Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-01-01


Legislature from the county Of Amelia.
IL The Memorial Of the Education Conrcntion will
appear On Tuesday.
To typographical occurred paper Wednesday,
ri Mr. Preston substituted for That Of Nh Eent
FOX the ENQUIRER
THE MlIlTIA-lAo. T.
~ Coi. CARTER, II tic Senate, anil Gcn BArLr IF the
House Of Dciegaies.
Col rutherford, the Lieut.. Governor Of the State
in his Message IT, The General Assembly has recon-
nended several alterations of the Militia Laws III but
OF which can partially with him. In
the radical change Of the means OF discipline proposed
by him. see nothing but return TO that contemplate
state of the militia from which about 10 emerge.
Ills recommendations not the result of much close
reflection, Of very accurate knowledge of the
causes of the present unhappy condition OF the militia.
There has been, for many years. general cry against
their organization; every one has opened hrs mouth
against II, though lie knew what he was prating
about. There is such defect in the organization Of
the militia is worth The time taken 10 amend IT,.
Since the invention and general use OF tire arms
all armies have been organized by suitable propor-
tons Of infantry Of the line, light infantry, heavy and
field rllc.y bombnrd!ers, cavalry and light Dragons:
and with nations, portion OF rlilemen, the mos
inefficient arm Of defence that prowlel upon
the TANKS OF an army, d!ed in sunshine, slept in
noontde shade The ratio Of one corps 10 another has
depended the nature Of the country and character Of
the IN which they were Employed no fixed rule
for actual service could therefore, be adopted Finer
gencies, however, have often presented themselves, and
order to meet them, the usual relative numbers OF the
different corps have been, Of light infantry fifth Us
many infantry Of the line; ut cavalry, necnth: OF
artillery, oneenih: Of bumba;d:crs, where used for
howltzcrs, enough for few guns Of rrmen, OCCASION
ally one or two hundred brigade. This ratio is
generally adopted i'll Europe where experience has been
ample t. es It's efficacy So much for the proportions
of the different troops In regard TO the other branches
of the organization Of European armies, | will nov
speak: they divided into divisions brgades, regi-
mcnts, bai,aions and companies, commanded ~ Ma.
jors General, urgadcrs Co.one$, Majors, and Cap.
tains.
Taking then, the European models, as certainly the
best, lei how lar we have adopted. @. departed
from them. In Virginia we have required every man
10 Go militia duty from the age of Il to 40 years;
have then divided the whole into divisions brigades,
regiments batalions, and companies; and have pre-
scrbed 10 the eG.nens company oil cavalry, one
of artillery, and two light companies so far, have
pursued strictly the rnle laid down III Europe. We
have also prescribed for each portion Of the militia, its
ri~naria,e officers To division we have aluj,r-
General and MS STAFF; 10 brigade, prrnder and his
Staff; to a regiment, Colonel and lis Staff 10 bat.
talon, Lieut.. Colonel or Major; to company, Cap
tain his subalterns, and commissioned officers
Such is the grade and disposition Of the officers to
lar commands in foreign countries. There is nothing
wanting, then, TO complete organization Of the militia.
PHYSICAL canses he found in The unequal partition OF
the State into counties, and the character OF the soil
and state OF the population, may, in many instances,
present cases wher The prescribed organization Of re-
giments has not taken place. but that not the fault
Of the syscmit is either owing TO causes which can
not we'll be surmounted or TO the true cause OF the
wretcIed state Of militia discipne,-the sovereign con-
tempt with which the laws are treated: instances Of
which abound, from the Cummander-ln Chief 10 the
Corporal.
The first subject on which the Lieutenant Governor
touches is the number Of designations This has been
the for upwards Of twenty years, and an attempt
was made, seventeen years ago, 10 apply remedy
In lc24 the postage on commissions resigned ana re-
sed was upwards of five hundred dollars 10 reduce
this item of Expense, great it for such purpose
was not Tie main object of secondary import
ancc in the view Of that individual in his attempt TO
amend the Militia Laws. His purpose 10 keep oil
GERS in commission until they qualified 10 render
efficient service and with that view, he required them
retain their commissions for five years. unless they per-
manenlly removed from The bounds other egimrn,nnd
in order 10 re rid Of such might prove 10 BE- unworthy,
the Rermenal Courts Of Enquiry were authorized by
unanimous r0tc To accept designations The bill contain
ing provision tins effect together with others 10 be
hereafter adver,cd TO- was passed Ivy large majority
in the House of Delegates, and was lost in The Senate
by the casting OF the Speaker, ntter combination
Of several Brigadiers to defeat It, In the amended act
of 81 in The preparation Of which tie writer was con-
cerned, with others, this provision was introduced III
modified form; what done all that could be OBJ
tanned at that tine. The present law should extend
The period for which officers should to five years
at least during which resignation should he allow
ed except in where, by unanimous vote OF the
Repimenlal Court, should he determined, that the
militia service would be bettcred h. the resignation
Thus. no resignation would take place bat for good
Cause touching the service such as permanent or m
durable disease, or manifest ncompetency and unit
ness Whenever The court could unanimously enter
such order OH their record as the cause Tor &C
cert:ng the resignation rendered, then such case
will exist Us the law should contemplate, and Tie ser
vice wouid he relieved by bis retirement 1t should
he also provided that any officer over ID DIght re-
sign at pleasure, and that no cifcer should bold
commission after sixty years OF age and, indeed as
rule almost universally true, think fiity-iivc is late
enough While there are some exceptions as to the
capacity of man for hard valuable service al hiy-
frc, there thirty to one who are unit The melan-
choly of ncapici'y the part OF officers Of
high rank in the late wa, who had reached from hily
five TO about sixty five years should rs not 10 re-
peat The error In Europe, loo there multitude Of
evidence corresponding with that furnished by the dis
ascrs our armies the Northern ironer oi the N.
competency of old men 10 command armies wi'a the
equi,e zeal and activity, which are to be found only IN
the vicor of life and which exhausted in man in
the last aiarter of existence. If had the power 10
select the commanding officers of the military force OF
the country in time Of hostiIitlcs would PIT young
al The head, not thirty, If, in other respects
suitable. j. il NIL 10 BE- wondered at, that with
Generals Dearborn Lewis, wilkinson, Hampton Hull,
Pinckney Parker, &c, &c inen Of the Revolution,
we should have done nothing towards the conquest OF
Canada, tall the Young men Of the day were allowed
M opportunity to display themselves: Pike, Scott,
Brown Gaines, Ripley, Jackson, Alaconb, Wood, Cub
son, McRec, Croghan, Holmes, &c. were boys cam
pared to their commanders, who have died without
fame, while these Young men were honored through
out land TO whose glory they greatly contributed
Much more could be well said against the policy of re-
tanning old men in any actual command; but as do
no; contemplate essay, will conclude by calling
al IN Tho
and lieutenant colonies, who lately incubi upon
the militia; men who held 10 their commissions from
the vain desire of display in regmentals and the brief
they derived from them. Can any man
but with dsm,y, the results OF campaign
conducted by such menu Thsrs hes been, however,