, 1840-09-05

Federal Government, near the places where
the militia are to muster for training; but,
like all his predecessors, he proposes to leave
in force the present law, which makes it the
duty o. every enr ,lled citizen to be constantly
provided with arms, accoutrements, and am.
munition, at his own expense. This law, it
will be remembered, was passed under the
administration of Gen. Washington, and
was re-enac,cd under that of Mr.. Jefferson.
Regarded as an indication of The principles
Of our Government, which confides the pro-
lection of the liberties Of the country aud
the maintenance Of public order to the hands
Of the free citizens of the Republic, it was
honorable to our legislation, and stands in
beautiful contrast with the Institutions of
other countries by which the people, SO far
from being Compelled to have arms, are de-
MED the right TO possess them, and deprived
Of their use. But the utter ineficiency of
the provision Of the law, 10 induce the peo-
Pile to arm themselves properly, has been full
ly demonstrated. sit is vain to expect"
says Governor Cass in the Report before CT
ted, :. that the whole male adul, population Of
the country can, or will, furnisl, themselves
with the articles required by law" Whe,h-
era military pride Is excited, as is the Case
with volunteer associations, the law is obey
ed; but it Cannot, ii aPperS to me, be carried
into execution with the mass Of the militia,
without Il more rigorous exercise of authuri-
" on the part Of the Government that con.
sislent with the spirit of our iaStitutionS.-
Mr.. Polnsell'S plan proposed To establish
depuis of arms in the several States at the
pubic expense, to be used when training, or
in actual service, by The militia selected fr
DUTY; and us 1t was not contemplated 10
muster the rest of the militia Err decipline,
1t will, in my Judgment, be well worthy Of
serious consideration, whether a repeal of
the provision of the law which requires the
militia 10 arm. themselves at their ow1 expnse;
leaving it at their option TO be so provided
or not; and the distribution Of arms tn the
full extent that may be necessary IL supply
The militia when called into service, ought
not 10 constitute Il part oi any plan for the
reorganrz itInn at the militia. by which a por.
tipn of Them are to be instructed a, The expense
oI the resi-. The inclination Of my
anini would be decidedly IN favor of such n
ourse. the light, in which the existing law
requiring all who are enrolled 10 arm them.
selves. is regarded, my he gathered from
the fact, that, men III g,od Standing and sup
posed intelligence IN The country, have either
been so ignorant OF its existence themselves
or have counted So largely on the ignorance
of their iellow-citIzenS, US 10 charge Mr..
Poinselt with IN attempt To originate the
measure, when, in trutI, he only transferred
II To his plan from the statute cook, where
IL had stood ioriy-seven years.
D., z,,c Al La. .t,.o. ,.L.~L
beset this subject lie deeper than this. You
have seen lhlt the committee Of cong ess
have rep rrtrd against 4 reorganization Of
the militia upon the principle of classification,
and that ihey have teen virtually sustained
!, their objections by their respective houses.
You nave seen also. that plans embracing the
same principle have been recommended IN
vain Tor the last half century by Washington,
Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and Jackson-
men, who have always commended the re-
spect of congress-, and Whose. measures sci.
dom fail To receive its support. This may
be IN piIr accounted for by the Just repug-
nance of the American people to standing
military force, which unavoidably extends
itself to a large and protracted encampme MS,
even of the militia. But the principal diff
Gully ilis uui'uotSuiy "i'''h Jul " thC Ii''
visions OF tine federal constitution, relating to
this subject. BY that instrument, the power
Ia train The militia is reserved TO the States.
To reduce the number Ia he relied upon for
active service by classification might easily
he done, because the right to organize is CIV
en- to congress by the constitutions; but the
desired efficiency would no, be secured, I'M
less that number were better trained, and TO
tina. end it is requisite that they should be
kept together for longer periods oil time than
is now practised. 70 do this without mani
fest injustice, provision must be made for
their payment. Nor is it believed, that they
would. in general, be properly instructed and
diciplined, unless they are called out and re.
ceived into lie Seruice of the United States.
If this can be constiiutionally done, the ply
menis may lie made out of the National
Treasury. But the constitution authorizes
The Federal government TO call the Militia
into service in only three enumerated cases,
viz: to erecute the laps Of tn Union, sup
pressed insurreciion, and repel inuasion. No.
only is the authority to assemble them for
training not granted to congress, hut it is ex-