Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1840-09-08

House Of REPRESENTATIVE of the 9:h instant a,b,, a..
S'SrSaryoi War be roqucsted IS communicate hs
rAhs IA deiai. for the reorganization uf the militia vt
INC United States, Ihave the honor 10 submit ,he GL-
lowiUs-repot:
me impoesibili,y OF guarding our exposed frontiers
10y mo snail regular force OF thd United S,oi.s ron.
"eI necessary That some plan should bo devised 70
maNe the militia available without burlsniur the conn.
Try either by too great an expense in naint,ininr !,
an mo held or by ahsirncting too large a number Of
useful citizens from the productive labors OF agricul.
ture OF of the mechanic arts.
Tho mass Of the militia of tho United St,fcs ,s ,,
present organized, does not fll .,ou oronc million
hvo hundred thousand men ani every day that they
are mustered for inspection or exercise abstracts al lrast
enc million ofdon1rs from the earnings Of labor. with.
OUT adding any LIIng whaicvcT 10 the military cficicn-
~ OF the country, AMI too often affecting iniur,ouly
The moral condition Of those who arc assembled fr tho
purpose. Lch by the little instruction they receive ur
such occasions, without discipline, slb0rdin,i..n. or
knowledge Of the use OF arms, and totally irur-art of
the manner Of taking care of thems~lv.s ar az ,,rb
other in the field. such a militia. IL called out IN m,-S
would rather prove n burden Than an as.:-tlpc, d, The
army employed IN tho defence of the country. rs is
shown by the experience of Gen. WAsuNgrov. r..
peatedly expressed in his correspondence +. we'll ,s
by the result; Of more recent event, during the lr.t
war. IL Is true that. in the PRINCIPAL cities OF he Uni.
tel Siaies, there are 10 be found well urgan.zel Lisci-
plnei,uud snldierhkec companies. b~aitallioa4 regiments
bfigatcS. and divisions Of volunteers; men who. inii.
Nidua!y and collectively, would DO good service in
the Heid. Bot uay onc acquainted rrlcti Gully with
war knows that 20 frht bravcly, md even p ma1ryr,
c'o!y and sS.,,dlly, on the field of battle, n-r u,t ,ht
most necessary qualifications OF the soldier. They are.
peFn1pS, 'Ic 'a1si common. AMI the least often called
hAto action. soldiers must ho taught their dt'ics in
garrison, and IA tho field, IN mlrcl.urIuT cuc,rnnirr
IN me poi'ec aad military almiusiuviIl OF au army.
rms instruction, 50 essential, and without which u il
impossible To form tho soldier. cannot b, -Tvr, "a, d
days training. BY officers nearly as ignorant Of lhcsr
branches OF the service as the soldiers ihcm.a,ycs. Z
spea@ OF te generality ui The militia officers. IL must
la IN rnrFAl LHa .aN .L.HLH q.
aud IA camp, nnl 70 men aud officers. alike: and II
must BE- imPlriei ID a few at a time. ANY attempt 90
organize. discipline and 5euler every vnv 81 for scr.
wee M lie held the UnviciJy mass Of the miitia Of
this vas; country, which will spou ascend 70 two mil.
iions Cd msn, must tIl for want al; means. add leave
tho country exposed % the terrible disasters which will
attend the 'rst burst OF war upon il. frontiers. # they
are TO be defended by the armed but uudscIplned
Inuliiiudes.
IL has been supposed tina, il Will b. sufficient IN IN.
srItt tho officers only, and that the priyatcs cnu. under
well disciplined officers, be formed into soldier. In.
tstn;!y' oy the magic voices Of good commander
Ih.ais a double and "A most dangerous error. In the
Inst piice' II requires time 10 form a soldier, under the
HIpst pnc'tsea. experienced, and skIuI Officers: and
oar soil nigh: ba polluted by the foot q tho invader
or ciiies taken and sacked, and our forts occu.,ict be
lore our a1ned citizens could be taught the elements
OF tlcIcs or the simple use Of The frcluck. AqI. So.
'c1n1iy, u Will prove a fatal error . su9p1ss that an
ON or CA 10 'Ormed 10y being dailad a. "a Iryaic-
Inc ha3i": comInlnd, the prompt eye. the firm tone.
VIZ f's'iV'Nra.N III ufJiltIlis % N4tlg.ltT an. dancer
VIVA INSPIRE the m0u wI;h confidence and courlgp.
and are - essential 10 scSars their ready obedience
as the result o! practice. The officers and priyli,.
wac are % act togg.acr IN ihe field must pee drl.J
'ogelAc'' and qFtHod, the one to thc duties Of obedl
once. AM tic DhrT 10 those ~ command.
