Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-06-19

every citizen 81 enrolled and noned snail, Wlthln 81
months thereafter, provide himself with good mus
ke or hrc0ch sufficient bavonet and belt two spar
ttints, and knGpsGCk; pouch. with box therein,
contain not lass than twentytour cartridges, suite
10 the bore Of his muskct, clock, each cartridge L
contain proper quantity of powder and BALI or, witt
Il good ri", kGapSack shot pouch and po"der.horn
twenty balls suited the bore OF his rifle, and quar-
Ter OF poundot powder and shall appear so armed,
cou,rcd, and provided, when called out to exercise,
INTO service, except that when called out on company
days to EXERCISE only, he may appear without KNAPP
sack. That the commissioned officers SHALL sevcra!!y
be armed with a sword hanger, and eSpontocn. AND
that, from and after five years from the passing of Thu
act, all nuskets for armlng the militia, rs herein
CURED shall be OF bores sufficient for balls of the
eighteenth part OF pound And every citizen en-.
| rolled, and providing himself with the arms ammun-
ton, and accoutrementS, required aforesaid, shall
hold the same exempted from all suits, dIstresscs
cutons or sales for neb for the payment Of taxes
"SEC. Ind be further cnactcd, That, out of the
militia enrolled, herein directed, there shall be
formed for each battalion, at least company Of er-
adcrs light infantry, or ritlemcn and that, 10 each
DIVISION there shall be nj least company Of are-
~ and troop Of horse There shall be to each rompa.
ny Of artillery captain; two leuen.ants,
gcants four corporals SIX gnnners, SIX bombardcrs
drummer and filcr. The officers to be armed with
sword or hanger, fuXee bayonct and belt, with
fridge to conln twelve cartridges and each private
or Inatross shall furnish himself with all the equip.
/ meats Of private III the infantry, until proper
/ ordnance and field artillery is provided. There sIal!
be to each troop of horse captain, two leutc-
nanS, corHrt tour scrgcantS four corgUraiS,
saddrr, .arrirr, and trumpctcr The commits
stoned officers 10 furnish themselves with good horses,
of least fourteen hands and a half high and 10 be
armed with Sword and pair Of PISTOLS the holsters of
which TO be covered with bcarSkiu caps each a1oon
to furnish himself with Il scryccablc horse at least
fourteen hands and half high, good saddle, birdie,
mail! plon, aud yalise, holsters, and brcaStpatc and
I T. d s;l.
brc, and cart0ucl.bOX 10 contain twelve cartridges
for pistols. That each company of artillery aud troop
Of horse shall be formed of volunteers from the brigade,
al the discretion OF the commander OF the State,
not exceeding one company of each to regiment nor
in number than oneceven;h part of the infantry,
and shall he uniformly clothed III rcgmenals, 10 he
furnished AT their own expense; the color and fashion
10 be determined by The brrlGcr commanding the br.
gadc to which they belong"
It will be perceived there are many striking analo-
gcS between the plan 81 General Knox, including the
sections of the act of May ;, 1852, inst quoted, and
that of the present Secretary Of War, under
sldcraton and that the plan of the latter entire
~ original new. The former proposed enrolling
the militia for different degrees OF duty, and dividing
them into three distinct classes TO be called the cad
vanccd corps" The "man corps and the "rcscrvc
corps: the latter also proposes three distinct casSCS
the "iirst class 10 'bc dcnomlnaed the of the
militia the sssccond class Ia abe denomna'cd the
active movable force and "hird class 10 '.bc
Again the 'a,!vancci corps Of General Knox cor
respond in all material respects with tic active or
movable force OF the present Secretary OF War, 50
Ear duties to be performed. II proposed by
the former that IL" ''advancod corps, consisting Of
thc voutl of eighteen and nineteen, should be dsci
plincd for Niriy tugs SvcrsSSiriy III each year and
those Of lweutY wears should be disciplined only for
ten days in each year. which should be the Inst ten
days 81 the annual rncampmcnt. The present Sccrc
1ry proposes that the 'act'vc force Of the militia may
be called forth at such places within their respective
districts and at such times, exceeding twice,
Tcxcccdngl days in the same year (eav!Gg Con-
gress designate the length of tmcl, 'ior their in
~'ructon, discipline, and improvement in military
knowledge.
