Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-01-20

UCulHTIy 10 ilb HUJutuHt HtHtIHls lUb TleIuS "
the militia have now the opportunity Of eevating
this branch Of the public service, so as To command
the respect and admiration of the people.
STATE OF VERMONT.
adjutant and Lsp. Generals Office,
Rutland 9Th January, 1913.
GENERAL INSTRUCTlONS.-No. !.
An Act in relation TO the militia having passed
the Legislature Mt its last session. revising and ma
ierally altering The system, il becomes necessary
that some information be promulgated in regard
to its duties aud responsibilities for the observance
Ufthose coming within its jurisdiction.
The revision oftbe system was called for by the
necessities Of The public, whether citizens or
men subject to its duties. The large, aud in sonc
cases, unreasonable demand cnimeh by them
from the trcasury,-ihe want of sufficient respon-
sihilily aud organization Of separate departments,
in order to render feasible the proper aud cgiti-
mate discharge of their duties the neglect in the
making and timely transmission ofall the required
Tefurns,-hc inability 10 obtain and preserve the
full and perfect records and roster Of the State,
owing to negligence aud the responsibility felt
Ivy officers in every grade aud the discharge Of Of
ficers without sufficient discretion 10 times and
circumstances, and without any records OF such
discharges, or even return uf them when niGdp,-
the system oi fines relaxed md made imperative
Ivy carclesSness in collecting ard accounting in
business like mnnner,- and, in fine the riInilen-
lion, neglect aud want of respnnshny of of.cers
cheney of the laws, the want of spirit aud cner-
~ 10 carry them mo eff g..
system npprOxinatng in amy just degree
Ia perfect correction 10 existing evils, Or sup
ply of actual Deficiencies, was the last 10 have
been expected Il presents wide field for inqui
ny and investigation field on which nave con.
tended doubtful policy. the exigcnces of,hr times
the ambition aud vanify of men, aud the wants Of
government, aud each in their turn has sgnally
failed, on which pioneers, IN military sense,
lave not nlono made approaches The heads oi
government, the chiefs oi departments, Legislators,
statesmen. aud the military men, have extended
the investigation, aud have succe sivry failed to
furnish Developments other than those which the
republics of other days have long SINCE presented
u+. No system had been uiaured sufficiently iea-
sible to lie adopted by the general government,
while either embarrassed by the difficulties oi the
subject, or doubtful as to the powers granted 10y
the constitution, they have again and again rrfrr
red it to the action OF the States But NJ The same
time the views aud considerations there elected
and presented, have found their way through The
community and produced II change npon the pub
lie mind. Aud the counttce of revision, whose
reported bill has become The IL $ under which We
now act, could not disregard the voice OF the pub
lie, Ginning it does ~ have Tor lis support lie
wisdom Of experience, the dictates ofJuslire and
sound sense, aud the wants of the State. Aud 1t
may be proper perhaps, in justice to the views
and opinions of that COMMITTEES, to remark that no
subject Of statutory law could be presented for in
quiry and remedial provisions, raughI with more
difficulty resulting from experience, more un-
certainty arising, on the one hand, from dislru>t
OF Judgment as to what is most saiuiarv aud ne
cessnry. and on The other, from want Of conf
dence in that popular oplnlGn which hns some
times heretofore condemned before il has faith
fully tried more intricacy from The prendces
Which have invested It by the mass OF those hos
tile 10 the emotions Of duties in which they can
detect no benefits, and 10y those impatient OF that
restraint, the whUlesOmeness of which they deem
doubtful, ann the sautarY effects Of which they
do not perceive There nre those, whose claims
for all the duties which II military system can i'm
pose, mi all the priu 'pes which ii can confer,
without reference to time, number or expense,
seem paramount TO the necessities OF community,
the requirements Of The constitution, or utility 10
the Sale. Ii should in justice To itself, pernaps,
l'e said that its importance is thus extravaganlly
eotnated, and its claims thus inconsiderateIy ur-
ged upon community from sense of the unjust
neglect with which it has often met and the ex-
IRENE with which it has been nndervaued. Upon
this subject the progress OF opinion has been such
that the necessity for training the mass of the mi
lIiin, between the ages which the laws require,
cannot he impressed upon the minds OF commit
nifty. A reduction of the militia for this purpose
is lmperiously demanded by The necessity OF tho
case The training Of such a number, thrown to-
gether by cOmpusion, without taste or object, has
been sufficiently tried 10 manifest lis utter aLsur-
diy. Few Of lis officers are adequately informed
to teach any system, and citizens themselves con
not be sufficiently impressed with its importance
to learn even its first rudlnents. Could The time
even OF the many days or weeks, necessary u the
discipline Of good soldier, be afforded by the cit
iZen The expense, which in such a case should he
horne by the public would never he deirayed hy
the States. TO meet these ohlections reduction
of the militia has been made and 1t Ienains 10 ie
determined whether il he wisely niadc. II militia
ry duty he done IL, ALL il were hotter TINT il be IL
done. And if there are those who seek It's iuIes
and lis privileges, who are rmnlous ot It's tonors
and attractions, and have correct insie tor its dis
cipline, the beauty OF its erOlutnns and usefulness
OF lis study, as il is implicitly believed there are
many such, to them the law hrews out its induce.
menls, and invites them, by voluntary ass0cia-
tons, to unite in establishing force that will not
he disgraceiul to themselves, hut honorable and
servrenbe to the State. Upon the operation
Of such the Commander in Chief relies, confident.
iy relies TO carry the present law into full, com
plete and perfect effect.
The report OF the Council Of Censors to the Lee
gisaiure in lSil, in which they decide that The
laws of courts martial are unconstitutional, has
created much difficulty in the collection of fines
and cansed great expense 10 The State and were
il not That OF the Justices of the peace in this
enlightened community, either permitting their
unjust rejudices 10 overcome their beiter juds.
menr, or possessing only those qualifications for
their Office which are the nnIipOdes TO common |
sense aud common justice, have taken II upon !
themselves to extend the application, and decide
thai all laws for the collection ofmlli AIRY fines
and void, this subject would not
have been here mentioned. a doctrine so al,strf I
so opposed TO and experience, SO hostile to
the rights and institutions OF society, and grel
flying 10 existing preJudices, could not prevail |
without deriment, aud should he decidedly with.
stood. The first position. indeed, was not bind
ing upon and should not have influenced the de-
csions of any man it was merely the expr ssion
of opinion of body oil men, extra judicial, and |
without any force. But the iciier could have been |
taken only by such men ms are sometimes created |
Tor no definable benefit that eau he humanity per-
ceived but merely TO fill up those unfortunate H.
lersices that are sometimes found TO exist in The |
body polite. 1t is not surprising that the council, |