Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1846-06-04

Mn. WERsrsR expressed some views, the
other day in the Senate relative TO the proper
military organization In time Of war, which
are worthy Of consideration just low. lnas.
much a. the Government of the United States
has the power to declare war. to conduct its
operations, TO uisc srmics& to pay them. the
analogy Of Mr.. websier's srgument that the
same Government ought to appoint all officers
having commissions in its servic. seems TO
hold with consistency and force. In the E.
vent Of a long war, the argument would a..
sumo the force off necessity. The militia
would have to be turned into Condnentals,
aud the decision and promp,itude requisite
Tor carrying on a great struggle would demand
unity ofgovemment, unity Of power, unity of
will aud OF responsibility. We quote Mr..
Webster's remarks, as subjoined:
II appeared to him that they would have
acted somewhat more wisely IL they had pro.
ceeded in the true line of their power az pre-
tcribed by the Constitution. They were au-
thorIzed by the Constitution to raise and sup
port armies. They were bound by no rule
restrained by none but the mere discretion OF
Congress. This was a broad and unqualified
g. " hRo uNlI tfu ON l0r
Constitution TO provide by law for the reg,la-
ton OF The militia, for calling them out TO re
pei INVASION, to suppress insurrectiou. and to
execute The laws. Those persons who were
now ocing brought out TO serve, were STYLED
under this bill, volunteers. All troops of the
United States were volunteers, unless those
called into service for any Of the exigencies
provided Tor by the Constitution. II the Pres.
laent demand militia from the Governor Of q
STATE, the militia must come. This was com.
Pulsoy military service. Now. continued
Mr., w, my opinion is that il would be bet
ter IL oil the military force serving under this
Government, regular or provisional, EMPLOYED
and paid by the Government OF the United
states, should be ~oficered by this Govern
inent: In other words, il appears 10 me that
the system would have been more distinctly
contormable to our acknowledged powers il.
Instead OF calling the militia into service un-
der authority oiSia;e Governments, they were
called into service under the authority of the
uerrdi Government, leaving them as much
volunteers as they are now. | have heard no
objections to this, except that the practice is
that the soldiers select their own officers. bat
there must always be more or less inconyeni.
ence arising from having a force paid by the
officers. ~"
The President by Q Law which MAS uassed
the other day. is au thorized 10 accept tbs ser.
vices oil volunteers by companies, battalions,
or squadrons. Now, IN some of the States.
the organization Of the militia Is local. A
company consists OF eigbty or an hundred men
living within ~--'-i" ifmfts, and you viii find
no such company volunteering it's services
would much prefer to have nothing to do
WIN the militia Of the States, unless they are
called outnpon some pressing emergency; and
In the case the volunteers enlisted Tor a short
service, we should organize the regiments our
selves aud commission them ourselves. so that
al that fight our battles should fight under the
same authority.