Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-06-16

any ADEQUATE instruction or cll!ciehcE. .i,h''"
in thny pecpled Districts they say, are hnftu P'ao
- ,a,d NJ s,lutary exercises, promoting niartIa
lnow,edsc The same excess of numbers, the p"'ia
declare which would render nugatory any n'i. y -"
movement in the general mass, would us" "'s'y ny
axnaca,ion that the number oil olcers necessary "
- s,,cb !, force would submit III time OF peace,
a. ,ny dovs' encampment for the purposes OF tnslruc-
,on ,r;tbout remuneration from the Government.
Corgrcss appropriated 900 per annum Tor the
armng and equipment of the militia Several OF 'ne
contributed large sums tor the same 3D.
;ect vet bu, small portion of the militia OF the Union
was then Q526) armed. The board complain OF me
multitude of authorized exemptions from ih',aiy ser
vice In some cases. these have been equal TO te NUM-
Der of enrolled men. While they usN ies n:.: -
This subject they recommend that religious socet'es,
having conscientious objections to the bearing OF arms,
might be exempted from service at least III u'he %
peace. > a. hoard doc,,ro
their conviction that twentyone years shouiu DC inc
nc. - -. :, rh;ch men should be enrolled. They
lIege that in peace the Government should not uhne-
cessarv interfere with the rights OF parents guardians
and masters, during the homage OF minors.
In snpport of the theory OF this diminished enrolment
.ha ho,rd sppuest that of emergency, the resi-
5ne Of the male population capable OF bearing arms
and they state that seven IN every he, between he
ages of sixteen and sixty, may be consderedcoulu be
dTauphted without alteration IN the existing state
of the proposed organization, by Congress doubling or
ouadruplng the number of brIgades regiments, &c
The "remedies draw to close with the recommended
ton that the office oan adjutan general, without rank
for the whole United States, be created; and the en's
ment of men for one year. instead OF three months ac-
cordne to the limitation of 1872 Plans Tor annual
camps of instruction for officers, with their estimates,
conclude this report -
Mr. Cass in his report to the President OF the United
States dated November so, 1885, says me deiecuVe
organization Of the militia is universally acknowledged
But little practical utility results from the admns'Ta
ton the present SYSTEM and II tins great element Oh
national defence is worth preservation ana improve
4 hon hp o. IN III.
and that PLAN suited to the exigences OF the country
should be adopted | unwilling TO oeiieVe that
there are such inherent difficulties in tins SUBJECT as 70
render impracticabe, d'icnit, TO organize
this great force, peculiarly adapted 10 our hS''tu
tons and i'm such manner as to render II active ana
efficient in those iuncuses when the country may be
called on to exert its power presume lew "ouiu U
found TO advocate the maintenance OF standing ''"
~ force ADEQUATE all the purposes OF peace ana wal
when therefore those exigences arse, from when no
n,to c,n sx meet exemptions and which call for an eN
tension Of our physical means, we must resort 10 an m
crease Of the army, or to the imoody'hs OF me ha'
n is obvious from the extent OF the country that We
can never keep, at all the exposed points, such per
manent force as circumstances may occasionally re-
oure The natural and in fact the necessary depend
ance must be upon the militia and 1t be unorganzeo,
we shall be found without the means to repe foreign
enemy or TO epress internal disturbances should these
evils occur. To depend upon organizing system wheh
the exirency arises reject all The lessons OF eXpe.
rence and to proc rasnatc for examnaon what should
then be the subject Of action. Besides, permanent
plan of organization should be devised in time OF ei-
sure and peace so that il may be introduced and tho
rouphy known before the force provided By 1t IS re-
CURED to be exered. II should, as much as possible,
be ngrafed upon the habits OF the country ana become
part of institutions The basis OF an emcent or
Plantation of the militia must be selection, tor m
structon and service of that part the population best
qualified for these duties Age and physical capacity
present the proper considerations tor such selection
The principle stated with his usual force, by Mr. JET
ferson in his message to Congress, of December leOo,
wherein he said:
nsWhethert will be necessary TO Augment our land
forces will be decided by probably IN the
course Of your session In the meantime VIII con
slider whether it would not be expedient Tor state OF
peace as well of war, to organize or class the MT
lta as would enable US, sudden emergency, tocaii
for the service of the younger portions,
with the old and those having families Upward OF
three hundred thousand abcbodied men, between the
ages Of eighteen and twenty-six years, winch lhe
last census shows may count within our limits,
will furnish competent number for offence or defence
in any point where they may be wanted; ana WI give
time for raising gulr forces, after the necessity oil
them shall become certain and the reducing to the early
period of life all its active services, cannot hui be dtsi-
rable Younger citizens OF the present as wei as
future times nasnuch engages 10 them III more ao'
yanced age quiet and undIsarbcd re?ose III the bo.
som Of their families cannot, then, but earnestly re-
commend TO your early onsderaton, the e>pedency
Of so modifying militia system, as, by separation
of the active part from that winch rs less so, we
may draw from it, when necessary an eihcent corps
fit for real and active service and to he called IN rrgu
lar rotation
"Had the general principles here recommended been
practically adopted, and corresponding system cstAb-
i;.hed with the necessary details, first FOR instruction.
and then for active service, cannot be doubted that
the source Of events which marked the commencement
of the late would have been avoided, and an ma
mense expenditure of blood and treasure saved I" the
nation. The warning voice, which was not needed
then, may perhaps be heard now and IL IL -, u may
produce incaculable benefits
"a board of officers of the army and militia was or
ganized years SINCE under the constructions oil
this department., and by virtue OF resolution OF Con
gress for the purpose of examining tins sn!ec and {"
devsng practicable plan for the organization improve
mers, and efficient action otthc militia. Their report
contains the outline of rrcj", which, with some mo-
dfcaons, appears to me to combine as many advan
tages any other that probably he adopted The
basis was classification ui tie waG!t male population
of the United States and selection 81 as many per-
sons from it, above the age Of tw"ny.onc years, as
should be necessary to complete h' number required
to be enrolled and organized al all times for aciua
service beginning all with the youngest above
the prescribed age Their report stopped at the mum
Der they dee med necessary for constant equipment As
regards instruction and preparation, this limitation Is
no doubt proper but still it would probably be deemed
adv.Ss,le far organize the whole body within Ger
tain ages produce classification, ana TO afford
the requisite facilities toward calling them into service
in succession should any contingency demand larger
force than the first division could supply. This ar
rangement would render available for the defence Of
the country It's whole physical force not that any event
could require all To he embodied at the time, hD
because particular section might sometimes be pecu
iiariy exposed and call for the of large pro
portion Of its populations and the continuance of III,
pressure might render it necessary discharge in
cesson those who had performed their prescribed terms
and TO require the services of others.
"A mere organization would avail but little unless
judgements held out for proper instruction and
Equipment And consider therefore, some provision
for elementary instruction, and for such equipment
may be necessary to excite proPular emulation, inds
Pcnsabe to any improvement ofour militia syscm-'n
dispensable, may add to It's very existence. I'm ar
rangement for these objects would embrace the FRS
class only. II would, TO be sure, involve expense, io
adequate compensation mast be allowed to the per
required to be imbodied at these schools of in
struction for few days in the year. And it would
probably be found eXpcdcnt TO continue the present
nlLn o.. yn r.th chnnres md Il