The Rodney telegraph. (Rodney, Miss.) 1838-1840, 1840-04-04
PROGRESS OF DESPOTISM-VAN
BUREN,S STANDING ARMY.

1t is not, perhaps, generally known to
our readers that the administration, rende r
ed desperate by the mere prospect of de-
feat, and quailing before the indignant re-
buke of the people, are seeking to entrench
themselves behind standing army, TWO
HUNDRED THOUSAND STRONG
Such however, is the fact. The report of
the Secretary of War, the suggestions Of
which are warmly commended to the atten-
ton of the President, contains the startling
proposition to raise an armed force Of TWO
HUNDRED THOUSAND MEN, to be kept in the
pay, and one half of them in the actual SER
vice oftho United States!!!
But, lest we should be accused Of misrep-
resentation, we quote, verbatim, the Secre-
tary's own language:
"It is proposed to divide the United States
into eight military districts, and to organize
the militia in each district, so as to have a
body of twelve thousand FIVE hundred men
in active service; and another Of equal num-
Der as reserve. This would give an arm
| ed militia force Of two hundred thousand
men, so drilled and stationed as 10 be ready
to take their places in the ranks in defence
Of the country, whenever called upon to OPP
pose the enemy or rep 81 the invader. The
age of the recruit to be from twenty to
thirty seven. The whole term of service
to be eight years; four years in the first
class. and four in the reserve. One-fourth
part, twenty-five thousand men, to leave the
service every year, passing, at the conclu.
sion Of the first term, into the reserve, and
exempted from ordinary militia duty alto.
gether, at the end Of the second. In this
manner twenty-five thousand men will be
discharged from militia duty every year, and
/ twenty-five thousand fresh recruits be re-
4 ceived into the service. 1t will be sufficient
i for all useful purposes that the remainder Of
i the militia, under certain regulations pro
yided for their government, be enrolled and
be mustered at long and stated intervals
for in due process of time nearly the whole
mass Of the militia will pass through the
Il FIRST and second classes, and be either mem
,l bers of the active corps or of the reserve. O.
counted among the exempts, who will be Il
, able to be called upon only in periods O
invasion or Of imminent peril. The manner
] of enrolment, the number Of days Of ser
j vice, and the rate Of compensation ought Il
be fixed by law, but the details had bette
{ be left subject to regulation, plan Of which
am prepared to submit to YOU
The administration orators seek TO melior
late the force Of this startling assault upo,
the usages Of the government and the cher
: ished policy Of the people, BY terming thes,
q recruits "a militia force.n The Secretsf,
speaks Of them in the same language. W,
care not what soft words be chosen Is clcel
4 the demning villainy Of the proposision.
3 is enough for Us to know That the govern
= ment desires zoe, 900 SOLDIERS, lOO; 900 q
:, whom are 70 be constantly kept in actus
: service, and the whole to be "recruited,
81 aarmed,n apaidr and ssta:ioned" by q
q General Government. The adminlstratio
. i rapidly throwing of al disguise, and ~
ofI real despotism, (which Il isfast becomine
III demands powerful standing armys - u
y force e. Aigh behests. -
81 We hope they have NOT enoughof pow.
Ia, = carry ont Ibis last and basest
81 tbsir sttempls upou 10 public liberties. J
81 III ss : - - = ssgsas l
j Pzd os Ezy, netehrelogiat, conms'
q IA eoulss s lsenres = Nalehsx - I