Satisfied that an efficient io-lc cannot b, crs,.
TED ~ cr.iitds The officers alone, a. well as OF the Im.
pa 'icaJ.liy Of rendering The whole mass Of the milf
va aN"lasi', NJ The samc lime, lr the defence Of the
country aH! convinced, from the experience Of Ogr
past " urs, that ID Is necessary 10 orrauiz. and .f.-ipl.r,
u select body OF ciuzsa ~so,Iiers. Who Ia a moment OF
dtngcr. vii! know their stations. aud their duties ,ben
assembled there. ana who, although separated from the
lui>s Tor q short time, Will return and lup.y, 70 u Ib.
military knowledge and experience tlry L7ye rr,ri
rgd during their pergi Of service, Ih.ge rr,g1rcI Ih.
Plan The details uf which are herewith slhiU .usi marco.
ably 10 IA rc'2luiIon II the House. 10 j. believed
la, on eNlmmIug them, IL will be aguarrut th.t ,b,
scheme Is not liable 10 any one of tho ol,,-ri,gs h,r
ntrc urged against largo standing armies; but. on m.
CONTRARY, that 1t will form "a select bJiy OF ve!l gsr-.
pinned militia, ready tIcmsc!ycs 90 dcI,ul their cuug-
Iy IN the hoIr of danger against any sudden attack.
an! furnishing a cl.e, around which the lrss ina,ruc-
led mas may uiiy possessing iH some degree the mil
atari knowledge and skill Ofrcgular soldiers, ihoy vii
he able alike q project Iirr country from n lorrirg
Toe and TO qua 4 is Liberties from any danger that may
threaten ihcm.
II sppoars to-mo Jha! the organization now nra3,sod
VIII prevent The necessity II maintaining large stand
lng armies, even n lime Of war. The militia. proper.
ly drilled aud instructed, Will be hereby rendered
perfectly efficient. and capIblc Of defending the forts
along our martitmc frontier, which, IN the absence Of
sIch an organization. would require a regular army
Of fly Thousand men. At present, tho militia cannot
he rendered immediately available aglius; a surprise
whereas, under the proposed organization, they would
re AIR 10 ihoir stations M the first alarm. and would be-
efficient soldiers when there. ia case Of war. those
stations would become permanent, and arrngpmoufs
mi Ut easily be made 70 rs 10 reader the service as liz
tie burdcusone as possible - The artisan and me.
sIauic.
Every prccnUtion has been taken % avoid on inter.
ference with the rights oflhc States. or 10 lessen heir
means Of defence. The militia will bee called ont 90
the manner at present provided for By law. and Zoo
change Is contemplated in the mode Of differing the
several corps Of which tho active class Will be com.
posed.
II win not abstract a single man from the defence
Of the Stale where he Resides. nor separate him from
the class ot citizens to which he belongs. II will, on
t1o contrary. strengthen the iofcnccs Df each State. by I
furnishing u with q well disciplined force, taken from
the People. and making part Of iac People equally IT,
iercsied with their fellow c.izeus iu the preservation
o. FREQ institutions, and ready AZ al tuaos n guard the
territory and he people Of their country. Neither
uycs 30 iutoTiere. In any manner, with The constitutional
rights Ct the States TO train their own militia accord
Ing 90 the discipline prescribed hy Congress. because
the active militia VIII be employed BY the President
during the period they are preparing or WadIke SER
vice 30 garrison aud in ihc field. And while The States
have ell The advantages which may result from a well
organized and disciplined militia. they will, 10 the
s1mo time. be cVeugi from the losses, expenses, mud
evils which follow, necessarily, from the usscmbl11r
of larEe numbers or merely o nominal military boz
structio1. IL IS 60 De considered. also, t11t PORTION oil
the militia ore provided with opportunities for ha
attainment 0f the essentials OF military knowledge /.
and, az The slne lime that they relieve Jha reminder .
from an OrrrIus and useless burden. they fhruarsDs
will not be- oppressed By any undue umDuut 0I mlifur.
service being required Of Them: but, ou The CONTRARY.
by comparing The time which, under The yrosesf SIS
ten, is devoted % th't object. % will De found Ult
There Do but very little additional service. D. any. &C.. .
qUrcl. and br that uHr they will De sufficiently com
pcusuies. The compensation contemplated r- ode.
qu1te under O. good administration DGiIc laws proposed. .
49,. - l. L. -