Democratic banner., 1846-11-30

viding a place for the redemption as well
as the payment Of the bonds. Since the re-
lection Of the new constitution. however,
the whole amount of the bonds issued under
the act Of the last legislature, has been Of
Tered for sale as eight per cents, at par;
and, Judging from tie correspondence with
the bondiIolders, the probability is, that the
tens now redeeInable will be exchanged for
,elgFtS, except n small amount which should
be at once redeemed.
The part which the State has taken in the
war how being waged between the govern
ment of the United States aad that Of Next
Co, and the action which it may be neces-
sary for the legislature to take on matters
connected with that subject, will form the
.natrrlailu a sePerate message, at an early
stage Of the session. 1t may be proper Ia
add here, that Missouri has shown herself
ready and willing, and prompt 10 meet eve
ry requis'lion for troops, having sent one of
the first volunteer regiments 10 Texas, two
regiments and two extra battalIions 10 Santa
Fe, and having raised a third re ;iinent, one
Of the largest and best which has been or.
g%aniscd during the war, also for the Santa
L = SNI'CdLiOH1 az ICSluUCIl W 1SHdS DtInO
footmen, TIE two first for Santa Fe, horse
men; one Of the extra battaIions foot and the
other horse; and the last regiment for Santa
Fe, fontmen. But nine companies Of the
last regiment reached Fort Leavenworth.
the place of rendezvous, when they were
ordered by the War Department to be paid
off and ~honorably discharged, with the as
surance tina. they would be called for if
more troops were needed in that direction,
and they desired the service. They were
discharged because the commanding Gene
raj informed the War Department, from
Brmt's Fort, on the first of August last, that
the forces then under his command were
sufficient t. take Santa Fc, and because the
urgency Of tho service did not seem to jnsti-
fy the trouble, expense and hazard of
marching troops scros SIS the plains at so late
Il season OF the year.
The present war has G-awn the attention
of may persons to the character of our
military system. This is founI 10 be utter
u useless. The system is a subject of r;ii-
cule and burlesque, and is calculated 10
bring-what is intended 10 BE- a serious ~ r.
paration f.r The defence of our country
every offnrt to discipline the militia Of the
State, into utter contempt. Our militia
officers, many Of whom have cxert"d them
selves to Introduce some sort of Organiza-
ton and discipline, and w;.o have hal cause
TO cxaminc the whole subject throughout.
are we'll satisfied If the fact above stated,
and fr the !:omor and interest of tho r coun-
try, have regretted the existence of d sys-
tenn Sc defective.
It's idle and useless, in time Of peace,
to force men to perform military duty VITO
do so against their will. Such men prefer
a farce, while on parade and under duty, TO
any serious preparation to d. fend thGir
country; and being generally in Il majority
on such occasions, they not only refuse to
learn themselves, but prevent even very
competent officers from learning others
they not only refuse to be subject to the or
Ger and discipline Of the soldier, but they
teach dlsobctience and disregard of all or
der and discipline. And, although no good,
hut much harm, is the result Of f .rcing such
men to perform duty, vet the system iInpCs-
IS a heavy tax upo. that part otthe comm
nifty capable of bearing arms. I.acII man
subject 10 duty under our system, is requir-
ed to muster four times annually. Estima-
ting the value Oils labor at but fifty cents
per day, this loss of time is equal to Il tax
of two dcl.a,s per year upon every man
capable If be ring arms; and where the ser.
vice is rendered reluctantly: it amounts to
"a clear loss both to himself and his coun-
try.
1t is better to require mill iary duty of
such men only as Il sctIarge it voluntarily,
and as a matter of c%iroic". The Scr, ice of
the balance, whenever they prefer it, should
be comrmutcd fl a snail tax. Let each
man who prefers il, join Il volunteer COM
pany, and serve regularly in that for a Civ
en- number of yeas, and then be discharge
ed. And let each man, WHO pr, frrs the
other course, pay his small lax annually,
and get IA full exemption from military SER
vice in time Of pcace. Let the money thus
collie be applied to tie support, en-
couraGcment and discipline If the volun-
itecr companies. Let it be- expended inthc
purchase "fcolors, musical inSlrumt nls. and
particularly in tie instruction of musicirns,
the purchase of books Of discipline and ii t.
rules r.gulati, s of tie grn ' for cac'.
officer, and in the employment of aicw COM
Drtrnt drill OhicerS. and for 9TH, + MI. urSpS