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

years, in any part, or during The course
ofeach year, to be enrolled in the ad-
vanced corps, and to take the necessary
oaths TO perform, personally, such legal
militia y service as may be directed, for
the full and complete term ofthree years
to be estimated from the time Of en-
trance into the SAID corps, and also to
take an oi,h Of allegiance TO the State,
and to the United States.
Tho main corps is Instituted to pre-
serve and circulate throughout the com
muni,y the military discipline acquired
in the advanced corps; 10 arm the peo-
pie, and fix firmly, by practice and habit
those forms and maxims which are es-
sential to the life and enOrgy Of a free
Government.
'The reserved corps is Instituted to
prevent men being sent TO the field whose
strength is unequal TO sustain the seve>
rites fan active mcnpaign. But, by
organizing and rendering them eligible
for domestic service, q greater propor>
ton of the younger and robust part Of
the community may be enabled in case
Of necessity, to encounter the more ur>
geat duties Of war"
Such were the views entertained, and
the plan of organization and discipline
oflhe militia, proposed by that dlstln-
gushvd veteran and patriot, General
Knox, who had periIed "Iife. fortune,
and sacred honor" during our reVolu-
tonary struggle, and contributed his foil
share in the achieVment CT our liberty
aud independence. That his plan re-
ceiVed the appreciation ofthe father OF
his country, then President Of the Uni
ted States, is manifested by The official
docu ments. In resubmtiing his plan to
the President, to be laid before Con-
gress, General Knox expressed himself
in the following language:
"Having submitted 10 your coneider-
alton plan for tho arrangement ofthe
militia oC the United States, which | had
presented to the late Congress, and you
having approved the general principles
thereof, with certain exceptions, now
respectfully lay the same before you,
modified according TO the alterations
you wero pleased to suggest" General
Washington, having subsequently, cdr
rected him to lay the plan before Con-
gress,' accompanied by tho Secretary's
declaration, that he had "appr owed the
general principles thereof with certain
exceptions, which had been obVlaled by
the alterations which he had been 'plea
sed 10 suggest substantially adopted il
as his own"
There does rot appear, however TO
have been any law passed for the organ
izSSttiion andidIscIplince Of the militia. IN
IA .i.erurr gRtIlet Al zUI ETvy5 tTTec-
fsuSlIy 10 provide for the national defence
by establishing an uniform militia
throughout the United Siates,' approved
May 8, 1892, which was no doubt, al
emanatlon from the views communica-
! ted to Congress by General Knox, a;
already noticed, though it did not ful',
carry them out. This act is still upor
our statute book, and not yet repealed
though il is so utterly dlsregarded il
many parts ofthe union, that its exis'
tence ~ almost unknown. To show
how farit carried The plan Of organiza'
.tion, and the duties and burdens it i'm
pOse upon the citizens, the committee
beg leave oo TO introduce the follow
ing sections:
'SEcTIGN l. Be it enacted by the Ser
ale and House of Representatives of tht
United States Of America in Congress
asaenabIed, That each and every free
aSe- bodied, white, male citizen Of thu
respective States, resident therein, who
is or shall bo Of the age Of eighteer
years and under the age of touy-fV'
years Except as hereinafter excepted
shall severaIIy and respectively be en-
rolled IN the emiI'ia by the captain o
commanding officer of the company
within whose bounds such citizen shal
reside, and that within twelve month'
after the passing of this act; and 1t shal
at all times GREATER, be the duty ofev
cry such captain or commanding office
ofa company to enrol every such citi
zen as aforesaid, and also those VIII
shall, from time 10 tiIno, arrive at tn
age OF eighteen years, or, being Of th
age Of eighteen yearp, and under the ag
Of forty-fve years (except rs before ex
cepted), shall come to reside within hi
bounds; and shall without delay, Motif
such citizen Of the eaid enrolment by
proper non.commlssioned officer OF tn
the company, by whom such notice ma.
be proved. That every citizen 30 en-
rolled and bSt6ed shall within si!
months thereafter, provide himself witt
good musket or frelock; suficien
bayonet and belt, two spare aints, an
| a knaDsaCk. a nnuch. with hnX iheTeII