice year. lie
had many other objections 10 the bill, and
hoped it would be recommtied.
Mr.. KELLOGG regretted TO find this
usbect occupying so much of the time OF
the House, and the effect Of this resolution
would be to waste some more. lie could
not see the object of it, unless perhaps 1t
was 10 throw the bill out altogether. 1.-THE
pen,lemen could propose o. better bill, why
did they not do so. lie did not believe
they could. The committee had spent much
time on the SUBJECTIVE House had full con-
fdcnce in the committee, and in the ability
of its chairman. We have before us as
good bill as the larger colonel of larger
county could give US. 1t did not seem 10
suit the larger colonel, and he was sorry
for it, but he was decidedly opposed to re.
committing The bill.
Mr.. ii. SMITH explained the views OF
the military committee, in proposing the
plan oe a school of instruction, and went
on to show that by the provisions of the bill,
MS compared with the burdens of the pre-
sent system, there would be a saving TO this
state of 100000 annually. He was OPP
posed to the election Of officers, and beg
ged gentlemen not to think of ENGRAVING
such an odious feature in the bill. 1t had
met the expectations Of its friends where it
had been adopted. Ii had been found that
those least qualified were most likely to be
selected, and its effects had been to degrade
the whole system.
Mr.. McCLELLAND again addressed
the House in favor of re-commttal, and
replied 10 his colleague, Mr.. II. Smith
He differed very materially in regard to the
saving which the proposed system would be
to the roople. He contended that instead
of a relief it would nearly double the pre-.
sent tax. History, he said, had been re-
ferred to. He had no objections TO follow
ING up the reference, and he believed gen
tlemen would find that the too great cult
walton of military spirit would be found tc
have produced the downfall Of the anclen
republics. He referred them to the move
of Ricnz. Other states had been alluded
10 as precedents. He could only speak o
such as came within his knowledge. In hi
native state, Pennsylvania, the militia sys
tom had been made complete farce, ant
no respectable citizen could be induced t
accent an Office under it He regards
military rule as species of slavery, an
to place himself under its control unneces
sarily, he considered beneath the dignity q
q freeman. He was for simple enrol
ment in time of peace. 1t had been said
that was the time to prepare for war; bu
that was not preparing for war, it was mere
" bringing military prowess into ridlcule
He doubted not that in time of danger GU
citizens would promptly rally in the defenc
of our country. The gentleman from A
Logan had said that he feared the object wa
DELAY. This he denied it was not an I'll
common thing TO re-con,mit, and It wou
not be difficult or cause much deiey to dro
such bill as is called for by the rcsol'
ton.
Mr.. CAN'T remarked that the bill we
one Of great importance, and entitled to
serious consideration. In his vote on III
subject, he should be governed by the WI
of his constituents, which he believed to
disposition to be relieved from all unn'
cessary military parade. But he felt tn
something must be done to raise the mlIt
ry reputation, and to prevent our militia sy
tenn from falling into still greater disreput
The fear Of trhing tax seemed TO op
rate upon the minds OF gentlemen in the
efforts to defeat the bill but he deemed
important 10 maintain a spirit of chvalr
and he trusted such fears would not ha
the desired effect.
Mr.. LANCASTER said that few mi
-,,,tcs since he had n military idea, and W
about to nflict speech, butt had fled
MIR. J. M. HOWARD had not yet trc
bled the House and hoped to be INDUCED
moment. The proposed bill had becoi
sort of unwieldy machine which he co,
hardly comprehend--could scarcely sec
ginning, middle or end to it. ne dio
profess much military experience
"Thc little knowledge he had gained,
Was from simple nature drained"
lie had little experience in the Tolc
war, sufficient to satisfy him that the Gu
walton of too much military spirit was d.
gcrous to free governmcnts--partlcula
10 the independent state of Monroe.
History had been referred to, he would
ne doubted whether such system as
one hero proposed was ever thought OF
Hannibal, or known at the siege OF Sag
cum, or at Phillippi. He did not like mi
OF the features Of the bill, particularly.
n. 81