The Ohio Democrat and Dover advertiser. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1839-1840, 1840-08-28

repel invasion. The militia force pro-
vided for there purposes, BY sxIsIlng
laws, and which ato render = eiiec>
tive, 10 compelled TO be at all times
provided with arms. accouremepl4
and ammunition, and TO be mus
tered and drilled al stated periods, and
KEEP. always ready for service, comPfi>
ses, with limited and enumerated ex-
emptlons, the whole Of the sble.bodied
male white populutlonsot the Oalted
States between The ages Of 10 and ~.
When il is considered that the Dbmbsr
of these according 10 official returns
exceed a million and halt OF Hsn, and
probably al lhls period, amounts TO iVo
millions, the immense and consequently
oppressive excess OF the existing pies
paratory enrolment, beyond iSe Possl-
Bile wants Of the country, must be apPa-
rent TO all. How Gar the existing or
gan'zaliou and laws passed by the States
in pursuance thereof. have proved spc-
cessful in accomplishing the great Oh.
ject 10 view, VIZ: the instruction and
improvement Of citizen soldiers IN mile
tary tacucs, YOU are able 10 judge for
yourselves. The resuIts were short
time since summed up BY the othcer
before alluded 10, 10 these emphatic
word, :-"It is in rain 10 expect, that
the who'e adult population Of the c0nns
try can, or wilriurnish themselves With
the articles required BY law; o. thai
their collection, for any number of days
they can afford, 10 devote 10 this object,
and under thssiis0al chromosomes Of
such assembtaees.e eanproduce any bene
eficiAl effects 10 themselves Or their
country Already 10 a nuHbsl Of Siaiss,
the system has sunk under the weight
Of public opinion, and the practical
question now is, whether we shall re-
main in fact, defencel ess, or;fesort TO a
large standing military force in time OF
peace, that just dread of all :ree gov
ernments, or adopt an efficient plan,
which will prepare for the public de-
fence the greatest force at the least
cost, and without danger.
4 To remedy the evils Tof the present
system, Il has been repeatedly proposed
10 re~orgau,ze The. mihtta. ~, such a
: manner as to reduce the number of
usu, who shall be fitted and always
? eady to perform the service contempla-
a ed by the costitulioa, say from the
j. number Of two mifsionsf 10 two hundred
+. housand, and 10 pay the latter rea-
, 'onable compensation out Of the Na>
: Iional Treasury, in order TO remunerate
q them for the increased burthen thus
d imposed upon them. Several plans. o
effect this purpose, have from time to
J, time, been submitted to Congress by
. successive Secretaries of War, com-
h mencing with General knox's. in 1870,
y and ending with that of Mr.. Poinsotts
n in 1910. That Mr.. Polnsett's is, in
j, several respects, preferable TO those
which have preceded It, andbis calcu-
&. lated to effect more equitable disposi.
: ton of the whole military force Of the
country than any heretofore presented,
Q appears to have been the opinions o.
1 the Committees of both Houses Of Con-
Q gress. The grounds Of this preference
Q are fully set forth in the able reports
= made by their respective chairmen, a
= the last session, which have been pub
ished, and extensively circulated, ant
a are as follows:
: LIST. IT extends the pay,,for the Leriod
s occupied in training, 10 privates, as vel
Q as to commissioned and uon.commis
sipned officers, TO whom il was limite'
s in the plans Of others. 81. 1t introdu
: ces the principle Of rotation, BY whicI
] the period during which the citizen
: are engaged in training is diminished
: and the instruction they receive NOR,
= directly impaired 10 the mass, and the
' burthens as we'll asbene[;ts more equal,
ly distributed among the people. 3D.
E In excluding from enrolment all between
: Is and 20 years Of age, being the pc.
D riod oflife 10 which young men are EN-.
!. ployed in finishing their education,
leaning trade, or studying the prOfes.
sion by which they hope TO obtain Z
. livelihood. In these preferences ] COZ.
: cur. 10 all other respects the different
: plans are understood TO be substantial
> y the same. They are 60 with regard
} to the authority Of the officers over III,
privates, and the rules for the govern.
ment Of bE when called out for drill
They all propose, that the rules should
be those established for the government
Of the army. The existing Law applies
: those rules to the militia, when called
into the service Of the U. s. and t4S
done so for many years past. Mr..
Poinsetrs plan does not add a single
penalty OF new provision. There GER
Il ta;nlv nvinta gnssonna avfanf n nraittifl3itln