Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1840-07-02

1 in some degree, The military knowledge and
skill OF regular soldiers, they will be alike 10
protect their country from foreign foe, and 10
guard Its liberties from any danger that may
|threatenthe
appears to me that the organization now
proposed will prevent the necessity OF main.
tanning large standing armies, even in time Of
war The militia, properly drilled and in
structed, will be thereby rendered perfectly eff.
hcient, and capable Of defending the forts a.
long our maritime frontier, which in the ab.
Isence Of such an organization, would require a
regular army Of fifty thousand men. AT pres
ent, the militia cannot be rendered immediate.
| y available against a surprise; whereas, un.
der the proposed organization, tty1y would re,
pair TO their stations atthe first alarm, and
would be efficient soldiers when there. In case
iof war, those stations would become perma-
nent, and arrangements might easily be made
SO as to render the service as little burden
some as possible to the artisan and the me-.
chanic
Every precaution has been taken to avoid
Jail interference with the rights Of the States,
or TO lessen their means of defence. The
militia will be called out in the manner at pre-.
sent provided for by law, and no change is con.
Itempiated in the mode of offering the several
corps of which the active class will be compo-
Ised.
1t will not abstract single man from the
defence of.the State where he resides, nor sep
crate him from the class Of citizens to which
he belongs. twill, on the contrary, strengthen
the defences of each State, by furnishing it
with a well,organized and wel-disciplined
toll r.o. D. oaJ
|ofthe People equally interested with their fell
low citizens in the preservation Of free institu
Itions, and ready at all times to guard the ter
ritory and the liberty of their country. Nei-
Their does it interfere, in any manner, with the
rights of the States to train their
own militia according to the discipline prescri-
bed by Congress, because the active militia will
be employed by the President during the period
they are preparing for warlike services in gar
rison and in the field. And while the States
have all the advantages which may result
from well-organized and disciplined militia,
they will at the same time, be exempt from the
losses, and expenses, and evils which follow
necessarily, from the assemblage OF large mu.
titudes for merely nominal military inslruc-
tion. 1t is TO be considered, also, that por-
ton of the militia are provided with opportuni-
ties Tor the attainment ofthe essentials of mill
I.ary knowledge; and at the same time that they
relieve the remainder from an onerous and
useless burden, they themselves will not be
oppressed by an undue amount of military ser.
vice being required ofthem; but on the contra
ny, by comparing the time which under the
present system, is devoted to that object, il will
be found that there is but very little additional
service, if any required, and for that time they
will be sufficiently compensated. The COM
pensation contemplated is adequate under
good administration of the laws proposed,
whcha are to be made uniform in their applica-
ton, by regulations to be issued by the Presi-
dent, SO as to prevent any expense to the citi-
zen who is thus called out; though it may not
rise, in amount, 10 the sum which his pursuits
in social life might afford. The total amount
outfor exercise will be triAng, when compared
with the loss Of time experienced by our fell
low citizens under thepresent imperfect organ
ization, and Of the serious evils to which the
youth OF the country are exposed by the fire.
quent attempts now made to mpart 10 them a
a very imperfect knowledge Of the duties Of
the soldier. The suboined plan will, it is be-
lieyed, tend to diminish, If not entirely remove
such evils, and will also, bysengenderlng an
esprit du corps throughout the militia ofthe sew
eral districts, elevate in the mind of every one
the character ofthe duties which he is required
10 perform, and thus make more certain the
results which are hoped for by this system oil
military precaution and defence. In preparing
the details Of the proposed Sre-of Organization Of
the military ofthe United States, i have been
governed by an earnest desire to place the
country in an attitude OF defence, and, at the
same time to secure il from the necessity of
maintaining at any period a large standing
army; to render the militia effective, without
withdrawing too largea number Of our fellow
citizens fromtheir occupations at any one time;
and TO difTuse throughout the community gem
orally some knowledge of Military service,
without taxing .se Treasury too heavily. al
this, ii appears to me, will be effected by drill-
ling, during four years, one hundred thousand
men, for period not exceedi0gthirty nor less
than. ten days in each and every year, al such
times as may least interfere with their ordina.
ny occupations; and for an equal term, keep
ing that force 50 organized thatt may serve
as reserve, ready toacl in cdscsof.. emergency !;
doing in the meanwhile, ordinary militia duty,
such as is now required by law in the several
States The expenses ofthe system, which il
carried ous, would place the United States lnI
an impregnable slate Of defence will not exl
coed ST. 1855, O83 yearly, 1.-THE maximum num>A
Der Of days for drill be adopted BY Congress; 81
and, as it is believed that ten daysin each and
every year will prove suAicent,ihe annual ex-
- hx<r ,if.fNf.