The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-06-15
The Virginia Militia-A Farewell.


stances ofmilitia war. We long for those
days to return again to our commonwealth
They we're the halcyon days. Visions OF
water melons, ear screeching flies under
shady trees amidst the enthusiasm of
crowds; stumpers haranguing the patriot
ic soldiery; the variety of arms, Of step,
of firing, of officers in multiform uniform,
the brave men on horse back, the banners
flying, and the, but they will never come
again. Let Virginia mourn her fate. Pro-
gress hangs up the bruised corn stalks for
monuments. The brazen front Of Major
Mars will no longer shine on the Virginia
fields of training. Virginia-the mother
of S,ates-weeps her departed militia
Join! children, with your mother, as she
thus drops her tears upon the ashes of de-
iunct heroism ~ -,
Shall there be no more colonies in
Virginia Are the heroes of the State to
be utterly extinguished Shall there be
no more martial fields whereon glory may
be won--or, al least, epaulettes and titles !?
Shall the old nobility of captains and col
onels be no more invigorated by the infu-
sion Of new blood Shall the commonal
ty no more be permitted by feats of militia
training to climb TO the level of the 'frst
families 2" Alas. for the days of training
and treats, chivalry and cider; militia
musters are abolished! Our veterans Of
the rank and file have been thrust from the
service, and our officers are left in com
mand ofphantom armies-long files of SOL
diery, it is true, but fled only in the clerk s
Offices. The chieitains who have achiev-
Ia
the laurels alre ady won. The Legislature
has enacted that after the coming month,
OF June there shall be no more militia mus
ters. Volunteers. alone are to parade or
| fight, as the case may be, and after the
present year the militia are to be "enroll-
ed" by the commissioners of the revenue.
who will make and file in the clerks off
ces lists of persons between eighteen and
| forty-fve years Of age, liable TO be enroll
ed under the laws OF the United States.
Far be it from Us to applaud the old
militia system of the State. But in chant.
ing its requiem let US, gentle reader, utter
one sigh of soft regret We have seen
both fun and fighting at militia musters.
In childhood we have looked with awe on
the terrible fellows in cooked hats and
grand plumes who trained the old yeo-
manry; and the ranks that never yet could
perform the military evolution called
"dress'' kindled in US the sparks Of that
martial enthusiasm which nature has i'm
planted IN all boys, and which even in
some full grown men survives the smell O +
real gunpowder. We have trotted, if not
strutted, ;; 1i;i tue true joy of soldier after
a screechy fife and a clattering drum, and
the great colonel who used to ride the high
prancing horse, was our beau ideal of Ju-
Illus Cesar. And of all these there shall
be nothing left hereafter but their memory.
Farewell. then, all the pride, pomp. and
circumstance of old fashioned militia mus
ters. IL we had the true conservative"
turn we should predict the speedy down
fall ofthe commonwealth from the destruc-
ton of this time honored institution.
The Destiny of the United States.
More than thirty years ago, an English
writer of disin ction, Mr.. McClaren, ven-
tured to speak OF the advantages and des.
tines of the United States. in supplement
to that valuable work, the Encyclopedias
Britannica. We extract the passage as
follows, merely adding that the italicised
sentence towards the close is really re-
markable. Although hardly more than a
quarter of a century has elapsed, the Ian
guage, which was then but fguratire, has
now become literally true -s~.,
"The people in the United States find
| themselves in a condition to devote their
whole energies to the cultivation of their
vast natural resources undistracted by
wars, unburdened by oppressive taxes, un-
feuered by old prejudices and corruptions.
Enjoying the united advantages Of an in
FAINT and mature society, they are able
to apply the highly refined science and art
Of Europe, to the improvement of the vir-
gin soil and unoceupied natural riches of
America. They start unencumbered by a
thousand evils, political and moral, which
weigh down the energies OF the old world
The volume ofour history lies before them:
they may adopt our improvement, avoid
our errors, take warning from our suffer-
ings; and, with the combined lights OF our
experience and their own, build up more
they have given some momentous, and
some salutary truths to the world. 1t is
their rapid growth which has first developed
the astonishing results of the productive
powers of population. We can now cal
culate with considerable certainty, that A.
merica, which yet presents to the eye gen.
orally, the aspect Of an untrodden forest !;
will in the short space of one century sur
pass Europe in the number of its inhabi-
tamts We even hazard little in predict
ing that before the tide of civilization has
rolled back 10 its original seats, Assyria,
Persia, and Palestine, an intelligent pop
ulation of two or three hundred millions
will have overspread the new world, and
extend the empire of knowledge and of the
arts from Cape Horn to Alaska. Among
the vast mass Of civilized men, there will
be but TWO languages spoken. The effect
OF this single circumstance, in accelerating
the progress Of society, can scarcely be
calculated. What field will then be o.
pened to the man ofscience, the artist. the
popular writer who addresses hundred
millions of, educated persons. What a
stimulus giuen to naetira1 energy and So
cadL Improvement, Dhen every new idea,
and every useful discovery pilI be comnsu-
i nicated inStdntaneously to so great mass