Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-09-11

.,,,, with Captain De Hart Of the Army, to pre-
rovisions Of his bill for the better organization
pare :" ,rta according to the views suggested by The
q me :" and Ia compare the same with the existing
hvs with 4 view 10 retain such oil them as might
al rxpcd,ent. and also to refer 10 the various
b. d' ~ same subject, which at different times had
plans h,,trd to Congress; hereby declare that the
been orr,na draft of the Secretarys plan, not
rF, completed 10 be submitted TO him, before the
s'" ,,rt Of January, lSlu
''' tSignedl ,. CoOpEk
assistant .Mjmdat General, u. S .3rmy.
wi Phelps did not participate in, or was ignorant
r,,,,dnrs Of the Committee, he vcntured much
o. =" Inc statements founded upon conjecture. II
VI . nj a, those proceedings, they were accessible
h' a. \ member of the Committee, and he was
u @ ascertain the facts in the case; before he made
,,ys assertions, at variance with them-and if he
Pr,s,ot and knew of these proceedings, how can
W''' f,r.nts be rccunccd with the facts they ap-
~ 'n,o the record: OF this, the public will Judge
p'"' customary for the Heads of Departments to
u H,,,, 10 the President their correspondence with
',,,,,rs, Of Congress; and did not acquaint Mr..
wnr,n with the demand made upon me, by the Sc
'' committee on the Militia, nor with my reply
n'' 3one So the bill would have been essentially mo.
He" lar when did discuss the details with him. az
~ was submitted to Congress, in the month OF
!, answer to resolution of the House of Re
n,,,iyes he expressed doubts as TO the Constitu-
rI,,v of some of its provisions; and | certainly
.8 not have persisted in presenting those PROPOSE
an. 10 Congress, in opposition to ms opinions.
nsrraceiu attempts arc made 10 mpugn the veracity
.s tjrhest officer Of the Government, by confound-
- tho proiect OF organizing the Militia, as sketched
- - nv report 10 the President in November, with the
% submitted TO Congress, long after the President
ussrs was sent in. On referring TO the papers
:: ,b,, nerod it will be seen, that the press of
E,b parties united in commencing the project as
!, vas explained in that report No objections were
,te 10 my proposals to dispense with the annual
,,npr of the great body OF the militia now amount
~, 10 two millions, as an useless burthen on the
,..plc-o organize IN each OF the eight military
ts,rrrs into which the U. States to be divided,
: body of twelve thousand five hundred men, making
~ active force of one hundred thousand men 10 be
drilled for gwen number of days in the year; and to
,,u at the end OF certain term reserve of the same
opmber So as discipline by rotation the whole militia
between the ages of twenty.one and thirty
These measures were, the contrary, spoken OF in
,srn< of the highest commentator, and they constl-
,sd the plan which the President recommended to the
consideration of Congress in his annual message On
referring the objections which have been subsequent
i made to my plan, they will be found confined exclu-
srsy lis details, which not matured until nearly
~, months after the Presidents annual message was
.,n m and not submitted TO his inspection until they
had been transmitted the House os Representatives.
Il appears then that because the President recon-
m-a!rd subject universally acknowledged to be of
al Importance the country, To the serious consioera-
ton Congress, it is argued that he recommended the
pn itself and all ITS details: ana, IN the lace OF the
most positive and rreragahe proof to the
contrary this charge is repeated in the coarsest Ian
gaage and attempted to be sustained BY garbed state
arn and the most hnisy and contemplate sophistry,
nj H. Grroratorv to the character Of its authors and in
shifting the understanding Of The people of this
Try
trust that this unusti6ahle attempt to deceive the
honest yeomanry Of country will be rebuked it
deserves by their universal Reproduction.
nave the honor to be,
With esteem and regard,
Dear Sir,
Your faithful and obi serv't,
J. r. POINSETT.