Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-05-21
THURSDAY MORNING., MAY 81, $40.

knowledged by the whole world, that Mr..
Adams scheme was to raise Standing
Army.
"Mr. r. wished the report ofshe Secrs.
tary OF War in the hands Of every man
in the United States. He called atten.
ton to the peculiar phrsseology used
therein. The Secretary speaks Of the
militia OF the United States. when the mi
ltia Of the States is the language of the
Federal Constitution. The militia belong
to the States, said Mr.. r. They are the
very shield and badge ofState sovereign
ty, and they never can safely sunder their
control except in time ofwar. They be.
long exclusively to the States in time Of
peace, and the Federal Executive has no
authority over them, except when they
are called into the service Of the United
States, in the three cases specified in the
Constitution. But the President, in the
new plan of the Secretary, proposes to
strip the States Of the authority to train
the militia. They are TO be taken into
the service of the United States, when he
becomes the commander-in-chief and they
are TO be subject to his orders and drec-
tons. A more dangerous and daring
project, Mr.. r.. again asserted, had never
been proposed. What is TO be the effect !
Is it not perceived that State sovereignty
and State jurisdictions are wholly dlsre.
garded? The whole country is to be laid
off in military districts-into military de
visions--after tho order Of Oliver Crom.
well, and the Virginia militia will be SUBJ
jeci to be called off to Maryland, De-
laware, or TO the District of Columbia, to
be under the command of the officers OF
the regular standing army. 1t is against
this monster of military usurpaton, said
Mr.. e., which every freeman in the land
should raise his voice. But, said he, |
have not yet exposed all its horrid fea.
lures. This force was first to be raised
by recruit, now il is TO be done by draft.
And suppose any should refuse to obey
suppose there should be any refractory
conscrpts-how is It proposed to enforce
obedience The Marshal Of the United
States is armed with authority TO enforce
compliance. Fines are imposed, and il
they are not promptly paid, the Marshal
is clothed with the power TO levy upon
the goods and chattels of the delinquent,
and forthwith expose them to sale. But
should he have no goods and chattcls, he
is 10 be seized and thrown into Jail. This
is the system of confiscation and impris-
onment recommended by our Democratic,
Republican, States Rights, President
Docs such recommendation, asked Mr..
r., smack Of the spirit of Liberty Is
not Mr.. Van Buren, treadng, 10 this res
pect, precisely in the footsteps OF the old
Black Cockade Federal Administration of
the elder Adams
"Mr. Rives examined the assertion, now
going the rounds of the Administration
press, that Washington, Jefferson and
Madison, had recommended such mill
tary monster as this. He fatty denied
it, and said that they merely proposed 10
class the militia into junior and senior
divisions, and that drafts should be made
first on one class, and then on the other
but they never did maintain that the mi
ltia could be carried out of their respec-
tive States, TO be trained under the autho-
rity of tho President. Such plan had
ever been resisted and reported against
by such men as Smith, Macon, Clay, and
by all the prominent Republicans of the
country"
Intimately connected with this subject,
is the following
Extract from the Address ofhe General
Assembly 10 the People Of Virginia, d.
ted January a, l776:
"a lover of monarchy, who opens the
treasury OF corruption, by distributing e.
molument among devoted partizans, may
at the same time be approaching his OBJ.
ject, and deluding the people with profess
sions of Republicanism. He may con.
found monarchy and repubicanism, by
the art Of definition. He may varnish
over the dexterity which ambition never
fails to display, with the pliancy Of Ian.
guage, the seduction of expectancy, or
the prejudices Of the times. And he may
come at length to avow. that so exten'
sve territory as that of the U. States.
can only be governed by the energies OF
monarchy that it cannot be defended,
except by standing armies and that it
cannot be united, except by consolidaA
ton.
measures have already been adopted,
which may lead to these consequences.
They consist
Gin fiscal systems and arrangements,
which keep an host of commercial and
wealthy individuals, embodied and obedl.
ent, to the mandates of the Treasury.
ain Armies aud navies, which will on the
one hand, enlist the tendency of man, 10
pay homage TO his fellow.creature who
can feed or honor him and on the cher,
employ the principle Of fear, by punish
ing imaginary instructions, under the
pretext Of preventive justice.