Among tho principal points Of difference in the two
plans projeS. 1t may be- remarked that Gen. Knox
tern 0d Eliy paars w!G tie present Secretary pro
poses 10 erO oa'U LioSc jc-ecn hf ARES Of h"cay mt
fart, fire.. Again under the plan of Gen. Knox. ''thc
mar GtrcyS and prvatcs were not TO re-
ccyr any pay during the said time of their discipline
but the commissioned officers were 20 rcc"rc the pay
Of their relative ranks agrceably TO the Federal cSa
blishincnt Tor The time being The present Secretary
prpposrs 10 rive all those called ont for discipline,
GLIDING mon commissioned officers, musicians, ar-
GERS, and prvates. the pay and ratlons OF the 'oi
GERS musicians atIccrs, and prvates of the infantry
Of the L. s." Another point of difference between
the law of s@2 and that proposed by the present Sc
cretary is that, under the former, crrry cti:cn be-
tween eighteen and !oriy-fve years OF age, subject
10 militia DUTY is required 10 ''prov'dc himself with
rood muSkct or ii:cock sufficient ba %one and belt
two spare ;i,ns. and knapsack, pouch, with box
therein 10 contain not Joss twentyiour cartridges
suited 10 the bore Of his muskct irg!ock Ne; 'or
with good ride, and corresponding equipments. The
present Secretary o. War proposes Tor enactment, THAT
ever citizen dEiv enrolled III the militia, shall he con
s,apiIv provided with arms, accoutremcntS and am
muntion, &c. but, in his letter 70 the Chairman Of
The Committee on the Militia of The House Of Repre-
Ia, . i, "a trlS
tho active class, atMry are 10 tr armsi md equip
Dcg IT lie E1hic r1peaSc 'rd! - pHid far their
r;rrs In llc communication alluded to- and doubtless
with a view to obviatc all constitutional objections the
Secretary speaks Of his purpose to apply to the States
to place nv law their coatingcnts at the disposition Of
the General Government, for period o not than
thirty days Of every year. for the purpose Of their bcr%
trained IN conjunction with regular troops, and hy ~
,cran officers" Contemplating tn" necessity of ,hS
assent he adds: at is not probable that this co.opera
ton viii be withheld by any State, when the advam-
tarcs arc presented to it of possessing body OF veil
orran zrd wc.armcd, and wc!l.discipncd militia,
withou. any expense, either TO the States or to The c.
t2cns thereof and when they made aware that -
The intcmtion Of Tie Gorramcn 10 assemble such m'iha
n coarncnt paints, rcitha coch Satc, and "a NE r,f-
niiy 0t dyolS n Grms, which II IS proposed TO establish
rs part of the system.
Notwithstanding The passage Of the act OF l1!r2, to
proydc for the national defence by establishing an uni
form militia throughout the T. $, and though IT'S pro-
visions have been thought by many TO impose indydu-
al burdens of too much severity, Genera! Washington
evidently regarded il inadequate to the purposes con
tcmplatcd. More than once, after ITS passage, he
brought the subject before Congress in his annual adj
dresses Recurring the militia as the safe and AIDE
onaic defence Of the natinn in his speech on the Sd
of December 1893, after speaking Of the necessity OF
procuring and other military apparatus, ne EN-.
phaticaIly observed
nNor can such arrangements with such Objects, De
exposed to the jealousy of the warmcst Trend
Of Republican Government. They are Incapable OF
abuse in the hands Of militia, who ought 10 possess
pride in being the depository of the power OF te re,
public and may be trained TO degree OF energy e4ua
to every military exgency Of the l 5 Bn, g a"
ingairy srhich c0nnot be too So'cm"g p"rS"Ha ""'a
c act has organized them 50 as 10 Prod"ee M'" J"''
fra.' "a, ia
| In his speech of the 10Th of November, it'3, me
President again brought the subject forward ana
among other things, made the following remark >,
"The drrisng and establishing 'reit-rr@""'ed m"',
a lroud be genuine source IF tre's3f'ee "0"0'' ana
a pottcttAe TO gr"ht"de
There docs not appear to have been any nFtner legs
I,on on the subject Of the organization or discipline