The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1853-02-03
NUMBER ID.

five companies in his brigade"
The tendency of this section is to thwart or
ganization.
The organization ofone company in a brigade,
would deprive the organizing officer of the pay
allowed him inspecting the first FIVE companies
above mentioned; hence it is not likely that
that officer would encourage any such orgauizs-
| ton. BY doing SO he would do injustice to him
! self, and by a refusal, he would do injustice to
the uniformed militia.
By the same section, the amount TO be paid
each Brigade Inspector Is not allowed to exceed
one hundred and fifty dollars per annum. L
concur with my worthy and experienced prede-
cessor, General Irwin, in recommending for that
officer a fixed salary of two hundred dollars per
| annum, with allowance for expenses incurred
in public service, for upon his promptness and
attention mainly depend the success Of the e1-
listing military system; and the adoption of this
course would be a sufficient remedy for most OF
the evils above enumerated.
The amount allowed for assessing delinquent
militia men is likewise too small; hence, in
many brigades, this assessment is almost en-
tirely neglected. This requires immediate
correction, or without strict attention to and
faithful performance Of the duties Of that Assess
ncnt, correct returns cannot be made wherefrom
to draw our annual estimate of military prop
erty.
I would likewise recommend to the Legisla-
turc and your Excelency, the passage of an act
allowing to the superintendents of the State Ar
senals, in addition to their yearly salaries, .
specified sum as a Communication for house rent,
70
the superintendent at Philadelphia, the annual
sum of two hundred dollars, aud to the superin-
teudents at Harrisburg ami Mcadviile, the annu-
al sum of one hundred each. This would be
but just, for the thatthe salaries OF these
officers are too small for the duties required
La-l--zn IL -rTes sotaascnts
should be near the property committed to their
keeping.
have visited and inspected the three State
Arsenals, and take this opportunity of commend
ing the fidelity and attention of the officers hay
ing them under their control have given or
ders for such repairs upon the Harrisburg and
Meadville Arsenals, have deemed necessary.
The Philadelphia Arsenal, however, have not
thought worthy of such attention. 1t is On in
sufficient building, insecure, badly situated, and
pent up within SO small compass as to be al
most unit for the purposes for which it was in
tended.
l would recommend the sale of the lot on
which it is situated, and the purchase OF other
grounds whereon to erect an Arsenal, that in
time of riot or insurrection might serve as
rendezvous and strong hold for the soldier, and
in which military property might be secured
from the hands of the lawless Arsenal wor-
thy of the State, and not serving, (as has been
truly said of the present building) to humble
the honest State pride of the Pennsylvania.
would make some suggestions concerning
the Office Of the Adjutant General, such as tho
necessity of attaching to that Office clerk, in
order to do justice to its immense correspon-
dence; the propriety of referring all military
affairs to that department alone, and likewise
Of requiring that officer to perform the duties
of Inspector-G General of the Commonwealth
but the necessity for these arrangements is so
apparent and the reasons so obvious, that it is
not necessary to cucumber this report with the
details However, may say that the charac-
ter and duties of the Office of the Adjutant Gen
eral of the State should bear proper analogy
to those of the Adjutant- General of the United
States, and in this suggestion every gentleman
familiar with military affairs will, 1 feel conf
dent, concur.
For reasons not proper perhaps for me to con-
lecture nor necessary TO detail, our militia sys-
tenn has been subjected to opposition and neglect
1t was foundation of our fathers-an institu-
ton of the patriarchs of the Commonwealth,
who thought there was wisdom in the saying.
that .'in peace is the time to prepare for war"
We should ever remember that the lesson which
this adage teaches is adapted to the National
Government alone-that the Republic is Re-
public of confederated States, each one sover-
eign in all things except those expressly coded,
as the terms and limitation of Union-that
Pennsylvania can, when foreign invasion, do
mestic insurrection, war declared, ''to secure
indemnity for the past and security for the fu-
ture' demands, furnish as gallant body OF cit
izen sodiery as any State in the Union.
The functions of the State Government should
not be exclusively directed to and expended IN
the civil department Should the National Gov
ernment call for troops, the call would be made
| unon the State as such, for her quota, and
| PENNSYLVANIA should hold herself ever ready, in
all RESPECTS to respond efficiently TO such call
State pride should find objects for its indulgence,
| not only in agricultural and mineral wealth,
our internal improvements, our common schools,
and our admirable system of civil government.
but also in military organization, to which
] the appeal will at once be made, when foreign
| foes or intestine feuds shall threaten the secu-
rity or endanger the peace of the country.