The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-06

'Iust there may yet be found sutticency OF
sound and steady conservatism in both houses
TO control the seditious agitators of the slave
ry question, whatever may be the organiza
ton Of the House, or the action upon Haie's
resolution.
The Military Spirit and Resources OF the
United states.
We have endeayored to show that the United
States are not military, but an Industrial peo-
pie. This is applicable only to what our Eng
lish friends deneminate our lawless spirit OF
aggresion-a an aggression resting solely upon
the action of our labor. In all our history this
is apparent. While Conquests and annexations
by the great States of Europe have strictly
military origin and instrumentality, and look
solely to colonial dependence and national ag-
I grandizement, in the federal Union they re-
suit from the peaceful operations Of Industry
and in the absolute equality Of all. Our po-
litical system is an offspring of our labor and
enterprise, to which it is always in subsection.
The conclusion from these premises is unavoid-
able, that ours is the greatest military people
on earth. The whole adult community exist
in armed neutrality. They reserve the whole
power to themselves, for the exercise of which
they are always qualified The use Of arms
and the ideas of war are part of their edu-
cation. Hence regular military establish
ment is deemed useless, and for that reason,
clines to maintain it.
The recent citizen military exhibitions in
this city-that magnificent display on the ami
versary of the Evacuation, in which the most
perfect discipline, the finest bearing and
easiest and noblest persosaA Of the whole
troop must have been observed by every
one; our endless companies of sharp shooters
who evince their military discipline and their
unrivalled attainments as target marksmen;
our twenty-five hundred organized fremen; our
twelve hundred policemen; our seven thou
sand enrolled militia; our quiet citizens, near
~ all of whom understand the use Of arms,
give some idea of the character Of our people,
and Enthusiastically evince their military spirit.
1t is not too much to claim that three hours
notice would be sufficient to bring together
and to put into solid columns and under almost
perfect discipline, fifty thousand soldiers in
this city alOne--ffty thousand men, whose
equals in the field and in patriotic attachment
to their country could be found no where elso
in the world. More than two hundred compa-
MES of target competitors, sustained by the libe-
rality of our citizens, stimulated by rewards
to the most successful, have been organized
and are kept in practice within our limits
Previous to the Mexican war these associations
were few in number and seldom encouraged by
those having the means to aid them; and, in
truth, generally condemned and regarded as
excrescences upon the body polite. Now,
they are looked upon as cheap military
school-as necessary institution, by which
the young are educated to the use of arms, to
habits of discipline and to possible service
in the cause of their country. Without
a military establishment-without federal
troops and officers, our city gives us
almost daily spectacles Of its Inherent powers
of defence and aggression. 1t is customary to
denomnate these displays as the free schools of
glory, and to deride them as shameless sacrifices
of time and as wanton examples, calculated to
engender in the minds of youth martial spirit
not at all in harmony with our republican
system. These ideas are, however, giving way
to more enlightened views and to the belief
that voluntary military organizations constitute
the great conservative element of our institu-
TONS
The whole agricultural population Of the
United States is educated to the use OF arms.
Such indeed is the military spirit of our peo-
pie that our country is full Of Generals,
Colonies, Majors and Captains. One OF the
first requisites of the young is the use Of
the shot gun and the rife and the annu-
al musters, for long time maintained through
the country, were eagerly looked to as scenes
of martial rivalry and display. They have
served to make the whole people conversant to
some extent with the discipline of the camp,
the expert use of arms, military tactics, and,
above all, to engender the spirit of war, which
was so signally displayed in recruiting against
Mexico few years ago.
On that OCCASION in six weeks two hundred
thousand men volunteered to enter the public
service. 1t must be remembered that the Mexi-
car war was strictly party measure--that it
was opposed by one of the great political or
CARNATIONS of the country, as a wanton ag.
erosion upon sister republic. 1t was, at all
events, foreign war; but the first half year of
its prosecution brought to the government vo-
lunteer enlistment Of more than three hundred
thousand soldiers Had il been defensive in
stead Of an offensive movement, it is not too
much to claim that an army of more than
million OF men might have been collected and
enrolled in the public service in the same period
Of time.
The militia of the States-very imperfectly
organized, and, indeed, wholly unnecessary in
the new States, except as means of drawing
arms from the general government-numbers
something over million and half of men.
This amount Of force is always accessible, and
it is composed exclusively Of persons who are
accustomed to the use of arms and more Or