The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-10-29

81 .se " 20 me end OF the chapter. Well
|,hls plan was presented to the Presiiden
10y VT Pointset,; the Presidentlaid i, be
lore Congress, and he said, ..this plan
cannot too cordially recommend to YOU. !
1 Well, in a month or two after The
message was sent to Congress, Mr. Poin
Isett sent IN his plan-and what was s II:
He estimated the whole militia force q
The United States at 100000. These
ne divided into three classes. The frs
Class included the whole. which he called
the mass. Then 100000 men were ,e
be drawn from the States by voluntary
enlistment, OF. by draft if necessary, in
proportion TO the population Of eacI, State
These were to be drilled once or twice q
year, or oftener, if the President saw fit.
The great state Of New York, made
one district. There was no other state
large enough. Her number 10 be con.
tributed to the whole body is $4,000.
These were all to turn out. whether they
would or no. The place FOR drilling was
ito be appointed where the Pres dent saw
| fiji, and they were to be drilled by such
rules as the Presiden. might think proper
to prescribe. = :. nv.
Another clause in this celebrated plan
says. that when these 100000 men are
called out for drill, they are to clothe
and arm themselves effectually, and are
to be considered to all in,en,s and pur.
poses as being in the actual service 81
the United States. That brings them
within the force Of the general law
now existing, which saws that when the
militia are called into the actual service
/, of the United States, they are TO be
deemed subject TO all the rules and ar,i
ticles of war which regulate and control
the standing army. Great sensations
and murmurs.
| Those 100000 thus drilled for four
years, pass then into the state of an army
of reserve; and another 10000 supply
their place, and undergo the same treat
ment. So that, if This law pass, we shall
have at all times 10000 men under
drill. and 100000 men drilled, ready to
be called into actual service at any time
and the rest of the whole force to be
called on in case of an emergency.
! And this is the great militia plan of
MIR Poinsett and Mr. Van Barren. How
ever, do you get it and read it. Don't
trust me in the matter. !. is an impor-
tant one. But above all. don't 60 to the
polls till you have read it. l have here
an authenticated cory, I'll leave it with
you if any press in the county will un-
dertake to print it.
: say fatty that this. plan is unconsti-
tutional. You've all read the Constitu-
ttion-yon know what it says. You
know that those noble and glorious ia
theirs of that great instrument, in their
extreme anxiety to preserve inviolate the
sacred liberties of the country, were
jealous, above all, Of the militia They
were afraid to trust the President with
too much power, by giving him the con-
troll over the militia. Look back at the
debates and proceedings of those who
framed that instrument
/ The Constitution says that Congress
shall have the power to call ont the
militia. 'F 81 7s35'
ITO provide for calling forth the mi
litia to execute the laws of the union,
suppress Instruction, and repel inya-
sions:
ITO provide for organizing, arming,
and disciplining the militia, and for gov
5erning such part Of them as may be
employed in The service Of the United
States, reserving to the States respective
! ly the appointment Of. the officers. and
the authority Of training the militia ac-
cording to the discipline prescribed by
Congress" 3ss'-
| And there the Constitution stops. That
is to say when an invasion takes place.
or rebellion breaks oui in tile country,
the President may call on Congress 10
exercise the power delegated to them by
the Constitution, to provide for the call
ing forth the, militia 10 execute the laws
! Of the Union, suppressing Instructions
and repelling invasions. But the Con
slitution stands thus, the President cannot
have the power to call out and prescribe
such rules to this new militia as the
plan proposes.
!! The Constitution expressly says that
the training Of the militia Shall be re-
served to the states themselves. This
act Of Mr. Pointsett's or sir Van Blu
ren's says, that they shall be trained
when and where the President thinks fiji,
and according to such rules as he may
prescribe. Nov, then, lay the two side
/ by side. Put that and tina. togelher-and
see how they compare with each other.
Take them home, read the Constitution,
and read the other, and you'll find them
just as say. ia3 2'.i8 ','. t'1'4assk
And now, then to resort to the line
Of my argument. What do we want
with all this force of 100000 men! In
time of peace-ofuniversal tranquility
and repose--with no neighbors on our
frontier that we care a button for-with
none on earth that we are afraid of--to
have an armed force in the pay of the
government, and entirely under its con-
troI,sof 100000 Is that very demo-
cratic doctrine !! Is it very democratic
to put all this military power in the
Hands of the Presidentl If it is, |