Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-05-08

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sand men only TO undergo training probably ten days
in year, for four years-then TO remain as reserve
for four years lon terand then to be exempt The ef-
sact OF this system would be TO relieve seven-eghths
Of the militia of the United States, thus generating
,t Ieast million and half Of men, from the present
oueros and useless usterngs; and to make ten days
effective training substitute IT with the rest Mr. rom
set makes the maximum OF the number TO be III active
training one hundred Thousand, and these to be called
ont in small bodies near the dcpos OF arms mt conre-
pent seasons for their business and to be paid for the
FIVE DAYS ten DAYS greater length OF time, II cir
cumsanccs required IT, mot exceeding thlrty days dur
ins the whole year, and in ordinary times, probably not
exceeding the first five duysD out of the public Trca
sury.
COMPARE TnE BURDENS THE TWO SYSTEMS
| Harrisons plan would have burdened the nation
with the charge of teaching "ertry andirdnal Of Mc
pr0psr age The gymnastic and elementary part Of edn
ro,oa in one class of schools and the more scientific
part Of war; in "a corps Of military institutions, "hc
cboe EXPENSE of thu establishment Ia be b0rnC by the
puLEr 7rcasuru" What the cost Of this universal
/ military education would amount to, It is impossible
! for US 10 say We think that The pay OF private
would hardly dciay the tuition bill OF each military
scholar I'pon the supposltion that it would take this
sum- the effect would be 10 saddle the Government with
The expense of maintaining all the male minors IN The
country, standing army The outlay would scarcely
be less MIR. Poinsetts scheme is al least free from
this prodigal waste.
Harrison plan in keeping up the militia, "as II noT
crisis for the ordinary duties 81 muster discipline,
would burden all subject TO that duty, throughout the
Union to the expense of arms and accoutrcments mili
liza fines loss Of time &c. All this s done away with
! in MIR. Ponsetts proposition BY mastering the pnr-
tons of militia near arscnals placed in convenient stu
ATOMS Mr.. Ponscu would have the active class of the
militia perfectly armed on parade, without expense TO
l them.
iIarrison.s militia establishment in addition the
old system which he would s heepup consists Of the
JrHion or MIDDLE CLASS, ni 100000 young men, 10 be
trained for month For The pay Of these, he makes
no provision But he submitted, with his report I'VE
use his own words rstimuftS IF he cIpeHScs ~ tram
ina tie officers ard strgcantsof HE militia Of tic tnHed
Suits These eStim0irs are made on a supposed mum.
ber Of hadrcd MonSaRd men, diri6sd equality, as
neariy may be, into t~enty.frS brig@'teS.
| He gives then the detais--for which We have not
room--lipon the supposiion that Congress would al
! low sjW pay; aud he thus up the aggregate
"Estjma,inas the ,rhOle tniSd Suites mlHd AZ a mil
Hoo then Me toai rLpcnse Of trainjmg HE "GccrS If he
militia ar"utI be ndredMOHSand doarS less Than
Lco millions.
The militia is now nearly double The number for
which Harrison estimated. The estimate 10 pay for
training the officers would therefore, be nearly
! fdnr mHIonS'
He, however, submitted another estimate upon the
suppoSilion that Congress would not allow much on
a basis which h" thus gives:
"Tas joo'rine estimate IS mate ." tie ."PPoSition ~
III, :gccrs r'c'ir'"" only h0J mg The rH'm"t' pro-
csrds ho'cercr, mpon snpp"shion h0t cfor IS 10
fecHirr hEs hap thirty doarS per month, a"d he ser.
| groaiS JmH p0g amt rGiionE.
After giving the details he up the cos, Of tram
nM the officers At "u>E MlLLIoS I'VE HrSpEEp AHn
1 sTSE>IN HIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS.
! Mr.. ponsru 5 estimate, which provided TO pay the
man. well rs the officers for their loss Of time when
training, amounted I" a HALT MILLION onl '"
So nnch for the burdens which the Harrison syS-
TEN and that OF the Secretary would impose upon the
Treasury and upon the class in country subject Ia
militia duty.
