The Yazoo City Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 183?-1840, 1840-05-01

W Il. VAN BUREN'S PROPOSED ARMY.
Shaving referred to proposition of the
Secretary of War 70 raise an army of 2OO,-
600 men, one-half to be in "active service''
and to be in the pay of the United States,
many persons have been 60 much startled
by the allusioh, that we have received seVe-
raj requests to bring our whole proposition
TO the particular motive of our readers.
AS intimately connected with the subject
of "National Defences,' Of which Mr.. Poin.
sett treats, "tle organization Of volunteer
corps in the immediate vicinity of the forts.''
is urged upon Congress. The Secretary
thinks to render the United States Army
efficient, and preserve its discipline, it must
be kept together in masses, and the garri:
son duty performed by small detachments,
aided in case of need by neighboring mill
tia" A plan for this purpose was submit
ted to Congress in 1887, but not acted upon
and as it was desired that plan for the or
gahizatIoh of the militia of the United
States, should eInanate from the War De-
partment, Mr.. Poinsett submitted the foil
owing prospect, confident that it would Gen
sure the prompt and efficient application of
the national force to the national defence.
1t is as follows:
at is proposed to divide the United States
into eight military districts, to organize the
militia in each district, so as to have a body
of twelve thousand; FIVE hundred men in ac-
tual service; and another equal number as a
reserve. This would give an armed Militia
force of two hundred thousand men, so drill
led and stationed as to be ready 10 take
their places in the ranks, ID defence of the
whenever called upon to oppose
the enemy or repel the invader The age
of the recruit to be from twenty to thirty
seven. The whole term Of service to be
eight years; four years in the first class, and
four in the reserve. One-fourth part, TWEEN
ty-fVe thousand TO leave the service every
year, passing al the conclusion of the first
term, into the reserve, and exempted from
the ordinary militia duty altogether, at the
End Of the second. In this manner, twenty
five thousand men will be discharged from
militia duty every yea5and twenty-five thou.
sand fresh recruits be received in the SER
rice. 1t will be sufficient for all useful pur,
POSES that the remainder Of the militia, I'M
Ter certain regulations provided for their
government, be enrolled and be mustered
It long and stated intervals; for In Ode pro-
;ess Of time nearly the whole mass of the
militia will pass through the first and second
;lasses, and be either members of the ac-
i've corps or the reserve; or counted among
he exempts, who will be liable to be called
lpon in periods of invasion or immediate
Deril.. The manner of enrolment, the mum.
Ter of days of service. and rate of compen-
alton ought to be defined by law, but the de-
ais had better be left subject TO regulation
plan of which, am prepared to submit 10
,ou.n
This extraordinary proposition should re-
;eive the attention of the American people
lit should be looked TO by the public press,
or if ii is not a scheme TO establish to all
ntents and purposes, a stdndiag army, then
We confess oursef unable to comprehend
What is meant by "recruiting," Gaining and
aying," and ''stationing'' 100000 men "tO
e kept in active service. ~ IadisoRian.