American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-01-15
For the American Republican
THE MILITIA.

I l1IL MILL
! In my first brief communication on this sub
iect, intended merely to bring before the pub
| lie matter, which deemed, perhaps, OF great
err importance than many Of your readers; and
| ] Was gratificd to find from your remarks, that
| you Concurred with me in opinion. hiatt there
ought 10 he revision of our militia system,
must be apparent to every individual VINO has
pivcn the least consideration TO the subject; and
| r any doubt does exist, it is only because of
Tire supposed mpracticability of an improve
rneat hy which some of the evils that have
| brought reproach and dersion upon it, can be
removed. entirely agree with you, "that it
4 is utterly impossible that men can be made ac-
uuautcd with the manual exercise and the nil
itary cvoutlons iii some three or four parades
during the year," and yet this is the great ell
ror which chaIacterlzes our present code. The
evil consequences of this practice are not mere
ly negative, but it absolutely intlicts positive
injury to the cause it is intended to promote,
by lessening the dignity of the cultivation of
Il military feeling and drawing upon 1t ccnsure
and ridicule, and thus dampenng the spirit of
our youth, which ought rather to be encour-
aged and protected.
On this subject have had much actual ex-
percncG; and | am satisfied that annual par
AIDES and drills tend essentially to the destrlc-
ton of laudablc military pride in the commu-
nifty, and render the militia when called into
active service, more difficult to become good,
we'll disciplined, and efficient soldiers. In my
scheme therefore, propose to dispense entire
ly with drills aud parades as a militia, but
would give due encouragement to the forina-
ton of Volunteer and Uniform companies, that
would be so many nuctea upon which the mill
TIA could form and be embodied in time of war,
and participating in the spirit of the occasion
which called them into service, they would
soon imbibe the principles and acquire the hab-
its OF the well disciplined, and form an efficient
and powerful military force OF citizen soldiers.
BY the dispensatiOn Of annual parades two 9TH
er important evils are obviated--time and ca
pcnSe to our people. If, therefore, a system
Can be devised which will in itself be complete
and give all due encouragement to the pfcser-
vation and cultivation of laudablc military
spirit in our community, and yet obviate the
Objectionable features Of the present, it is GER
tanly worthy the consideration of our egisla-
ture. This | propose to accomplish by a sys-
TEN, the outline of which, will take The liberty
to SKETCH in concluding this communication
would divide the State into two Military De-
partments, and sub-divide these departments
each into four Military Districts. Over each OF
the departments would assign one Major Ge-
neral, and over every two of the districts one
Brlgader General-each district should consti-
, tute Regiment, with Colonel, and all the
subordinate officers to complete Il regimenta
organization. Each military district to be divi.
ded into eight companies, or beats. The Cap
tains of the companies 10 keep Il Muster Roll
of the men in the beat, subject to military du-
II ty, and render them annually to the Colonel
The Colonies to make a consolidation of these
rolls and transmit them to the Brigadier Gene
rails; then to be forwarded to the General of
the Department, who would transmit trans
cripts Of them to the Adiutant General of the
State for the information of the Executive, the
Commander-ip-Chief,s some time previous to
the annual meeting of the legislature. Upon
every individual not exempt from the perform
ance Of militia duty, and not members of uni
form or volunteer companies, | would impose "a
/ tax OF five cents per annum, to he collected by
the Captain of the beat, and transmitted to the
Adjutant General through the same order as
the muster rolls. The militia fund thus Great
ed, to be distributed on acquisitions signed by
the Adlutant of the Regiment, and counter
signed by the Colonel, to supply any associa-
ton of individuals who may propose to form
1 themselves into a Volunteer or Uniform COM
pany, of not less than thirty-two in number,
with flag, and the necessary military musical
instruments, &c. This distribution is proposed
with the view of giving encouragement to the
formation of these companies, and who would
be required to drill or parade not less than four
times IL each year. In the event of an accu-
mutation of a surplus OF the militia fund annu-
ally, such of the school districts that were dis
r"sed 20 introduce military exercises for The
benefit of the pupils, could be provided out of
! this fund with copies of military tactics; thus
blending with their education, healthful disci-
| pline and the cultivation of military feeling
| To give force, efficiency and character to this
system, it should he the duty of the Adjutant
General, once or twice annually, under the d.
rection of the Executive, to make tours of in
spection and examination TO the several mill
tary districts, and make his official report of
the character and condition of the companies
to the former the Commander-in-Chief of the
militia.
This is the outline of the system, which, in
my opinion, is not only practicable, but would
secure, in great measure, all the important
considerations of an efficient militia erganiza-
ton. In future number may speak more in
detail, and of the several advantages its adop-
ton would secure to the State, both in Peace
and in times of War. PUBLIUs.
l.
RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN MApEtsA-Se-
rious Conflict bstueen Protestant Conrerts and
the Milta,u. persons, killed. We find