Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-06-12

selves or their country Already, in number Of The
states The system has sunk under the weight of pub
nc OPINION and the practical question noc is aehse,
ace shall remain fact dctcnccicss or resort 10 Joyg
standing military force IN time Of peace-Mat lust
dread Of all free Gorcrnments: ADAPT an efficient vIau
'ohich r prepare for the yubiic offence tie grtai,s
force az the least cost, and acithoat dangcr The bless
ings have inherited cannot be preserved whop, e
erton nor without expense Ii were idle to sit still and
Halter ourselves with the hope that war is never 10
take US, and would be to delay all efficient or
ganizallon of our physical means till the time for il
active employment arrives. Nearly fifty wears have
elapsed since the adoption of the present Constitution
DUNG all that time no essential changes have been
made in our militia system, and it has gradually dc.
clned in utility and efficiency, and in public conf.
dence and there is reason TO fear its entire abandon.
ment, unless II undergo important notifications In
this long interval, the value of the system seems Ia
have been appreciated by all the Presidents of the
United States, we'll those who from the habits
OF their lives could best estimate its value bv their
personal observations, by those whose opinions NAV
have been well formed from the of events hav.
ing relation to this NATTER and in their annual commu.
nicatons, commencing with the Inaugural Address OF
General Washington, this subject has been almost con.
stantly pressed upon the attention of Congress For
the purpose of showing its importance in the opinion
of those eminent citizens, have caused their commu.
nIcatons 10 be examined, and find that the subject has
been presented to the legislature and the nation no less
Man Mirty-0nc times IN their oficiql recommendations
indulge the hope that the present state of public af
fairs may lead to examination Of the system and to
such changes as may render it permanently useful"
My plan eXempts the very young men from militia
duty, and in this respect comedies with that proposed
by General Scott, and recommended by MIR. Barbour
not ONLY because agree with them, that such dstri
button oi service Is an improper and unnecessary
reference with parents and guardians, and has an i'm
moral tendency, but from the hardship it imposes and
the difficulty it creates of bringing together even
small body of in sparscly settled districts 1t in
eludes all free white men, from the age of from go to
81 separating from the mass OF the militia 100000 men
one half Of the number to be liable to be called out
for training, and the other half to be liable to military
duty reserve, if their services should be needed
the militia mustered for training, to be assembled in
The neIghborhood of depos of to be established
for the purpose each ba talon within its State
and as nearly practicable in the centre of its dis
trct 1t recommends the battalion formation, as con-
tcssedy that best adapted for instruction 1t contem
plates arning the militia thus selected with arms TO
be furnished and kept constantly in good order by the
in force the LIST section of the law
OF 1872 both because preceding plan proposed its
peal and because the act which provides for the dsribu
ton OF arms among the several States in proportion TO the
number of their militia enables them relieve their ct
zens IN very great degree from the burden of furnish
ing their own arms and equipments That section OF the
old law is in these words: 'rhat every citizen en-
rolled and notified, shall, within months thereafter
provide himself with good musket irelcck, sui.
hcent bayonet and belt, two spare tlints, and KNAPP
sack, pouch with box therein 10 contain not less
than "A cartridges suited to tho bore of his musket
reock, each cartridge TO contain proper quantity OF
powder and ball; with good rifle, kTapsack, shot
pouch and powder horn, 90 balls suited to the bore OF
his rifle, quarter of pound of POWDER and shall APP
pear so armed, accoutred and provided when called
out to exercise into servce-exccpt that when called
out on company days 10 exercise only, he may appear
without knapSack. That the commissioned officers
SHALL severally, be armed with sword hanger, and
espOntoou and that from and after five years from the
passing of this act, all musketS for Grming the militia,
herein required, shall be of bores sufficient for balls
Of the eighteenth part of pound And every citizen
SO enrolled and providing himself with arms, ammunI-
ton and accoutrements required aforesaid shall hold
the exempt from all SUITS disresscs, executions,
or sales for debt or for the payment of takes This
ton of the act was approved by Gen Washington in
1922 by Mr.. Jefferson, upon revision of this law in
1903, and has continued in force to this day.
The Constitution guarantees equally TO tie pcople Of
the United States the right Of trial by jury and Tie right
to keep and bear arms; and lest the people should
elect to exercise these ineslimablc privileges on
which their liberties individuals and nation, a
great depend, the law has from the
ment Of the government provided that they shall do
their duty to themselves, and TO their country in these
essential particulars. The General Government aids
the States 10 their citizens; but its constant policy
has been, that every freeman in America should be
armed and equipped in order that he may at all times
be prepared defend his country and his liberty.
My plan proposes to train the officers and men to-
geher; whereas predecessors appear to be OF OPT
Mon that is sufficient to have camps of instruction
for officers have considered this question anxiousy
and convinced that the men who TO stand shout
der to shoulder in the hour Of battle should be trained
together in time of peace; and equally satisfied that
those who to defend the forts and fight the great
guns must be assembled in the casemates and OH the
ramparS, and taught to load those guns quickly and
fire them accurately.
The Committee of the House of Representatives OF
the i4th Congress, of which General Harrison was
Chairman, appear TO have been of the same opinion;
but differ III the manner of remunerating the ser
vices of the mta--that committee proposing 10 pay
the officers alone, while my plan contemplates paying
prvates we'll officers; it having appeared TO me
that the latter equally entitled 10 be rcmunerated
for their services, as those who commanded them.
My plan recommends the division of the whole ter
rtory Of the L. S. into military Districts arrange
ment which will be acknowledged by every person
quaned with the subject 10 be extremely useful 10 the
service in time of peace, and absolutely necessary IN
1t proposes succession in the militia companies Sc
ected for training, that fourth part might every
year impar 10 the body of the people portion OF the
discipline and skill acquired during the period of ser
vice. and Fourth be received for training fresh from
the people, thus Keeping up the trained bands tlt
popular principle. 1t con,cnplatcs the previous legs
aton of the States before its provisions are to be car
ricd into effect, except in where citizens nigh
volunteer their services.
In proposing to subject the militia when called out
BY the President, to the rules and articles of war,
have done than leave the law it stands
Such provision has been found necessary to ensure
proper subordination in the field, by all officers who
have commanded militia, and BY of them was thu
necessity felt and more frequently acknowledged thar
by General Washington and General Jackson.
| have cndeavored to answer your enquiries IN tn,
spirit of ankness in which they are made, and believe
that it will be apparent, from this brief recaptuaton
the repeated and urgent recommendations made L
Congress by Mr. Van Burens predecessors, and OF TIN
plans for the perfect organization OF the ltita
proposed by former Secretaries OF War, by Commit
tees of Congress, and by experienced officers OF TIT
army and militia of the United States that the propo
sition under consideration, far from being new II
principle corresponds in its most essential provisions
with those recommended by Washington, Jefferson
| Madison, Monroe and Jackson, and IS certainly no
less liberal and democratic Those Illustrous men ant
enlightened patriots expressly state, that they rcgar'
the more perfect organization of the militia by training
a given number Of them with superior care, as afford
ing the only means of AVOIDING THE NECESSITY Of
KEEPING OF FOOT 4 LARGE STANDING Army.
| They all nculcatc the propriety OF relieving TN
great mass of the militia from the onerous burlhen
| frequent mastering, and recommend the classification
of II So as 10 coninc the duty of training to defend TIT