The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-12-15
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
TaTssDAY MORNING. Df cEMBER is 1853


THURSDAY MORNING. DE- cEMBER ~ lsss
@I5H piJBJlu GUARD MILITARY SCHOOL,
We take IL for granted that the recommeh
dation of tho Governor in bis last snnus
message to abolish the Public Guard, 10 mad
upon the presumption that the Leg'siatuf'
win substitute in it's place another DESCRIPTION
of force, possessing some advantages notpre
scented BY the present organisation Inc 80
curity of the public property renders guar.'
Of some kind absolutely Indispensable, anS
10 Importance in The midst of the large slave
population of Eastern Virginia, ID equsiiy OBJ
vious The efficiency of the present Guard
for these purposes. is undenied and undcnia
bic. Asa corps, they are not surpassed IN
drill discipliue and thorough soldiership, by
anv body of men of equal numbers, in the
regular service Of the United States. We DO
NOT believe that ~ individuals, they arc equal
led, physically and morally, by any company
ofsoldiers anywhere Norris their value in the
protection they afford to the public property
and order, the only Recommendation of tho
Public Guard. They may be considered as the
military representative Of the sovereignty OF
Virginia, and. though comparatively small i'll
numbers, they will, 10 case OF emergency, af-
ford pscleus around which her citizen sol.
dievy can rally and uphold successfully the
rights and Independence of the Common
wealth.
Hence We conclude that the Governor does
not propose to disband the Public Guard of
Virginia without substituting in their place
another institution which viii combine the
quslties of defensive force with other ad-
vantages not attainable under the present or
sanisation. Its probable that the Governor
has in view the plan which has heretofore
been agisated, of converting the Armory into
a Military School This plan has been FREE
auently discussed, and the arguments urged
by iis friends ara no doubt familiar to most
q our readers. The duties now performed
By the Public Guard are simply of a police
character. They protect the arms and pro-
perty Of the State guard the Penisentiary and
the Capitol, and ere constantly ready for
more active services should they be required.
The Guard consists of eighty four men, and
the annual cost of the establishment is only
about e22,5oo. The advocates of q Military
School maintain that at the same annual
amount of expenditures, l0l Cadets can be
supported, besides which pay Cadets can be
admitted, thus increasing largely without ad
disional appropriation the numerical force of
the Guard. Itsappears that the annual cost
to the State ct the Lexington Institute for
each State Cadet, is 3l72; the Cadet furnish
ing his clothing, the cost of which is about
fessors and other officers of the new institu-
ton will be $4,000 per annum, and the re-
manning amount ofthe annual appropriations,
1850, will, at the cost ct the Virginia Mill
sary Institute, support 10l Cadets. 1t is also
urged that il only Fifty pay Cadets be admit
ted. they paying the entire cost, besides s25
for tuition per .nnum, these fees Will make
the sum of 81, $50, which will educate seven
additional State Cadets, thus providing for
the protection OF the public property and for
any sudden emergency, battalion Of one
hundred and ffty-eight young men, nearly
double the number of the present Guard
Ybis large number would make the guard du-
ties of the Cadets comparatively hight Tor
they would occur but once in eight days,
leaving seven days to be exclusively devoted
to study.
That Cadets would be abundsntly CT .,,,
of performing the military duties Of ,to ;ns,;
tuition there can be no doubt. a-.3 -
life al which they viii be sci .,,a5 fror r - =,
Is years of age, is prec' .<c,y tbat IS oil histo
proves in VIII oh the fshting qualities o
DA'i "a raost strongly developed. In til
sevolutions Of Europe. and especially G
France the youths Of the military school
distinguished themselves above all others b
thor valor and good conduct. That they ar
equally capable of the obedience and dlsci
pine. as well as the courage and endurance
of the soldier, is shown in the admirable drill
and unexceptionsble department Of the Ca
dsts of West Point, and of orr own Virgins
Military Institute
If then, corps Of Cadets can be safely en-
trusted with the guardianship of tho public
property, the question arises, would it b.
sound policy to convert the Armory into q
Military School! 1t seems to us there can be
no question on this point. With $4,000 oiti
Eens of the Commonwealth, who can neither
read or write, it surely becomes Virginia to
take the most prompt and efficient measures
for tho education of her people. And wins.
mode can the wit of man devise, which would
render greater service to the cause Of popu.
lar education, than an Institution by which
without an additional dollar of appropriation
or taxation, lol poor young men can not onl,
secure thorough instruction, but be prcpar
ed and sent forth to take charge Of the com
mon schools Of the State Every year thi
noble Institution will send forth . band Of &C
conplished graduates, fully qualified TO NEE
that great want Of Virginia, native teachers
and, in war, to discipline and lead her armies
Ii should be recOlected that the studies O
such an institution will not bo exclusively O
even chiefly devoted TO military science, bu
to all tho branches OF civil as well as ,niitsr
knowledge.
We mos. earnestly hope, therefore, that,
the Legislature should respond to the recon-