Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1840-06-11


TILE STANDING ARNY-rhe L. :. S.nae I
Commits go the Nlliia. va their recent rcrsrt on
Mr.. Poins,us plan Tor urganiziag the militia. have
thought proper TO set aside tue farther CostsiJeut Ou 4
the pr,Ject. In the Glnbc OF Saturday W tnI an ar
uce. Ihe dcsisn OF which Is 10 show that although the
Senate "wiscly inclines To leave the matter free from
further legislation GA the part Ot Congress yet that
Mr. puinseus plan Is the least Objectionable or any :, =
TEN ot OrganiLst'on proposed SINCE the foundation ot
ne governments We have hitherto said nothing on
,he subject OF this projected organ,ziuou-ead our r-a-
sou Was that we believed the measure carried its own
condemnation on the very bce of 1t. A. the proIo-
sal. although rejected still mus; stand as an ledicstiOn
of what the party IA power rOaLd ID. Il may nei b. too
late nov to turn briefly 10 the subject.
Let US see whsI are the prominent features of this
bull. The authors Of Il shall speak IA their own wOnds.
IN the Re, tci OF the S-crctry OF War. made nj the
commencement OF the present session ci Congress.
the plan Is first sketched out-1'plan which the
President declared he could not commend loo highly.
The Secretary says.
at is proposed Ia divide the United States into ;
Military DISTRICTS. and t organize the militia m each
District 50 az 10 haze "A holy of IL 800 men ~ each
District a. dciiUs S,rrDc, and ano'hct II equal mum
Der rs a reserve.
Tins would give an armed militia force Of 200. 900
men. - drilled and stationed as to be- ready 10 take
th,ir place ia their ranks II, defence OF their country.
whenever called upon To oppo-e the enemy and re-
pei the invader. The age Of the recruit to be .frpm
20 To 81 the whole term oi service To be eight years
Il years in the first class aud 4 IN the reserve. One
fourth part 25.ceO men, To- leave service every year.
passiRy at the conclusion OF the first term into the re-.
serve, and exempted from ordinary tffhtia duty alto
rether AT the end of the second Ia thus manner %
OOO men will be discharged from ordinary miliIia du.
~ eveay year, and $4,000 fresh recruits b. received
into the service"
Upon the outlines Of plan thus suggested by the Sec.
rotary. the Bill including all details and particular
was subsequently drafted. One section OF this Bill
provides -
THAT every man in the militia roll above the age
of ~ and under IS. shall provide, nthis own expense,
with = good musket, bore Of capacity to ~eceive a lead
ball oils IN the pound a sufficient bayonei and belt,
two spare nints a ~knarsack; ca ridge bow o contain al
least 81 cartridges suited To the bore oi his inusket. an,
each cartridge la contain a ball and three buck shot
and a sufficient quantity OF powder; OF with a good RI
10, knapsack. shat pouch and powder horn or flask
with sufficient Towder aud ball fr % charges, and
two spare hints and that he shall appear So armed
{ accounted aud provided, when called oui tor eIereis,
or INTO service. And every citizen So enrolled ana
providing himself with armS, nwnuniIiUn and accaun
iremenis required as aforesaid, shalt hold The same eN
emptcd from all debts, dIstrcsscs or executions or sal,
for debts, on for payment for taxes
So much for the organization, upon which we nee,
. not dwell farther at present. Two hundred Ihousau,
p men are thus enlsted-one hundred thousand IN acnt
SorUice-ihe other portion constituting n reserve. A
whose disposal are these. forces To Toe plnccd1 VIII
Is 10 direct their Movements Upon what occasion
r may they be ordered to march lGnd whittier 4 spc
4 cial section Ofihe Bill provides Tor all these matters
1t onacts;
!, Ia, That the President Of the United States be M
4 thorized To call forth and assemble such numbers Il
, the active force oimiliiia AT such piaoFsiE theIr rcspeC
. tive Districts. at such tunes. not exceeding twice 40
4 days IN the year, rs he may deem necessary an,
"a during ,uch period. including tLe time when gong .
r. and, returning from the place of rendezvous. they shaI
4 he deemed IN the service uf the United States, aud b
4, subject To such to such regulations as Ihe PIesder
. may think proper To adoII for their instruction.. disc
a pline and improvement. ia military knowledge. 49,
Q The Constitutt n declares that the President shaI
n be authorized 10 call out the militia only when Their
. ~ occasion for their and 10 execute the laws, to SUI
. press Instructions, and Ia repel myaSions. This new
This new amy bl' empowers the President To cal
+ them out twice a year for a perind not designated. whe
= ;her any Of the above named exigeacics exist or not
they may be marched away To a remote part Of ia,
drsiuct-ihey Will be deemed. during such time. 4
he IN the service Oi The United States, aud subject Il
such regulations ms the President may think proper
, The District ii which Maryland would form a part. in
cludes, besides our own Stale, the States of Delaware
Virginia anc the district OF Columbia. To any Ioin
, within the limits thus indicated the militia of ihi
/, State may Tbe ordered. While thus in service IN,
troops would be subject Ia martial law, and any nn,
r for disobedience Ofordcrs, would be liable. Co immedl
ate execution.
IL Is NJ lie noted that in the organization Of The mil
la under the system each man Is required To cgui
himself at his own expense. lie must provide hum
self with a musket or rice-a sufficient store of ammu.
Triton, and all the necessary accoutremenIs-and al
out of@,Is own means. Now in the way of a tax only
the system, 'vodid De- an odioUs one hat this conside
ralinn SINKS iaio utter Insigniicanco when the othe
features of the Inonsirous device are regarded. /
would be a grievance 10 have the expense Of eouip
Heni imposed upon us but when IN addition To this
the people are called upon To equip themselves 1,
serve not their country, bat tho President-ihen iher,
IS something ninFo than complaint ~ be INDUCED. In
d'gRation is more suitable.