Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-06-19

p0sbr concNTrtHiy 1ri;a INC 5tdtts-ahd 81 "
same erteat-drscretionary authority might have ceeh
gwen 10 the President, or any other f0nci'ohaty u va
General Government. 10 have trained Inc h,it!''a, ~
any number, al an: place, al any season. :" :,
portion Of the wear. Farther, II w"u.d nave 80 - ),
Thorn crr-esslv. while beng trained 81 aisc.P''"'N
,,I r.rnlations prcscTibed, Tor me go
,e-,ment oc the militia, when IN me military sc,'"s
Of The United States IN other wo'as, = "ou'u -
snhac,ed them in time of peace, ana when Assembled
for the mere purpose oil beng framed OF o'sc'P"''o' =
..,be rules and articles OF war
The last clause of the amendment proposed, "hich
does not seem 10 have been considered necessary ~neh
the report above referred 10 was made, gave 70 :
gross The power sto provide for teaching, n The primary
Schools, and other seminar,es of learning IN the sc'eia'
States. the system of discipline prescribed fof inc mn,
TIA To have carried tins power INTO enect' "oui1
have been TO give a military education, al "e .NPehs'
of The L. 5, 1t deemed eSpedtent, 10 e'e'S ~. : 4,
lar ar studen in the several States; a a system u US
,;r,;ne would necessarily include, not only lhe = .
arms. bu, all the field evolutions tefnireu !" '"I 49,,
of the l.. S. Whether public sentiment "ouia n.y.
sus,ained the authorities OF the Geherai !"
The exercise of the several powers mus proposed = :.
$500 IA I, = well be questioned; but, u such hau
Ssasn tho case. with the military education, coh.e"'
nlo,ed for the youth of the country IN 'hc mrs P.eee'
ffnllored bv training and discipline IN The heid, iof a
sufficient length of time, Il would nave fehaefeu ~
= of our citizens more emphatcaHy soioicls' ma
those of any other nation in the world
The author Of this amendment seems 10 nave pee 50
u.u satisfied of It's expediency, that ne moved u AGAIN
a. ,np .nsniDu session OIL SbipiSss' uAN
,b.;r attention on the ground, as he stated, thal, as
n. Constitution had expressly reserved TO Inc states
,bc r;ght Of training and dIscIplinins the militia, the
odont,on of the resolution might be Geelhcd heceSS"i!
Ru. his amendment failed to meet suihcient aPpfopat'oh
10 secure its adoption; and Ike many olnei P,oPoAn
On the subject OF the organization and disc'P!'he . ! ~
militia, IS only 10 De reHhe"ioe'eu
lative history.
Your committee might present many other instances
IF the continued agitation oil this subject, 50 'h'inia'eiS
CO. r the DrODOSgu
amendment Of the Constitution which mas Jus. peen
mentioned; but they Will con!ine themselves o nc II
tice Of one further effort to reform The suppose :.
fecis Of the existing system. lhey aiiuae y &c 80. =
made by the Secretary OF War IN lhe yea
whom had been assigned, by a resolution OF oonsiess'
o,he du,y Of having prepared a system OF ca'ors a.
Tics and u system of instruction Tor a't!i.l!' - ~
use Of cavalry and artillery Of the militia. n,
To aid him in the performance OF ,iial t"t,, ~ 80
James Barbour, then Secretary Of Wa, thought proper
-" 80 > ..ho,rd composed ofoiiicers OF the m!i-
ria and Of the army" In his report 10 te I!es'oeh'
of the United States, which was submitted 70 congress
at the ensuing session, tt~ secretary remarks:
ssTba occasion was too favorable TO be lost, ana was
III. ! oagcrIr seed, Of prof,ing b. this collection
ar,alon, aud eyncrience to review our present ceiec-
,;ys militia system, and if possible, by an entirely new
organization, 10 place 1t on a footing winch "ouiu rear
;ze The expectations and wishes o. every patriot IN reia'
ton 20 this great arm OF halioha! utA'"ee
c.etary further said
sImportant changes in the present system are Indi'-
uensab!c, to make the militia any way equal 10 tne
standard assigned it by the wishes of the patriot 10
the end that very source from which information h'shI
be collected should be approached, addressed a circular
letter 10 the Governor ofcyery State and Territory, and
10 MANY citizens distinguished alike BY their lnte!il-
pence and experience asking for information upon 'I's
interesting subject.
