The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-31

dlcton, post ONCE, and Indian agency over our eoun-
trymen beyond the Rocky mountains. WsgO also
for an adequate system Of preparations.
THE REORGANIZATION OF THE MILITIA.
Mr. Black, Of South Carolina from the Commit
tee on the Militia, has submitted TO the House Of
Representatives the following report, accompanied
by bill which carries the proposed system into its
necessary details. We lay the report before our
readers because it is essentially important, among
free people, To give the greatest practicable eff
cheney at all times, and especially at this tims TO
this great arm Of the public seriee-ths 'eheap de-
fence OF nations"-but which will neither be cheap
gained; and because the system proposed in the
bill from the committee il eminently worthy Of the
public attention. The statistics embraced in the re-
port arc cheering as they are instructive.
HOUSE OF RErREsESTATIvEs.J JAN n, 1870
Mr.. J. A. BLACK, from the Committee on the
Militia, made the following reports .
The Commitise on the Militia, in submitting to the
House "a bill more efectusy to provide for the
national defence by organizing and classifying the
militia Of the United States, and providing for
calling the same into the service Of the United
States, and for other purposes, beg leave respect
fully to report:
That your committee have given 10 the subject
that grave consideration which its importanee 80
Justly merits; and while they abstain from any la.
bored argument to indicate the importance, not TO
say the necessity, Of wel-reguIated militia they
deem IL not Inappropriate TO present to the House
briefly the general considerations which have inhu-
enced them TO recommend the adoption OF the pro-
posed measure, together with an explanation Of its
leading features.
II be the will Of Heaven that the liberties and
institutions Of this country shall be preserved and
perpetuated, our main defence must essentially
| remain in the hands Of a we-armed end osganized
| citizen soldery. A large standing army in time Of
peace is only contrary the nature Of insti
tutions and uncaed for by the circumstances Of the
country but is equally inefficient a reliable means
Of national defence at the approach Of danger. Sit
uated, as we are, at distance from the powers Of
Europe, and with no equal power on this continent,
we may reasonably hope that, in a continued course
Of justice and commercial good Offices to all nations
our wars will be few and after long intervals OF
peace. The effects Of peace a standing army the
last thirty years sufficiently demonstrate. From
| perannuated officers, the country hope for but
| with the gallantry Of their youth; and while the
committee would be the last 10 deny to them the
gratitude and Of the country for past services
yet experience teaches that the public safety forbids
a reliance upon them in the hour Of danger. The
subalterns are younger men, and, at a heavy cost,
|
| ing the army in times Of profound peace many Of
them are encountered with families, and all more or
less enervated by the and luxury of peace
Enlistment. They are but i'll calculated for the
tive duties of the field, or for any thing more than
drill sergeants or men Of mere routine. Ii is true
that in this they have their uses, but they cannot be
relied on as main defence.
| Another great objection to a standing army in
time Of peace is the vast increase which it brings
the patronage of the government, already fcsrfuly
if not ruinously, great.
| OF all existing governments, we are most prone
to initiate, IN our practice that Of Great Britain.
Deriving descent from the same people, speaking
the same language, and in constant and intimate in
| tercourse, we unconsciously adopt the habits and
modes of thought of that country; and, unfortunate
ly, exhibit dangerous aptitude for imitation in all
| things
In Great Britain the vast church establishment
and the immense army and navy afford ample pro-
| vision for the dependents of Influential men and
families. In this country, thank Heaven! we have
no church establishment; and, as YET but a small
army and navy. But small they are, the exer-
tons of those who are disposed to form separate
class from the great body of the industrious CON-
munity, and to find sanctuary in the army and ma
Wy, are frequently more strenuous and jealous in
| seeking cadets appointment or a mdshipman's
warrant THAN in reaching the higher stations of the
government. In view ofthe great dangers from this
source, it becomes our imperous duty to guard
against the magn influence of such disposition,
and to remove all apparent necessity for anything
more than mere skeleton army in time OF
peace, with the ready facility Of a temporary
increase in times Of war or imminent dan
ger. The first and most important step to ef
feet this object is the organization of an eff
Gent militia. disposition, which has been
evnced in the community Of late years, to suffer the
militia to fall into utter disorganzaton, equally APP
parent and alarming, and, il not arrested, must in
eyably result in heavy and increased peace estab-
| ,,h, Il 4 (. Y a. -.
not endanger the liberties Of the people by its force
OF arms, will exert most disastrous influence both
upon the government and society, by increasing the
patronage of the one and corrupng the morals Of the
other. Impressed with these views, your commit
| tee have abored to make the militia efficient in
| times Of danger and, at the same time, relieve it Of
unnecessary burdens in times Of peace. To effect
this, the bill provides for classifying the militia, and
| for an enrolment in times of peace, including only
those between the ages Of twenty-one and thirty
years, together with the present uniform companies
| snd volunteer corps; while the enrolment for a war
establishment includes all able 70 do militia duty
between the ages Of eighteen and forty-6ve years,
the clergy only excepted
From the best data before the committee, they
are led to believe that the peace enrolment will
Der about 1000, 000) one million, and the war
enrolment about (2,7OO, 0O0) two millions seven
hundred thousand men; that in times of peace,
militia duty will fall on little more than onethird,
thus efecting great saving in time TO the conm,I-
nifty, while perfect organization is preserved, in
order to n full enrolment in the event OF war.
The bill further provides that all Of the first class
when draughed into the service Of the United States
In time Of war, may be required to serve twelve
months-and one year in every period Of three
years, il necessary. But their pay is increased by
liberal allowance Of (S40) forty dollars per annum
in lieu Of clothing while substitution in all cases
whatever, is now legalzed for the first time. This
will enable companies or corps, by joint fund.- to
hire substitutes, or to stand the draught and each
who may be draughted can either serve himself OF