The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1840-04-30
[ NUMBER 81.

critics from any danger that may threaten
+ them.
/ IL appears TO me that the organization
now proposed will prevent the necessity OF
maintaining large standing armies, even in
time Of war. The militia, properly drilled
ard instructed, will thereby be rendered
perfectly efficient, and capable Of defending
the forts along cur maritime frontier, which,
10 the absence Of such an organization will
require regular army Of fifty thousand
men. At present, tie militia cannot be
rendered immediately ayGilabiel against e
surprise; whereas under The proposed or
ganlzaton, they would repair TO their sta.
lions at the first alarm, and would be eff
clent soldiers when there. Ia case Of war,
those stations, would become permanent,
aud the arrangements might easily be msdo
SO as TO render the service as liltle bur
densome as possible 10 the artisan and me-
chanic.
Every precaution has been taken to avoid
all Interference with the rights Oft the States,
or TO lessen their means Of defence. The
militia viii be called nui in The manner az
7 pAS5Nbb IllONlutu iOl W law ut4u tiO tuabSO
is contemplated in the mode Of offering
the several corps of which the active class
will be composed.
Il will not abstract single man from the
defence Of the State where he resides, nor
separate him from the class Of Citizens to
which he belongs. 1t WILL on the contrary,
strengthen the defences of each State, by
furnishing it with well.organized and we'll
disciplined force, taken from the People,
and making part Of the People equally in
terosted with their fellow citizens in the
preservation of free institutions, and ready
at all times to guard the territory and the
liberty Of their country. Neither does i:
interfere, in any manner, with the constitu-
tioual rights of the States to train their own
militia according to the discipline prescrib.
ed by Congress, because the active militia
will be employed by the President during
the period they are preparing for warike
service in garrison and IN the field. And
while the States have all the advantages
which may result from a well.orgaaIzed and
disciplined militia, they will, at the same
time, be exempt from the losses, expenses,
and evils which follow, necessarily, from the
assemblage Of large mutitudes for merely
a nominal military instruction. 1t is 10 be
considered, also, that portion of the mill.
tia are prov led with opportunities for tho
attainment Of the essentials of military
knowledge; and, at the same time that they
relieve the remainder from an onerous and
useless burden, they themselves will not be-
oppressed by 40 undue amount of military
service being required Of them bat, on the
contrary, BY comparing the time winch, w.
der the prcsen: system, is devoted TO thas
object, II will be found that there is but We.
rs little additional service, if any, required,
ard for that time they will be sufficiently
compensated. The compensation contem.
I plated IS adequate under good administra.
ton OF the laws proposed, which are to DO
made uniform IN their application, by regu.
latlons to be issued by the President, SO as
10 prevent any expense TO the citizen who
is thus called; though 1t may not rise, III
amount, to the sum which his pursuits in so.
cIal life might afford. The total amount re.
Iqured 70 recompense the militia 10 be call.
ed out for exercise will be trifling, when
compared with the loss Of time experienced
by our tollow.citlzens under the present i'm.
perfect organization, and Of the serious evils
10 which the youth of tho country are ex.
posed BY the frequent attempts nos made
TO impart TO them very imperfect knowl.
edge Of the duties Of the soldier. The sub.
joined plan will, it is believed, teud to dlmin-
lsh, If not entirely remove, such evils, and
will also, BY eBgendering an esprit da corps
throughout the militia of the several dis.
trIcts, elevate in the mind of every citizen
the character Of the duties which he is re-
CURED TO perform, and thus make more Ger.
tain the results which are hoped for by this
system Of military precaution and defence.
In preparing the details of the proposed re-
organization Of the militia Of the United
States, have been governed by an earnest
desire to place the country in an attitude Of
defence; and, al the same time, to secure it
from the necessity Of maintaining at any
period large standing army TO render the
militia effective, without Withdrawing too
large number of our fellow citizens from
their occupations at any one time; and 10
ditiuse throughout the community generally
some knowledge of military service, with.
out taxing the Treasury too heavily. All
this, il appears to me, will be effected by
drilling, during four years, one hundred
thousand men, for a period not exceeding
thirty nor less than ten days in each and
every year, at such times as may least in.
ierfere with their ordinary occupations;
and, for an equal term, keeping that force
so organized that it may serve as reserve,
ready to act in cases of emergency DONG,
in the meanwhile, ordinary militia duty,
such as IS now required by law in the sew
eral States. The expenses Of the system,
which, ii carried out, would place the Uni.
ted States IN an lmpregnable state Of de-
fence, will not exceed 81 1862 ,093 yearly, if
the maximum number Of days for drill be
adopted by Congress and, as it is believed
that ten days in each and every year vii,