nany of the distinguished officers and individuals re-
sponjed infinitely and claborately. The board OF OH
GERS assembled, took those communications, ana lhe
various other matters submitted, into grave cohsideTa-
ton; and reported IA plan for the enrolment ana orga'
niz,tion Of the militia Of the L. s, involving many
alterations in the system. The whole Of this soiuini.
nous correspondence, and tie report OF The board Of
officers, were submitted 70 the Consideration u Ioh'
qress: but what was the result: No Ce!lnitiVe Ieg'std'
i've action took place upon the alterations proposed
the law was permitted 10 remain as 1t before existed
Indeed. as often as the subject has been recommended,
and urped, in the messages Of our several lEiei va
pistrates, and agitated IN both Houses OF Congress, no
law has been passed, materially changing the provisions
of those already noticed, during 4 ptliou u Hio'F TIA
thlrty-sersn years.
With so many instances of fruit!ess attempts TO
chance our militia system, before them, your committee
are not prepared to adopt the plan recommended oy
The Secretary Of War, nor 10 make any other n'ateri@'
change IN the or ryan za.4Dn and discipline OF The militia
=. present. If l. be desirable 10 cause those who con
stitute the militia 10 arm Themselves, the acts o. i'J'
and 1903, passed during the Administrations Q! Gene
raj Washington and Ar Jefferson, already require ihen
IN do 50. |! they SilUuIu y Z ltd!llth ai.a a'SS pi'"Ea;
sys,em for that purpose has already been prescribed an
furnished; and il only remains for the State Govern
mcnts. 10 which the Constitution very p!2rcFlf re
are almost constrained to believe that no system, "hici
can be devised, will ever render the massot cltizensen
gagged in the ordinary avocations OF life, TO winch the,
are stimulated by the impulses of duty and interest,
. well-trained and disciplined ~soldiery. In time Of pro
found peace, whenthey do not perceive any probable ne
cesssty for their services IN The field, they cannot ap
preciate the importance OF such altainments, as Cal
only he acnuiret he considerable expense, labor, an
sacrifice Of time. Yet, we are assured, by the experi
ence OF the past, that, however reluctant our follower
lizens may be 10 undergo the ~Grudgc1y of militia dis
cipllnp, in times OF peace and security, they are eve
ready 10 rally IN the defence of their country, whcl
assailed by enemies, foreign or domestic. When s.
called out, or, rather, coming forth on such occasion
spontaneously as they do, they regard no privation no
exposure; no severity of discipline nor danger; no sa
crihce Of ease, comfort, interest, nor even life itself,
demanded hy the honor, safety, or welfare OF theI
country. With such feelings, and 4 love OF country
predominant over all selfish considerations, the proud
est citizen becomes, at once, u soldier IN courage, and
very soon, in discipline and subordInauon.
Were the committee disposed to suggest any new lie
rislation on this occasion, it would be that more liDcra
and efficient measures should be taken 10 arm and cqui!
The whole body of the militia. The act, passed on 'h'
23d of April, lS09, appropriated "the annual sum Q
Two hundred thousand dollars ''ior the purpose Of pro
vIdIng AIMS and military equipments Tor the whole bod!
of the militia Of the United States, either by purchase
ar manufacture, by, and on account Of The I. States.
iour committee concur IN opinion with The board 0
officers, assembled in lc26, as hercinbcfore mentioned
that ihis sum Is ''lnadcquatc" for the object contempla
ted; for they state, no doubt on due consideration, that
''accordlng 10 the present rate Of appropriation by Con
gress, for that purpose, it would require, even s%upposlng
the population 10 be stationary, about sevcnty-iive years
more TO accomplish u measure SO congcnial to the whole
theory of our institutions. The act has now been in
operation a period of thlrty-two years, and the whole
number Of small sras, and field artillery, distributed
among all the States, SINCE us passage, would, perhaps,
not be more than sufficient 10 supply the militia of the
State ON. York. This is sufficient to prove the total in,
adequacy of the existing law 10 supply the wants Of the
whole body of the militia Throughout, the Union, within
any reasonable time. Without arms it IS impossible 10
train men to the use of them; and for the men 10 procure
them, of that uniform and proper quality, which is al,
most essential to the purposes Of discipline, would IN.
volve individual burdens, regarded as oppressive by
those who constitute the mass of the militia.
Such are the general views of your committee, upon
this interesting and important subject; but they regard
the present financial condition of the country as inau.