The Ohio Democrat and Dover advertiser. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1839-1840, 1840-07-24

A
culaIed 10 give to il due force than classl1oa-
I tion which will assign the foremost in the de-
fence of the country to that portion OF its clll-
zens, whose activity and animation best enable
them TO rally to its standard
During the same session, the subject Of the
reorganization and discipline of the militia was
agitat-d in Congress; and on the l7th of Janua-
ry, 1917, an elaborate report thereon was made
BY General Harrison (then member OF the
House Of Representatives from Ohio, as CHAIR
man Of the committee to whom it had been re>
ferred. The most striking alteration he propos>
ed in his report was, system of military IN.
sn1ction which" [he said) should be engrafted
on and form part of the ordinary education OF
our youth " His views upon that subject can
be understood by the following extracts from his
report
AS the important advantages Of the military
part of the education of the youth will accrue to
the community, and not to the individuals who
acquire it, il is proper that the whole expense
of the establishment should b0 borne by the pub
Tic Treasury.
THAT, to cOmport with the equality which 10
the basis of our Constitution, the organization
of the establishment should be such as TO extend
without exception, TO every individual OF Inc
proper age.
'That, TO secure this, the contemplated militia
ry instruction should not be given in distinct
schools, established for that purpose, but that 1t
should form branch of education in every
school within the United States.
; THAT corps of the military institutions
should be formed to attend to The gymnastlc and
elementary part Of eduCaton in every school IN
the United States, while the more scientific part
OF the art of war shall be communicated by pro
fessorS of tactics, 10 be established in all the
higher seminaries.'
Preparatory to the execution of this project
It's author concluded his report by offering for
adoption resolution, in the following words
Resolved, That the Secretary Of War bo re-
quired to prepare and lay before this House, at
the next session Of Congress, plan for the mil
itary instruction of all the youth of the United
States, in the way which is best calculated for
the purpose. with rs little injury as possible 10
the ordinary course Of education"
What would have been the expense Of thus
educating a the youth in the United States,
as proposed, no estimate seems to have been al
tempted or called tor; nor is any thing said in
the report to indicate the provision OF the Con-
stilution whence the power is deduced. But it
tho number of youth amounted to one hundred
thousand only, at an average expense OF twenty
dollars each per anl.um-which, including the
Elementary schools and higher seminarels,
would have been very reasonable-tlle eXPen-
dture for this branch of military instruction a.
lone would have amounted TO two millions OF
dollars annually.s
There is however, appended TO the report,
estimates of the expenses training the officers
: and sergonts ofthe militia of the United States.
These estimates arc made Gin the first place)
on a supposed number of one hundred thousand
men, divided equally, as nearly as may be, into
twenty-five brigades.' The committee estimat
ed the expense Oftrainng officers for one month
at full pay, of twenty-five brigades, or one hun
dred thousand men, at $l73 $50. And, esti'
ma,ing the whole United States militia, then the
total expense of training the officers (aIone
of the whole militia, would bo some hundred
thousand dollars less than two Millions Tha
is,about $1,000, 900 for training them one monti
= in the year.
jSuch vas his anxiety to iraproVe this arm o
the national defence, that the opinion seems tC
have been entertained by Generol Harrison, tina
0 the power granted by the Constitution as it ther
/ existed aud sull does was not sufficient for the
-
. Hence, IN the 29th of Febur ry, 1872, about 81,
weeks after his report, just noticed, he propos'
ed nm amendment of the Constitution, greatly
: extending the powers Of Congress over the sub
, ject.
1t viii be borne in mind, that the existing
provision Of the Constitution expressly reserves
TO the States, respectively, the appointment Of
the officers, and the authority of training the
militia, according to the discipline prescribed
hy Congress- The object of the proposed a
mendment of the Constitution, which Will be
found appended 10 this report, was to give Con.
gress, 'concurrenty with the States the pow
cr to provide for training the militia and fur
ther declaring, that 'whlst engaged in that ser,
vices, (thal Is, being trainod they shall be sub
+ icct to lie rules and regulations, prescribed fol
the cover ment ofthe militia, when in the mill
iary seryi of the United States, &c.
The effect of this amendment to the ConstiIu
ton, if it had been adopted would have heep
to corccde to the authorities Of the General Gov
ernment, whenever it might bB deemed expedi.
ent it, the most ample power to train and dsci.
pline the militia, in such manner, and for sucll
length of time as Congress might have directed
or unauthorized, limited only by their discre>
lOl!. SOnlSiIlUH VII III MS
!, power coucurren,y with the Ss.-&, of course
to the same exent-discrelionar power might
have been given to the President or any other
= lunctionary ofthe General Government, TO have
!, trained tie mil tia, in any number, at any sea
. son, and forany portion of theyear. Further,
it would lay0 subjected them, expressly, while
being trained or disciplined, to the same rules
and regulations prescribed, for the government
of tie militia when in the military service o
y the United States : in other words, it wouIt
have subjected them. in time ofpence, and wher
o assembled for the mere purpose ofbeing trained
p or disciplined, TO the rules and articles Of war
The last clause of the amendment proposed
which does not seem to have been considered
necessary, when the report above referred to
: was made gave to Congress the power 40 pro
vide for teaching, in the primary schools. ard
other semnaries 3f learning in the several
$ States, the system Of discipline prescribed for
: the militia To have carried this power into
: eGact. would have been 10 nye n military ,,ir.