The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-07-07

Mr., TRIPLtrT from the minority OF the committee,
submitted the following
REPORT.
The undersigned, minority OF the Committee on the
Militia 10 which referred the report Of the SEE
creary Of War, on the subject Of the militia, and
also his letter transmitting system of reorganza
ton Of the militia Of the United States no, being
able to agrte with the majority of said committee in
the premises assumed, or the reasoning adopted in
their report although they come to the same concu
sion, beg leave for themselves To report
The following extract from the report Of the Secro-
crety of War lays down the plan outline Of his
scheme 1t il proposed to divide the United States
into eight military districts and organize the militia
in each district, to have body OF twelve thou
sand five hundred men in active service, and another
Of equal number as a reserve. lhis would gave an
armed militia force of two hundred thousand men, so
drilled and stationed To be ready 10 take their place
in the ranks in the defence OF the country whenever
called upon oppose the enemy repe the invader
The age of the recruit to be from 20 TO 81 The
whole term of service to be eight years four years IN
the first class and four years in the fourth
part (twenty five thousand mem To leave the service
every year passing the conclusion Of the first term
into the reserve, and exempted from ordinary military
duty altogether 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 received into the service. 1t will
he sufficient for all useful purposes that the remainder
of the militia under certain regulations provided Tor
their be enrolled and mustered at long and
stated intervals for in due process OF time nearly the
whole mass of the militia will pass through the first
and second classes, and be either members OF the ac
tive corps or OF the reserve, counted among the
cxempts who will be liable 10 be called upon only IN
periods Of invasion or imminent peril The manner
Of enrolment the number of days of service and the
rate of conrensation ought to be fixed by law; but
the details had better be sub ect to regulation plan
of which am prepared TO submit to you,
The outlines of the plan being thus laid down, the
Secretary OF War in his letter OF the 10th March
1910 which has been referred to the committee and TX
referred part of this report and attached to it in
the appendix fills up the details and shows the man
ncr this scheme is TO be carried into execution.
This plan has received still higher sanction in the
appreciation Of the President OF the United States in
his last annual mcssage-in which he says:
The present condition OF the deicnces of our prn-
cpa soaports and navy-yards, represented by the
accompanying report of the Secretary of War, calls
for the early and serious attention of Congress- and
MS connecting itself intimately with this. subject,
cannot recommend strongly to your consideration
the plan submitted by that officer for the organization
of the militia of the United States
A md the undersigned have given to il the consdcra
ton which any measure proceeding from the Secre-
tary of War and recommended by the President of
the United States, deserves; and now submit TO the
House the result Of their opinion.
This subject is second Importance to none on which
the Congress of the United States has been called to
act since the foundation ofthc Government contcmpla-
ting nothing less than entire change IN the militia
system OF the United States by taking IN time OF
profound peace the entire control and government OF
the whole militia from the several States to whom it
has heretofore been nrusted and transferring II to
the United States, or to speak more correctly TO the
President change so important, from The powers
which it concrs the Executive Of this Union, and
The consequences which may follow it, to the safety
and welfare of the people should not be made unless
the power is clearly given Ivy the Constitution as
to admit of question and the Necessity Tor Ms OK
ercsc SO manifest that conviction Is forced upon the
understanding against its will
Your committee cannot help expressing the opinion
that the Secretary of War Mt the time he submitted it
to Congress had not turned his attention to the con
sttutonality of his proposed scheme tor organizing
and training the militia and they annex hereto re
solution passed at their meeting, after thus subject was
submitted TO them the letter of their Chairman TO the
Secretary Of War and his answer thereto, in the ap
pcndix to this report.
They believe this scheme Is contrary to the letler
and spirit of the Constitution 1t is moi pretended
that the Government of the United States or any oi
its departments, have any power over the militia OF
the several States except what rs conferred by the
Constitutions and if it is not found there and * ex-
erciscd it must be by assuming power not granted.
The wise and patriotic men who framed our Con
sttttion well knowing that well-armcd citizen sol
dicry were the best defence Of the liberties of their
country whether threatened by external force or do
nestle us,rpers surrendered only much of the CON
troll and government of the militia OF the several
States to the Federal Government or to the President,
as necessity required
When the militia are called into the active service
of the United States they To act with the regular
forces and form bat army and should have hui
one head the President was, therefore, made the
Communicated ict OF the militia OF the several states
when called iHtg he actudi serrice q me country
and because it is necessary that all troops that are 70
be governed by commander and act IN conccri
4hould be organized armed, and disciplined, IN T.,
same wav power was granted to Congress e. provide
for organizing arming and discipnng the militia
and for governing such parts OF them as may be EN-
poyed in the service of the United States but ever
this grant of power, necessary as il was, was not made
without cautiously rcserying to the States respectively
The appointment Of the c6fcers, and the authority