American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-01-21

National DEFENCEs-.4n Important BILL
A Philadelphia paper learns from Washington
that Gen. Black, of the committee on the Mi
ltia, is preparing bill for recognizing and
classifying the militia of the United States, and
for calling them into service.
The first section of the bill makes all able
bodied male citizens, between the ages OF elgh-
teen and forty-fve years, liable to militia duty.
The second section divides these into two
classes-those between eighteen and thirty
years, constituting the first class, and those be-
tween thirty and forty-fve the second class
In time Of peace, the bill provides that only
those betw the ages of twenty-one and tblr-
ty years, shall be enrolled, including all uni
form companies and corps.
In times Of alarm, or when the country is
threatened with war, the President is authoriz-
ed to issue his proclamation, requiring full
enrolment of the militia for a war establish
ment. in which event the officers Of companies
commanding are required to enrol all within
their beats between the ages OF eighteen and
twenty-one in the first class.
The same officers are required to notify all
of the second class within their beat to come
forward within ten days and enrol themselves.
The militia of this class, when they come for
ward, may enrol themselves i'll the first class,
and become subject, with the first class, to all
the duties required of them; or they may, at
their o,rn option, enrol themselves in separate
and special roll, and become liable to furnish
recruits to the regular army, not to exceed one
to each ten militia men so enrolled If they
neglect to enrol themselves within ten days,
then they are to be enrolled by the command
inc officers in the first class, and be held liable
to duty in like manner with their fellow citi-
zens of the first class.
The bill further provides that all the special
" enrolled class should be divided by the Colo
nels of Regiments into squads OF ten each,
who shall furnish recruits to the regular army,
to serve for five years OIL during the war, which
ever period first expires, to the end that they
onlu MAJ be held in service in time Of acar, AND
THAT rEAcE SHALL DIsBANp THEM.
All of the first class, which in time of war
will embrace all liable to militia duty between
eighteen to thirty years; and all such OF the
second class as may choose to become part
of the same, shall be liable to be draughted
into the service for twelve months, whenever
the public service shall require it, for one year
in three.
Whenever they are thus draughted for six
months or longer, they are to receive the same
paw and subsistence as the regular army, and
forty dollars per annum in lieu of clothing
draughted men, in all cases to be allowed to
furnish observation-disclosures volunteer COM
panies and corps to be subject to be called into
service one year in three, to receive forty dol
lars per annum in lieu of clothing, and always
to be called into service as company or corps
complete.
The first class will embrace about 100000
and the second 200, 00O-total ., 100, 000.-
The saving, per annum, by this bill, will bt
100000. When called out more than si'
months the men are to get extra pay in lieu o
! clothing,