1 But there Is another point Of comparison which dis
tInguIshrs the political origin of the tw" plans.
i liarrsons plan laid il down fundamental;
THAT the President should in all eases address his
orders Immediately 1" >oML OFFICER "t the militia
and mol 10 the EXECUTIVE Of any State. The CO.
/ VERNON ci'a SUITE is NOT miii,ia oiic,r, BOUND
10 eCcrme The Orders Gtho Pr.Sidem: ho cannot L- tried
Tor dtobcdnce Of orders, and punished by the sentence
j Of Il c0nrt mdrtiai.
ned the black crcka,e on IGarrisonS hat. The whole
oil IT, indeed, from th, tuition in the sch"os-thC puy.
ing the officers under training 10 the exclusion q" tn"
mcn--to that feature which enables the President 10
command, through an officer whom he may punish Tor
dscheGchcc s.y court martial, bears III. impress otic
standing army in which Harrison held his commission
in iii" days of The Alien and Sra,liom laws
Mr. PoI>shlrs plan enables til" Chief Magistrate OF
the nation TO command, through the Chief Magistrate
Of state and in ihi. he discrimnates the Administers
ton which would maintain State Rights from that
which would renew the Federal 1t must not BE-
forgotten thut TlARRIsoS on the Sd of February last
in letter 10 the Louisville Legion, which we cpnb
lished yesterday, referred to his scheme, which we
have here analysed, as one he would urge the
r na,ion.-D
Among The misrepresentation urged in Virginia
in regard TO Mr. foInsetts plan of organizing the MI
l,ia none successful than that which ascrh
ed 10 him The orgnatIon OF the provision that the
militia should arm themselves. A calculation was
made BY cxTreHsuvcr John Campbell 10 prove that II
would impose tax of many millions on the people
he ola "
question was in the militia law il exists and
has existed from the foundation of the Government
The rcqusltio that every freeman should furnish him.
self with arms, made duty under the general
militia las by the fathers Of our Government, TO con.
radisngnish Il from monarchca Governments, in
which 1t is made offence in the people 10 procure
arms nrthemsclvcs, unless qualified to enjoy that pr
vicee hv particular statute. The law was intended to
inculcalc the principle mol only that every man should
have the right 10 bear arms, but that it his duty
to prepare defend himself md his country from
wrong and oppression, That this early law has
had sautary effect, there IS no doubt. Hundreds
Of thousands OF our cUuntrymsE have frelncks IN
their houses who hut for the law would be with
on, them; and il has established BY statute, and
confirmed by habit the principle that arms belong
: 10 i!eemen a part of their political b!rthright
They held sacred 10 be touched BY execution
for debt, while his person itself may be taken No tu
ture legislation wall ever venture to take weapons OF de
fence out Of The hands OF the people OF tins county,
The attempt would lead instant revolt against the
Government. The law devised by Washington
and the sage' Of Revolution, for the express purpose
of guarding agains, insidious legislation, which might
here has done else where dsarm the people under
precXts Of game laws other devices, and leave them
unprotected against the armed soldery which rulers
might cnnirve TO draw around them to give law TO The
country. The execution OF this provision of the law
has, however, been left very much 10 the OF duty
which lis language nprcsscs. II has not been enforced
by penalties with any striclness. No man has ever
been muster ground without seeing cunsidcra
mixture of walking sticks and cornstahs among the
rifles and lowling pieces. Nevertheless, Mr. Ponset
respected the old aw for lis political bearing and It's par
tla benefits IN aming The country In hls plan, there
FORE he proposed to let IL stand but, nj the same time
TO make that these portions OF the militia, called
out for active training, should have muSkc,s in inc
der, and without expense 10 themselves, he provided
III his scheme, ioT depos Of at convenient points
for the assembling the corps oi militia, that all might
be inlly accoured for parade o the public arsenals
Besides the relief tins would afford TO citizens in
gard I" cqu pmeni this plan has another recommends
ton, IN keeping every ncIgborhood stores of public