The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-09-15

: the officers Of the regular army. The word mi
ltia Is not TO be found in the report. There was,
therefore, no violation Of the Constitution in
tended or committed But if il be insisted that
from the mode Of appointing the officers II should
be viewed as militia force, still there was no
violation Of the Constitution, because they were
mustered into SERVICE not for the mere pur-
poses of drill, !" but 10 repel apprehended inva-
sion from the Indians. II was then, we say, a
bona tide plan for defending the western from
| tier, and neither was intended to be, nor could
| be, used as mask for standing army, under
the pretence of organizing the militia. II is TO
The President that we are indebted for the pro-
posal to engraft this plan upon the militia, and
make it coextensive with the United States. His
sagacious eye saw, at glance, how easy it would
be, unperceived by the People, TO build up
standing army of mercenaries on the small ioun-
dation OF the Secretary's plan. In his message.
which, as we have said, preceded this report by
twenty five days, having called the attention Of
Congress TO the subject Of the militia he says:
The provision of the Constitution that renders
II necessary TO adopt uniform system of organ
| ization for the militia throughout the United
| States, presents an insurmountable obstacle TO
an efficient arrangement by the cidssi fcatioa
heretofore proposed and invite your attention
| to the plan which Mill be submitted by the Sc
cretary OF War, for the organization of volunteer
corps, and the instruction of militia officers as
more simple and practicable, if not equally adj
yantageous as a general arrangement Of the
whole militia of the United States" Adopt this
recommendation, take the plan of the Secretary
for raising volunteers, and mastering them into
the service of the United States substitute il for
"he classification heretofore proposed ~ {. as
a general drrang cement for the 1phoie militia Of
The United States" and you have the substance
of the plan for organizing the militia, miscalled
Mr.. Poinsett's, with most of its Objectionable
details. Instead Of making the citizen the de-
fender of his own hearth and protector Of his
own liberties, the great body Of the People are
to be left an unorganized mass. "The classif-
cation heretofore proposed" is to be yielded, and
the defence of the country is TO be entrusted to
volunteers mustered into the service of the Unit
ed States in time Of peace and quiet thereby
subjected to the rules and articles of war, paid
by the United States, withdrawn from the States
and placed under the command of the President,
and such officers of the regular army as he may
put over them The plan certainly deserves the
praise Of simplicity and efficiency, which he be-
slows upon it. Nothing is more simple than to
enlist ''yolunteers" and make soldiers of them
by the drill sergeant; nothing more efficient than
trained bands of mercenaries.
On the 2Sth of November 1888 year after
the Presidents suggestion, the Secretary made
his second annual report. 1t is addressed TO the
President, and, like the other had doubtless,
| recommends the plan Of frontier defence con
| tanned in his former report, and, for the first
time, uses the word ''militia" in connexion with
| that plan, and adopts the Presidents suggestion
Of extending it $50 as to embrace the whole mi
| litia of the United States" II is then that he
| first intimates that the whole militia of the
| United States will be found TOO unwieldy body
| TO be successfully organized at once by any plan
that can be devised, and for some time to come;'t
thus reiterating the Presidents objection to the
| efficiency OF an arrangement by the classical
ton heretofore proposed" He proposes to begin
| by "enrolling twenty thousand men, taken from
among the inhabitants and settlers of the from
tier and the country around the permanent sta
tons in the Interior" and s.if il work well'' ex-
tend II $50 10 embrace the whole militia Of
the United States" We give the entire passage.
~ have seen no reason to change my views
as to the proper organization Of the militia or rol
unteer force, to as auxiliares to the system
proposed for the defence of the maritime and
inland frontier. 1t would doubtless, be desira-
Bile to adopt some uniform system of organiza-
ton, which would render effective the whole mi
litia of the United States but no plan has yet
been suggested that can be carried into effect
throughout the whole Of our extensive country.
| That which appears 10 present the greatest ad-
vantages, and has been frequently pressed upon
| the attention of Congress by my predecessors
| in office, appears to me to be only applicable to
the thickly settled portions of our country for,
if il were attempted to divide the militia into
classes, in some parts OF our Southern country,
and on our borders, where their services most
| likely to be required it would be found difficult
TO assemble single company Of the junior class
within space of one hundred miles. 1t is to
be feared that the whole militia of the United
States will be found too unweldy a body to be
successfully organized at once by any plan that
can b. devised-and for some time to come. 1t
had better be left to the direction of the several
States, adopting only uniform armament and
uniform drill, until system be introduced on
the frontiers arhiCh may be gradually e.rtend-
ed ouer The iohoie country. A commencement
may be made By enrolling t,centy Monsdnd
men, taken from among The inhabitants and
settlers 1T the frontier and The country around
the permanent stations IN the interior, Six
consecutive days in the year would be sufficient
for their drill, provided the commissioned and
non commissioned officers be assembled at the
nearest military post for the term of thirty days
in the year. During the time the pliyates and
officers are in SERVICE, they should receive the
pay and rations of soldiers aud officers of the ar
my of the same grade respectively. These forces
will not be Withdrawn from the States where
they are raised, and may be called into service
by the Governor, upon the requisition OF the
| President. In this manner would be formed
wel-disciplined body OF militia capable of acting
as an auxiliary force Doh 10 lhs regulars station
ed in the four points above designated and to the
garrisons stationed ia the maritime and frontier
fortres ses, and u system commenced, ,chich If
IL cork aoet, may graduaiiy be eafeaded so as
10 embrace the uhoie n,iiitia IF the United
! Stutes.n
Ia his annual Message Of the 4th December,
1888, which was accompanied by tn above Re
port, the President says, 81 would again call TO
your notice the subjects connected with aud es-
sential TO, the military detences Of the country,
which were submitted to YOU at the last session,
but which were not acted upon, is supposed,
| for want Of time. The most important Of them