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

hire substitute. The result, most probably, should
this ball become law, will Be- that such an choose
TO bear part In the active defence Of the country
will receive liberal contributions from such as 70
main al home In the ease and comfort Of their
| fresides
4 Our uniform companies and volunteer corps are
retained 30 long AZ they may choose TO preserve
their organization. They are, however subject 10
be called into service for twelve months at time,
but not TO exceed one year in three whenever their
services shall be deemed necessary by the govern
ment. But when called out, an allowance OF (s40)
1 forty dollars per annum TO each, compensation
for uniform, Is 10 be made and each corps or COM
pany Is 70 serve as a whole under lis own officers
and, where danger shall be encountered, shoulder to
shoulder with their own comrades. This tho com
mitteo deem due 10 men who, even in times OF
peace, have manifested proper military spirit and
upon whom the country therefore, in times Of
danger, could confidently rely. ~
| To the second class including those between the
ages Of thirty and forty-6ve years, the bill allows
the privilege, on general enrolment in time Of
threatened danger, 10 enrol themselves in separate
and distinct corps and thus become liable TO furnish
recruits Tor the regular army in the proportion Of
one TO ten Of their number. This position they
sumo voluntarily, and without coercion Of any kind
Should they refuse or neglect thus 20 enrol them
selves they are placed by the law in the first class
and are only liable 10 such duty as is required in
common from all their felow-eizens. Bot should
they avail themselves of the privilege as your COM
mirtee believe they will, the class which must num-
Der from one million to one million two hundred
thousand would be able Immediately TO give one
tenth that number OF recruits 20 the regular army
IL Is not supposed, however, that the whole number
would be required at once. Congress most likely
would husband the means Of defence by calling out
from one-half 10 three fourths of the supply Of re-
cruits, leaving the balance TO fl up the army at such
times the exgeneies Of the service might reasire
Even with this liberal supply Of recruits 10 the
regular army, the committee have no disposition TO
limit the necessary def.nces Of the country They
offer these means additional TO those which already
exist; and should the supply Of recruits proposed 10
be raised by this bill prove insufficient there is moth.
ing 10 prevent Congress, in times Of great public
danger, from increasing the army by the usual meth
cd OF enlistment.
The exemption allowed to those furnishing re-
erus Is not intended 20 limit the means Of the States
respectively, or prevent them from full control
over all their militia in Of insouection inva-
sion, or alarm.
The committee propose that only regularly IL
censed preachers OF the gospel shall be exempted
from militia service. They hold that all public bur
dens should fall equally as possible on every
member OF the community, and in times Of public
danger, all should do their duty. The law should
suffer no favored class to exist; under the BILL in
fact, there could be no apology for exemptions, as all
are allowed To furnish substitutes when called into
service Those who are unwilling 10 fight, or have
better employment at home, should at least be will
ling 10 pay others literally who willing TO fight
the battles Of the country
In time Of peace there no duty required OF those
between the ages Of eighteen and twenty-one years,
thus forbearing 10 interfere with the relations OF
parent and child and master and apprentices or with
the pursuits and acquisition Of education In youth
or those between the ages OF twenty-sne and thirty
years, duty is requircd but no duty is required Of
those between the ages Of thirty and fory6ve years
Whatever advantages or Disadvantages may seem to
attach TO the one or the other class fully equal
lied and distributed will readily appear, when |
Il is remembered that in succession Of years every
one IL called TO pass through each class.
The only thing in the bill which may be supposed
to bear heavily on any portion Of the community is
the extension Of the time OF draught TO twelve
months. But when the increase Of pay, provided |
for in case Of draught for six months or more, is
taken into consideration, together with the privilege
Of substitution and the facilities Of increasing the |
regular army in time Of war il is belev ed that this
extension OF the time Of service is neither oppres-
sve nor lIky 10 increase the whole period Of duty
beyond what is required, while the change il
too obviously productive of greater efficiency in the
service TO require proofs.
To those at all acquainted with the military ser
vice, II Is notorious fact, that from three to six
month"; drill is necessary to make soldier really
serviceabe in the field Under draught Of three |
or six months, our militia, matter what may be
their ganntry or hrmness, often sacrificed for
want Of discipline, and very frequently discharged
at the very moment when they become capable of
being really useful to the country. By the law of
1889, our militia was subjected to six months ser.
vice out of every twelve; by this BILL they sub
jected to twelve months service out Of thirty-six
The amount Of service, therefore, required by this
bill, compared to the requsitions Of that act is in
fact reduced Ii is true the act Of 1889 has expired
by its own limitation, while this is proposed to be
permanent but it is equally true, that all demands
on the militia, except in cases of instruction, inva
sion, alarm, must be made with the sanction Of |
Congress, which sufficiently guards the exercise of
the power against the danger Of executive caprice in
its use. That this heightened term of draught may
have a tendency to strengthen the government in |
times Of public danger, your committee will not de-
ny; but, at the time, they feel that it was the
object Of those who formed institutions to make
them strong in war, and as little onerous possible |
in time of peace. |
II the committee be right in supposing that all |
the people in the United States liable to do militia
duty, according to the requirements Of the bill,
amount in number TO two millions seven hundred |
thousand, under full war enrolment there will be
in the first class about one million five hundred
thousand, and in the second class one million two
hundred thousand. But Of these government would
require at time more than one-ffth Of the
first class, making 600 ,000) three hundred thou
sand, and onetenth of the second class would make
(I20,000) one hundred and twenty thousand. OIL
these last, government could call out at once from
Noo,oVo) sixty W NoooVO| ciSnty liousuuu iedfinS
as a from 100000 forty to 600 000) sixty
thousand, which would be more than sufficient to
keep up the force first called out for period of FIVE
years war. II, them the government should find it
necessary to enter into any great contest with a
powerful enemy, it could carry it for five years,
under this system without calling out the same man
twice, without asking for more than one in ten
of the second class. All which is respectfully sub
mitted.
We shall not condescend to notice the idle and
mpudent charge which, has been made in New
York paper, that we have been concerned in an in.
rigue to drive Mr. Buchanan from the cabinet.
The character of the charge makes it ridiculous; the