Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-11-16
Our Milit;a System.

Is it, or is it not, useless part Of our Police Ma
chinery! We incline 10 think that it is. will any
one he good enough to inform what bensf. we de-
rive from the quarterly mnsterings of beats, which
we could not compass without those farsica exhhi.
lions. Do they add 10 The military pride of our people
one jot or one little! Do they increase the military
knowledge OF those whom We call Captains, Lru,cn.
ants, Sergean!s and Corporals! Do they enable
Panrs 10 pass around in review, OIL Battalion or Regi
mental parades, in any better order than they would
otherwise do! Do they effect anything for lhe carry.
Ing onl of certain almo>t ubsoele) patrol regulations
which cund mot be easiy attained in 4 less cumbrous
anu less troublesome manner! Common sense, back.
ed by everyday observation, gives a stout nay'' to
each OF these Gneries But besides The negative rea-
SONS that might be urged by the friends of n Militia
change, there are some positive evils connected with
The system as it now stands. Muster grounds, the
country over, ARE famous or rather would say in.
famous as the places where old grudgcs are fought out
and fresh quarrels engendered. They are often the
scenes of dissipation, and uncquenlly of the low.
est dehauchcry. While they are exactly adapted to
The wishes of nafcrs and iers tailers and brawlcrs
they take the laboring man from the Toll which SUD.
ports his family In scene Of silly idlenrss The peace.
ul and retiring citizen from his quiet home TO place
ol wrangng and strife, the business man lin whatever
aTocation frcm labos that really useful TO round
OF stumbling evUnons, aiving caricaure upon every
known system of Military Tactics. Moreover ar.snut
these same muster-grnunds the chosen fields of that
class Of low denasogues, who delight in villifying
tre worth and pandering TO The mcanesr passions OF
their weak feuwmen ?-There nre other reasons tha,
m h. y
either materially modified else altogether abuise
hut 1t is Unnecessary 10 give Them here. An instance
CT the unequal and unjust operation of the present
regulations occurs TO MS however nj this moment and
we note it briefly. Men who have held commission
seven years are by law exempt from further military
duty. Now 30 happens thai many Of our best peo.
Pile have an in1incble rcpngnance to taking these COM
missions. They have no earthly turn for The military
Many other very worthy persons, who have no such
rcpugance, are yet dden, 50 little calculated to
succeed in mixed crowd as 10 be barred out by the
very urce of these circumstances from benelling them
selves by This commissions privilege. The consequence
is that our military duty is done in large parl now
a-days by respectable men of middle age men Of sub.
stance and character, willie the exempt often much
younger who, because Of little periness or brass
get commission Of sort early in life and hold on
until cleared by law. Here then are really esli-
mabe and useful men, 3" luling" their muskes in the
old field al The age of for,y.fve, while many one
twenty years younger stands smoking his cigar in The
Shade of Tree and finding fun in the piliabe awk.
wardncss of the squad which he used TO command. Is
this an equal or Il just system!
We hupe our Legislature will a: least abolish these
f.,