The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1840-08-19

Siaies. II, therefore, The right 10 ssfl eoi. or
receive the milsia into The service of the U.
States for sueh a purpose be assn med By the
General Government, il can oHtY be undrr ihs
authority TO provide for diseiPtining the Militia;
. construction which 10 say the least Of IL, Is
extremely doubtful; for, the same sentence OF
the Constitution which rssepes 10 the STATES
respectively the authority Of training the Mill
Tia, d,ecis also that il should he done accord
ing TO the diseipiine prescribed by Congress;
thus excluding AS il would seem by necessary
inference, the idea thar It's authors used the two
terms in the same ssnse.
Mr. Poibsett seems 10 have been more SEN
sibiy impressed with this obstacle Than his pre-
drressors, and eBdravors to overcome IL by pia-
cling his chief reianre on volunteers, and where
drafts are Necessary, he proposes that they
should be made by the states themselves. Bur
can the constitutional 0bjerrion be thus avoided
Can Congress appropriate nancy for objects 10
which their authority does not extend
A proposition was made several years since
TO meet the objeeiion fnily by AMENDING the
titutiOs, and giving Congress Powerto pro-
vide for training the militia eoncurrenty WIN
the states, auI ia suhj~ff them to the rules and
regulations to whish they are by law subjected
when 10 the military s'rvire Of 'be U. s.; and
10 provide for tear hing in the primary schools
ion the discipline prescribed for the militia
This proposition does not appear TO have found
favor either with Congress or with The people.
IL is but lately that my attention has been
particularly drawn to his subject: and, as there
is no doubt that the great men 10 whom have
alluded contemplated an organization oil the
militia, and provisions for its better instruction,
embracing substantially the principles contain
ed in Mr.. PoinsSIt's plan, il brcomSs me, IN the
face Of so much apparent authority, 10 hesitate
before pronounce distineiively upon lis con
stirutionaliiy. shall, ] am confident. in the
opinion Of all candid minds, best perform my
duty by refrainibg to do so, until II become nee
essary TO act officially in the matter. ln The
mean time, will CONTEXT myself with saying,
that the inclination Of my mind is, that The de-
sired measure cannot be safely accomplished in
the form proposed. under he F.derdi Constitu-
tion, as IL stands.
Mr.. Poinseu's nncontroveried account Of the
origin and progress oi his plan is before you
he shows, that II crew ont OF request made
of him by the Committee IN The Militia of The
House Of Representatives, at the close oi The
session before the last, 10 contemplation OF q
possible collision between this country and
Great Britain, and that il was maiured and
drawn forth undera call made upon him by the
House At the last session. Some surprise has
been expressed and doubts appear even TO be
entertained Of the correctness of his declaration,
that the plan was moi seen by me, or submitted
10 my consideration, before il was communIca-
ted to Congress. Those who take this view oi
the subject, entirely overlook the fact, that
such is almost invariably the case on all similar
occasions: and in replying TO calls made upon
them by either branch of the legislature, the
heads of departments act for Congress, and not
for the President; except only or occasions
where his acts are bronght in question. The
impracticabilitv Of pursuing different course,
il even it were otherwise desirable, will he APP
precaied, when il is considered how very nu-
merous these calls have recently bpen. amounr-
ing az they have done 10 goo AZ single session,
Independently Of those made the President
himself and Of letters from committees, rrquir.
ing great research, and the preparation Of volu.
minous documents. Unfair as these aninad-
versions are thus shawn to be, this has moi
been even the worst aspect in which they
have been presented. We have been cornpeIl-
ed TO see, not ] should think, without shame
and modification on the Part Of every ingenp-
Gus mind, whatever may be his political prefer
ences, the names Of respectable citizens sub
serbrd to statements, that had in my annual
message expressed my appreciation Of plan,
which, not only never had been submitted to
me, but was not even matpred until more rhs n
three months after the message was sent to
Congress and an attempt TO prove the unfnnn-
ded assumption bv the public alton Of a garb!rd
extract from rhat document, with its irne mean
ing faisihed by the suppression Of material
part. Nor was the avowed object Of these ex-
Itraordinsry proc eedibss less remarkable than
the acts themselves. being nothing less than an
attempt TO fix npon me the design Of establish
| ing Standing Army Of t,co hundred thousand
men, for political and personal purposes. If I
had been charged with the design Of establish
ing among You, at the public expense, a men
agerie Of wild beasts, IL wenid not have surpris-
ed me more, nor would il, in my Judgment,
have been one iot more preposterous.
! am t,ftunafelv, gentlemen, not over sensi-
tive 10 attack 81 his character, and have with
al an abiding confidence in the intelligence Of
the people. which renders them proof against
all such attempts To deceive them. II under.
stand my own feelings, my chief regret in wit
Messing such degrading exhibitions. arises from
a consideration OF the opinion which foreig ners,
who have not the same rrason 20 respect our
political institutions that we have, are likely 10
form Of the character Of our people. when they
see that conspicuous men among ms can prom
Use themselves any advantage, from attempts to
delude their fellow citizens by means of such
Inonstrous absurdi,ss. This regret is, howev-
or, I confess, materially diminished by the con-
'iction that the people will in the sequel, as
they have heretofore done, convince those who
attempt in this manner to operate upon their
.credulity, Of the folly Of seeking to accomplish,
in this country, political objects BY such dis
erednsSfs means.
have the honor to be, gentlemen,
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
NJ. VAN BUREN,.
To Nessrs John B. Cary, A.. g. Hudgins,