Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1840-07-04

Canrfrss, could not b. disguised. ! shuddered,
whcn ] contemplated tie scene pi CONFUSION mat
would aitehd TIE appearance 81 hostile heet e
fore any al our primo pal sraports. The nHs man
ned suddenly with tr0ops unaccusi0med 10 The use
Of great guns contrasting their slow and uncertain
FIRE through which The enemy would pass unharm-
ed until they moored Their anaung batteries 0ppo-
ste the city. with The RAPID fire aud unerring aim
Of the prsciiscd gunner by which an enemy would
probably be- Destroyed, or so crippled as 10 be com.
PEELED "a abandon the attack or, surprising force
20 and On oar shores ! ioresaw the useless saugh-
ter or our bcs, and bravesi citizens, who for want
1T Instruction. would, IN all human proba bhity he
oui.manGavrcd and defeated and the calamnous
scene of the last war 10 the capture uf Washington
be acted over again. The result Of this acton in
which Jaw militia were htonghtI suddenly together
and opposed 10 regular forces in the open field com.
pared with that Of New ORLEANS, where the same
description Of troops were assembled some DAYS be-
fire, and stationed behind rsm2arts, teaches an m-
pressive lesson. On the ono hand, we see gallant
but unframed army Of militia, wavefing before The
steady manGnyIes Of regular troops, breaking their
lne, and, panIck struck, flying from the field, leav-
ing the enemy IN p.sscssu Of the city, 10 burn and
destroy IL; while on the other, a band composed OF
a few regulars and militia, who had the benefit OF
being brought together short time in advance, aud
posted advanlAgrouslv behind hastily constructed
lines achieved one Of the most brilliant and gor-
GUS victories recorded in history. saved The city
which was The ohjec, of the enterprise, and drove
the enemy with Disgrace from our soil.
Called by the voice OF Congress 10 prepare 10 de-
lend the country, taught by The events Of the last
war what might be expected fom an enterprisine
and great naval power and warned by the English
press Of the possibility, in case of war with that
coDniry of black regiments being landed within the
territory olthe Southern States, and that the hof-
rors ola setvIe inSnrrection might be added 10 the
ordinary calamlnes Of war, IL became tho duty Of
the Executive 10 SEEK 10 organize and render eff
Gent The only means VI defence at hand.
The President concurred wilh me in opinion with
regard iothe importance Of recognizing The militia
at this time but had no agency in preparing the
plan reported TO Congress aud no previous knowl-
edge Of It's details Il was prepared as has already
been stated al the request Of a committee OF the
House Of Representatives, expressed at the close of
last session. and reported to this Congress- upon
cali OF the House, made directly upon the Secreia-
ry Of War and as il usual in oil such cases. sent to
tina, body without being previously submitted to
the President With il or its details he, therefore,
had nothing TO do. IN preparing il, my attention
was hrs directed 10 the several plans which had
been recommended to the consideration of Con-
gress by Mr. Van Barens predecessors as well as
those proposed by committees of Congress, and ex.
perlenced officers Of the line and 81 the militia In
order that you may fully comprehend the suhject,
ana Inslly appreciate the principles On which The
plan under consideration is based, viii briefly re-
capiiula,othe leading points in the systems recon-
Fnended.
The hrst plan, that Of General Knox was sane.
toaed BY General Washington amer being molif-
ed according To the alterations suggested BY him.
II proposed TO divide the milis INTO three classes.
The FIRST to he dcuomiualed the .idrancs Corps and
to he composed Of young men from eighteen To
tweh,y years cf age. Inclusive. The second 10 b.
denoTna'ed the .AsiH Corps, and to be composed
o. iaen fotn twen;ysone 10 tar,y-tve years OF age.
aas the third 10 he eenomnaied the Reserrt Corps,
aud "a hc eomposed at men lt,m ctiv.fvc to sixty
years a sge. The whele of the Advance CerpS
says tive rcRss. ShAh hc eAcshed ascoriiag 10 The
manneE hereafter directed, armed and suhSlstxd a,
the expense ot the Uni,ed States ana all the youth
~ the said Corps ~ each STATE, shah he encanp.
