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

rapidly increasing.
Each State is creditedby the War Department
with its annual quota of arms at terms of mus
kets. The number Of muskets supposed to be
due each year, is based upon the quota Of the
preceding year, subject to correction when the
next return of the State militia is made, should
the actual quota resulting therefrom require it,
From a statement furnished me by the Ordnance
Department at Washington, it appears that a
balance was due the United States, by Pennsyl-
vania, upon the 9th of September, 1851, of 1870
| 4-13 muskets
| The quota of this State, for the year S52, by
| the return Of the previous year, amounted to
| 1925 muskets; but from this the Ordnance De-
partmeat deducted Ids to correct the apportion-
mcnt of 1851, leaving balance to be accredited
to the State for this year, of 1880 muskets.-
OF this quota drew $50 muskets, with equip
ments, and the balance in cavalry, artillery, and
! rife arms and accoutrements, in all equal to
1852 muskets. All Of these have been distribu-
ted, and with the exception of n few rifles, the
Arsenals of Pennsylvania contain no new arms
Of any description, and we are indebted TO the
United States 1927 muskets.
In view Of this fact and the probability of
refusal by the Gener Government to issue arms
to this State for the year 1858, I have ordered
the superntendents of the Arsenals to have
cleaned and repaired, all the arms worthy of re-
pair within their respective Arsenals. This is
being done rapidly, and already nearly two
thousand stand of arms have been rendered fit
for service. These, however, are without ac-
coutrements, and even were they accompanied
ha o1a
quate to supply the great andrapiily increasing
demand. / would, therefore, respectfully sug
gest that an appropriation be made TO purchase
equipments for these repaired arms; and also
to purchase for the State five thousand stand of
arms and accoutrements.
tsti..--zsi sss-, SIS
pendages, were purchased from the Secretary
of War. at an average value of but fraction
over 81. 13-100 per musket, or $3.50 per thou
sand, and presume that this State would be
furnished with any necessary amount on similar
terms.
Previous to the passage of the act revising
the militia system, the tax paid by the Common
wealth for the support of the militia, averaged
for some time the annual sum of twenty five
thousand dollars-since then, the annual mill
rary expenditure Ot Iue solSklS hdS SCaICcly
ceeded five thousand dollars-thus nearly TWEEN
ty thousand dollars annually saved the
State by the existing system, and it would be
but an act Of justice TO expend portion of that
sum for the benefit and encouragement of the
uniformed militia. Pennsylvania, with the mil
itary spirit at present existing within her bor-
ders, and the experience brought home by her
energetic young men from the camp, the bivou-
ac, and the battlefield, has only to furnish her
militia with arms and equipments, to render
them at least as numerous and effective as those
of any other State in the Union.
The militia law as revised by the act of the
18th Of April, l649, though immensely superior
to the system previous 10 its revision, is never
theless deficient in many particulars
The annual return of the militia of the State
bv the Adjutant General, to the Adjutant Gen
eral of the United States Army, is the basis up
on which is drawn the arms and other military
property for the State, but there is nothing in
the s.revsed militia Law" rendering it obigato-
~ upon County Commissioners to furnish the
Adiutant General with list of delinquent mill
tia men in each county. The result Is, that but
few such returns are made, and our quota OF
arms is drawn from the basis formed by the re-
turn of the uniformed militia alone; hence, the
State suffers annually an immense loss Of arms
and military property. | would, therefore, re-
spectfully suggest, that County Commissioners
be REQUIRED to make such returns annually, un-
der the seals of their respective offices, to the
Adiutant General of the State.
Moreover, by the neglect of some Of the Bri-
eade Inspectors, I am not in receipt of the re-
turns exhibiting the number of uniformed mill
tia in their brigades As a remedy for this, /
would propose that each County Treasurer be
REQUIRED to withhold portion Of the bill of the
Brigade Inspector whose account he may settle,
until presented with the acknowledgement of
the Adiutant General of the receipt of such re-
turn.
The .srevised militia does not require bond
from the Brigade Inspector previous 70 his en-
trance upon his functions. l have, however,
followed the precedent established by the late
Adiutant General, and required of each newly
elected Brigade Inspector the usual bond
By the tenth section of the revised system,
the Brigade Inspector is allowed ''ten dollars
for each company, fifteen dollars for each bat
talion, and twenty dollars for each regiment he
shall have organized within the year. Provi-
! ded, That should there be no organization in