Piney Woods planter. (Liberty, Mi. [i.e. Miss.]) 1838-1840, 1839-01-19
fail to reach the State

\ The Report Of the Adiutant Gener-
al is, herewith, misunderstanding the
last year most Of the Regiments have
been organized--onr citizen soldiers
are awakening to the Importance Of
preparing In peace for war. The num-
berFofwoiunteef companies have been
more than doubled, and feel confident
that By the close Of the present year |
will be enabled to have every regi-
ment organized and Offered; in addi-
ton, it is expected that forty volunteer
companies will, by that time, be arm
ed and equipped, ready to march, at
short notice, to whatever point danger
may threaten. ! command these COM
panes to the special consideration of
the Legislature; composed as they are,
Of young and. chivalrous gentlemen,
ready to face any foe and brave any
danger, the country may confidently
rely on them for p election. The APP
pointment of an Inspector General is
respectfully recommended, whose du-
tyit should be, at least once in every
year, to drill the officers Of each regi-
ment. To obtain a competent officer,
liberal salary will be requisite. Hav-
ing reviewed portion offhe regiments
last fall. can safely say, that the en-
tire organization Of the militia is not
impracticablc, and that our citizen SOL
diers are amply able to protect their
homes against the assaults Of any foe,
foreign or domestic. Three hundred
aud fifty muskcts, belonging to the
State, were wrecked in the barque Ell
ly Hand. These guns were purchased
10 the Spring Of 1887, but in conse-
quehce Of the protest Of the check Civ
Eeagin pay ment of them, they we're not
fstapped until July, 1888. Under the
act Of Congress of 1908, arms are an
Inualiy furnishedto the various States
OF the Union. Correct returns Of the
strength Of the Militia Of this State
have been made by the Adjutant Gem
eral to the proper department; and, In
future, a sufficient quantity of arms will
be annually Outlined, from the Gener-
al Government, to furnish ten compa-
MES. In several Of the counties the
regiments are too large, and some of
the brigades could be advantageously
divided. The existing militia LAWS
plain and pegspicuous--frequent chan
ges in the system are always injurious,
and it perhaps would be well to give
the one in force fair trial. Twen-
ty-6ve hundred copies Of the act to
Regulate the Militia have been prin-
ted, and most Of them distributed a.
mong the officers. Books OF discipline
are needed, and cannot readily be OBJ
tanned. During the last fall, represen-
tations were made to the Executive
that the lives Of some four or five indi-
viduals were in great danger--that the
Indians were resolved toTetaliate on
them for killing one of their tribe-that
no organized force in that county exis-
ted, to aid the civil officers in preserv-
ing the peace and enforcing the laws.
Believing that neither. white men or
Indians should be permitted to take
the law in their ownhands and revenge
their supposed wrongs, considered It
my duty to take precautionary mea-
surcs, and be prepared for any contin-
gency. This had the desired effect,
and the pence of the country was pre-.
served.
The Report Of the late State Trea-
surer, j. "A. Van Hoesen, ESQ.,. and or
the present Treasurer, Gen. Silas
Brown, as well as the Report Of the
Auditor Of Public Accounts are here
with transmitted. These documents
will convince you that the annual ex-
penditures far exceed the receipts into
the State Treasury, and that retreuch-
ment-improvement in the collection
ofthe revenue or additional taxation
must be resorted to.
Soon after the appointment Of j. A.
Van Hoescn, as State Treasurer, di,
: rected him to call on the legal repres-
cntatives Of James Phillips, for all the
books, papers and money belonging to
the Office. Hercported to me that he
counted the money in the iron chest
but that the books Of the Treasurer
were not written up, and time was re-
quired to effect that object, and to as
, certain whether all the money, found
in the safe, belonged to the State
! Having been informed that no part o.
: the money found in the safe Of the late
} Treasurer had been pad over to hi,
? successor, felt It my duty to call on