81 together, practicable, " BY lrSicNs, which en-.
eampHAsn' shaa tc called the Asnnal Camp ef rs.
csnlsae,h
e TIE youth Of esgaseen aaj nineteen shat he as.
etrssnsd @r thirty DAYS succeSssveiy, in each wear
and ,hose ii twenty wears shall be disciplined onlv
~ ten DAYS 10 tach wear, which shall b. The las;
tea DAYS " the son4al eneampmeat"
lhe aen-cNmrtSSsone eEcers and priva les are
~ o. Tvcr'vc any pay daring the SAID ,me bat the
commissioned ashscr VIII receive toe pay 81 ,heir
Fess.5ve rsvss, sereeaSy 10 the Fedora estah1s>h
I ment t0f he s,ssae heaac
SeaeSal ARoS t6sn s,ses 30 70 eSUn,ate sar ma.
~ rReFa and sgatt iaur hsiEx9,erS wuA their a.
sFcctogs aad aS ani sll the cyher oalcers Cor Soar
4 teErans, aHaanaag 70 the sRnwA SUN al $500 2 40
/ lhe HeNt prcwVi Tor afcaRsing The militia was
prveTelgd hv Mr.. iefersoa in his message II Coo.
I rvcss in Dccemtxr 1905, Ne saws; "Yea wi
es'assder whether Il Soald r@ be expvdtep, os q
state 81 pSscc, - ws IS Il war, 80 70 organ re q,
sssss the militia as would enable US On ! spdsgsr
emsr sceey, 10 cal i1g tAs srvaces Of the yaaaSsl
rerioaS EarncanSheged wj,h tAe oiS, and th.s<r
havinI Anases. Upwards II three huoSrrd ,hoa
sand a@e As3ed tren between the ases eF e3gAteet
aRd tweuty SIX wears, which the Inst errsus show.
we nav How c1uus within our tspiss wsl sgrasa
eNnFctvai RNmher sor nsente cinheienSe, IA an,
paint whsCc thew NAV be wanted. and MIN give sas
81 FarSpg regsssav Fees, alter Ire rcceSSs,y at thea
shat Aeecne eertaNsy; ard NE yeAuciar 10 the ear
n pegsgd 81 BE a. its active servass cannot hu, :.
aessfaAe 10 car yeueget elsrSaS AZ the pssseat, .
weA as haturc tones; nsSmReh as 1, eprarps 10 ther,
IN more advanced ar, Asaei ard unarSsgeh~s re
lssse IA the aasoR' O, sAte lsasaAsS rannc3 thrr
hss earnestly Ncousneud tc vopr carry c~nSsdera,sS
the sxpedepey 81 ~ saAj8y,as our militia svsspu
as by ~Fsrstoa 1t ths mese setve part. fraa
Ia, uAea Is KISS ~ Ne easv dgaw from II. WIG,
nceeSSaFy, an ceevsse eeFpS. ut s., rsal an
active ssgssec, sE3 - x sascA 10 10 regular ro,s
tan"
- eaFassl were M. ivGkrSoa's cesv3et&Aas q
he pre9se,N ANA rec Ssly ii 'Aas sseasurc. that
lass pcFscd IL bis g. tAs ahSe SsassSnsAo ara Il
slsed pa,Fest tAas writes 20 Gveeral ksssss d
the SS5a n FehFuary, Isle, Five msaSaegs hav
10, eees adop,ed wAseh | P'vSsca appa Ceazsrs
REPEATEDLY az ghSF nseSsiAgS The oae to sstsse n
Wlsa1s sRxgsa,ca ,sgvssees q oglSsnS hy ssaaaaaa
4 snd ~ stAS ANlss4 y0aes mSu, - Is gnEsSe,
assd c~rrsed there at the paa = sxpeHsc, wtsa wSaa
coasatsse AfSc awsyS Rad, IN The spot 10 5rfsr,
New OvsSanS, Tee gsheswas 70 eAsSs TIE rasAlsa
gcecVilgs, ~ he wear q Their birth, ard make a
sAase lrvm aNeaV to twenty-five. lsAe 70 be tram
* AMI cssec sase S<Fvsos al a HSaHxat's warning
tbs wOe3 hare g,vSs ess Ngce Of three haaarS,
sh0sxaal vAeas inca. prepSsed BY r-pves trasa7s,
'es sesvxe IN aay paFs II sAS Cnssa Safes whss