Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-03-27

-, hoa;od white male citizen between the ases % :,
ID AZ N perform military duty; the present ~ ~
tha ones between u and 4O .,,o . a..
III reasons that Influenced the cohiiit'ee :" a.,
s,ue the age of u, were, that thG p pow. and
SO .rv,ccs IN time OF peace were uhheccssIiy
'n'l No., rcor;rcd Limiting the age 10 40 was a'a'
ns;dercd proper, upon the grouhu '''at w I,;on
~ The militia BY the rapid increase Oh pp"ra
ouId make it entirely too unwelay' uhu naa,';roJ
,d release n portion from burden not required
u at the present time 1T, a. @;y time' ou'
ny ~. Liberties shall be in imminent danger, anu
- har defence an increased force rc4u'fca' -
ton can be promptly altered. ,, ,ha nr;p
IThc second and fourth sections dcVeiope i've Pt"
~ ss h;cb IN. whole bill is predIcated Ihey
t Mace classify the militia INTO the hetfc aI
."rJ militia The actire militia shall ne compose
aroncentil part of the whole number tne
~ constitute the general militia ne "'ee I a.,
:, Le selected from the whole body OF ui' h'i'a ~ :.
and il is further provided that they may receN.
:n,cers for their quotas, if it's deemed ny the, 'ps
.ic;ous The whole and sole control ID WIN IN.
STATES and there no fears can be en.e a.
amule Justice will be extended to all interested
uT.e object the committee proposes IN ths ciass'eu
=; ~, tho Government will have, at all times
wi g. nn,. eu,crrcncy certain portion oil our iiiit''
r,dv 10 take the field liz defence OF her V'oiacu
and in = state of discipline equal TO regulars ny
onm;ttee further believe it will be the strongest ae
| .Earfual argument asriillst al u'"'''
".o.s fthc standing army, and, IN addtoh 10 ts
wI bc saving TO the country, athoush an IPPiopi "
,on off, considerable amount is requlredh ny this Dill
carry into effect its provisions
ali REQUIRES the active militia t." DC ehcaPeu or '
naod of six consecutive days Annually, to improve II
pI,ar SCIENCE. particularly yractcaiiy This IS the
only cffcctua mode, in The opinion OF the committee
r. secure an efficient and ,ceH dseipitnfd militia IL
;Je and cistolnry suppose that the whoe huihpel
militia can be disciplined 1t cannot be carried ''is'
execution No military man vii. give any ".hei oP,m
ion An ATTEMPT 20 oblge the whole body OF the MN
lin IN UNDERGO such course of discipline Us Is required
of the select militia wola aso be serious incohseh'
ence and burden the people would mol "uOh't To-
II il aso unnecessary and uncacd for from the presen
condition of our happy republic 80 satiseu afe W.
Of this truth, and OF the Importance OF 'e n
of the militia, we have an assurance III our o"" o
victons that the House and country Will sustain US u
our views The actrc militia are required, also, when
ever a reouiston IS made by the lnIted Stacs 10 per
form duty first This is considered an important re
ourement it brings to the service OF the country
once force that may be depended upoh anu u sun,
] ent number the committee believe, to meet any eHeF
oencv The number of this select militia VIII Dt
about 900 GOO if one tenth of the whole IS adopted;
one eighth about 250, 900. The data upon WHICH 'h'
committee have come to this result IS thus: IL appears
bv the report of the Secretary of War, rom the aaJu
tp Generals of the different States, and nsome OF the
States the returns are very defecivc there are aDou
two millions of ablc-bodied militia within the Unte'
States :, =, -
at is believed BY the committee, that the states VII
not If this bill should pass) do more than enron te se
oral militia and if So will not satisfy every ctzeh
This country what an important alteration has been CT
fctcd-an active militia of 200 900 to 3O0OOO, compo
scd of the ardent and PATRIOTIC well disciplined; no
inferior in drill to the regular army ana ready 10 h'
the field at a moments warnIng-a general ih'tia' ho
subject to the present grievances but nave mem 50 VI
oon;zed as that in of necessity they VIII pc ready
| Al, r,rl,t IF tho
country
And vet MIR. Rivcs has the unparalleled assurance
or is 50 dcplorably ignorant as TO assert that MI rom
sett NAV have derived the hint OF his plan from ol'e
Cromwell, aho,,
tho .rneps. which il would incur. He IS pleased u
sav that sit could not fail to add many millions 10 ,h'
public burthcns His par mobile tratrnm ms most az
nifed brace of supple followers, who nave ioS' III NV
substance they ever had in becoming ms ech'ts w
course, we mean MIR. Delegate PINE, nd Alr erha
tor Fontane) in their respective address S 10 c co
nile run M "ths army of 100000 men to an "e1pcns'
nf from l., to 90 millions of dollars. Good gentle
men. let them not go mad with Apprehension ihe -
crearv of War made Report on Saturday last 10 LII
House of Representatives, in compliance with thei
cali Of the 9th for his "pun, in dctai fof the re-oga
nization of the militia" 1t makes ~ columns OF th
GIobe-and it really contrircs to strip the wing mum
bpo of all its terrors We shall lay the whole OF '
Rcnort or extracts from before our readers, as soon
we can find sea room-but we must content OURSELVES
present with making the following extract
sin preparing the details OF the proposed rcofgahi
,tion of The militia of the United States, nave pee
governed by earnest desire TO place the country II
an attitude of defence, and at the same tnc TO secu
il from the necessity of maintaining !: am PERIOD
large standing army to render the militia effective
without withdrawing large number OF our ieiio"
citizens from their occupations at any one tme' anu
dfuse throughout the community generally som
knowledge of military service, without taxing IN
Treasury too heavily All this it appears to me, VIII
be effected by drilling during four years, one a.i.
thousand men, for period not exceeding thlfty Nc
less than ten days each and every year. at such tune
as NAV least interfere with their ordinary occupations
and for an equal term, keeping that force so organ
lied that it may reserve, ready 10 act
cases OF emergency: doing, in the meanwhile, orahar
militia duty, such as is required by law IN me SC
veral States. The expenses OF the system, "hich,
carried out, would place the U. D IN an lmpresnap'
,;a;, o defence will not exceed Sl,:62,093 yearly
the maximum number of days for drill be adopted D
Congress- and as il believed that ten days IN eac
and every year will prove sufficient, the annual eS
, pcnsc will be less than $500, 900.
(Mr. Ponsctt proposes drill OF looooo IN m,'l''a'
The Militia Committee Of 80 suggests 2oO,OOO)
Yes Messieurs Rves, FontaIne and Payne, s9ch
the Secretary's Report--and what becomes OF you
.tmIons;" and your ais to 81 millions Take on
word for it. good Sirs the People Of Virginia are nc
quite such fools you pleased to take them ioF'