Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-06-27
FROM THE ST. LOUIS REPORTER, JUNE Is.

estng at this moment TO our readers.
REPORTER, JUNE l6.
On Saturday last citizens astonished to learn that
STERLING PRIcE member of Congress- in ST. Louis,
with authority raise additional regiment of volunteers No
equison for additional regiment from this State had been
issued to the Governor of Missouri far could be
tanned but this Congressman had his pocket power act
recommendations amounting such power, received from
the War Department in direct violation Of law and in open
hostility the Constitutions Of this State and of the United
States Whilst the War Department censpring General
Gaines for making patriotic recommendations to Governors OF
States, itself ampng the constitution and law under
foot Whence did the War Department President derive
the authority issue commission of colonel Mr. Sterling
Price, unless designed that he should the regular
army and recruit for the regular service matters not whe
her he had in his pocket commission of colonel letter
to the Governor directing the latter officer receive reg
ment of which he (Mr P.) commander. 1t either
direct indirect violation of the constitution and the law
well wanton disregard of the rights Of volunteers
regiment elects Mr. Price its colonel it is to be received by
the Governor but il it does not said regiment not be
admitted into the public service The of the country
have nothing TO do with the movement for suppose
unteer regiment could fight well if led colonel of its
own CHOICE he dictated to it by order from
Washington. 1t sviuay declared by the War Department
the volunteers for the fourth Missouri regiment that they
will choose that for their commanding officer who has
dictated them, and thus ego their constitutional and
legal privileges, they may their country in military
capacity otherwise This is stretch Of power far be-
yond any exercised by Gen. Gaines. We presume the fol-
lowing proclamation or military Governor Ford
Illinois, in reference to the Hon. Z. D. BAKER, is based
facts precisely similar to those relating Mr. PRcE, of Mis-
souri,
"OFrIcE OF THE CoMMANDER-IN-CHIEF,
Springfield, Illinois, June 5, 1916.
The Secretary of War has addressed letter to the Elk
ecuve authority of this State requesting him to receive
gment of infantry, be raised and enrolled by the Hon. E.
ID. BAKER, additional regiment to the three already
called for from this State hereby express my approval of
this requson and will accept the regiment SO to be raised
by Mr. Baker portion OF the volunteers from this State
Any companies hereafter be raised already raised and
organized who may desire to compose part Of this additional
regiment hereby authorized and permitted to do by
pcaton Mr.. Baker, who is authorized to appoint time
and place of rendezvous for said regiments and also to
vide for its equipment transportation, and susenance.
'THOMAS FORD, COMMANDMENTS Chief"
This indirect method of doing what the laws of Con
gres and the Federal constitution say shall not be done 1t
is giving, virtually, commission of colonel a designated
individual without first consulting the wishes of the voun
eers There is for such usurpation of power
The of Congress- recently passed, declares that regiments
volunteers shall be organized under the laws Of their
tive sstes The constitution of Missouri the supreme law
of this State, provides as follows:
officers and snail De elected
persons subject militia duty within THEN respective
mands, &c.
The Federal Constitution directs that armies for national
purposes may be raised waysdirecy by the Federal
Government for regulars through the Intervention of the
States Congress has passed law requiring the regular
10 be increased to about $4,000 and another law
horng 900 volunteers be raised under State authority
The President with the advice and of the Senate,
officer the regular army but he cannot interfere with the
differing of State volunteers without papable violation of
the constitution If Mr.. Price has been directed to recruit
for regulars his nomination for colonel must go before the
Senate but if the Governor of this State been required
to commission him, under certain contingencies,
then he has been asked violate the spirit of both the Fede
raj and State constitutions the latter of which provides
follows
''The Congress shall have power raise and support
miles, but appropriation of money to that shall be for
longer term than two years.
"To provide and maintain navy.
To make rules for the of the land and naval
"To provide for cqling forth the militia to execute the
laws of the Union, suppress Instructions and tpe inUd-
sions.
To provide for organizing armng and discipnng the
militia and for governing such part of them may be
poyed in of United States, resrrng 10 the
States respectively the appointment Of the officers, and the
authority Of training the militia according 10 the discipline
prescribed by Congress-
volunteers from Missouri portion Of the militia Of this
State They have been called forth by acquisitions the
Governor the State and commissioned by the State author
tiles The of Congress Directs and Of them have
supposed that they constituted portion Of the
regular army.
BY the Federal Constitution the appointment Of the o
GERS reserved to the States" The Constitution Of Mis-
sour directs said officers of regiments shall be chosen by
those subject duty within their respective commands Both
these constitutions have been outraged at least in spirit
in the case of Mr. Price We have nothing say to his
qualifications the reserved rights Of the States, the
stutons under which i've the National and State laws
and prerogaves of the gallant who volunteer to de-
end their country, that feel il duty to vindicae from
outrage We are disposed question the propriety
of Congressnans deserving his post at Washington at
critical moment but demand that Representative of the
people shall permitted, nay authorized by the Federal
Government trampe the laws of Congress for which he
has lust voted the constitution which he obey,
and the fundamental law Of the State which he represents
Why it this strange avorm has been shown to Con-
gressmen alone Why have they been commissioned, and
under what authority ride roughshod the sacred rights
Of the people Were there in Missouri and Illinois,
Congressman competent to lead the patriotic volunteers to
BATTLE those volunteers fit to select their Of
ces that such unconstitutional orders dcaton be
resorted The Of the gallant Gaines assaed
headquarters harmless compared with the in
fraction the reserved rights of the States upon which
n l.. H.