The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1841-01-07
REPORT
REPORT
OF the select Committee, to whom was
referred the subject Of amendments to
the Mililia Law her Leave To re nnrt.

referred the subject OF amendments Il
! the Militia Law, beg leave to report:
That having had the same under con
sldera,ion, have come to the conclusion
that the present militia system is oner
Gus to our citizens, productive of no goot
to the community, and ought TO be abol
lished.
|. Could our present system be carried
into perfect operation-lhe militia com
pletely equipped, we'll drilled and organi
zed-your committee would entertain
stronger doubts Of the practicability o
abollshing it. Even then, however, they
believe the expense to the soldier. AM
the loss to the community, would more
than concordance all good results. Blu
our system is not perfect, and canno, be
bettered; our soldiers are without arms
and have no means of equipping them.
selves; the present law is dsragarded in
some sections of the Territory, and con.
fusion seems to be worse confounded.
AS the law now exists, every person
liable 10 perform military duty is requi
red 10 arm himself; this law if enforced
would be a great hardship upon our citi.
Zens: very few are in circumstances that
would warrant the expenditure of the a.
mount required for that purpose. In
fact, most of those required to perform
military duty, are the ones least able to
bear the necessary expenses; if the law is
not enforced it is a dead letter, and the Of
ficers of our militia are guilty Of no less
an offence than perjury. In entering up
on the duties Of their Offices, they are
required to take an oath TO obey the laws
Of the Territory; and enforce them; and
that law requires them, in case any of the
men under their command are not legally
equipped, to report the fact, and order a
court martial. Has this ever been done?
Has fine ever been imposed? Has not
the law fallen still-born, and added anoth-
err to the long catalogue of legislative alb
ortions! Is it not then dead letter and
nuisance in the statute book, stumb-
ling block conducting to perjury and crime;
perjury consists as well in wilfully neg
Letting to do an act required, as in doing
an act prohibited.
Your committee consider that a law
which public opinion will not sanction,
and one so odious that it will not assist in
enforcing, should be Immediately repeal
ed.
Wha. good results from the presnt sys-
TEN! None; it is an immense burden to
our constituents. The number of per-
sons liable to perform military duty in
this Territory, are perhaps about eleven
Thousand, and fair estimate of the ac-
tual loss to the country, by that number
of persons being taken from their ordlna-
ry avocations, cannot be less than one
dollar per day; making an aggregate loss
of $22 900, estimating the loss Of time at
only two days in each year, to say no.
thing Of the other expenses incurred, OF
the injury done to the morals of the COM
munity; of the crimes committed, and
usually attendant upon muster days. Is
not this actual loss to the Territory
enough to deter us from longer endeavor-
ing 10 maintain so deplorable system?
If the present plan is to be continued,
its requirements should be enforced. II
the militia are to be drilled they should
be we'll drilled, and they should be armed;
our corn.stock drills are Of no benefit
they teach neither the duty of the soldier
nor the use of arms-they are burlesque
upon the law. and consequently their in
fuence as injurious and debasing. Re-
spect for the law should always be incul-
Gated and maintained.
The cost of procuring arms, accoutre
ments, &C., cannot, at low estimate, be
less than SIS, each soldier, making sum
total of $l65 900. Thus. it must be ap.
parent, that to support and effectively or.
ganize our militia, under the present sys.
tenn, would be loss to the Territory Of
1857 900. What equivalent shall we re-
ceive for this enormous sum! None what
ever, but little military glory to deck the
brows of some of our seekers after tame
Your committee have reported bill
which accompanies this report, repeating
the former law, so far as general militia
duty is concerned, and throwing the bur.
den upon those who reap the honors.-
The officers are required TO muster as be.
fore, and keep rolls Of the men able to dc
duty in their respective precincts. In ca
ses of invasion or threatened disorder, the
governor is authorized to call out the mi
lilia as before; we believe this is all oul
safety, our honor, or our happiness re-
quires. If the calamity Of war should
come upon our country, we should be as
well prepared for it as we are now; oul
men as well equipped and as dutiful.
1t is worthy of remark here, that i
was admitted by the commanding off
GERS of the last war, that the best soldier:
were those men who had never seen ;
musket.
All of which is respectfully submitted
A. B. PORTER, Chairman.
LEGISLATURE OF IOWA