M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-03-30
Executive Office,


Columbus, Feb. II, 1855.
. GENTLEMEN; Your letter Of the litt
inst informing me that you had been
appointeI committee by the Jackson
Guards to ascertain my views, as Com
mander.in. Chief. con the subject OF dis
tributing the public arms to companip
composed entirely or in part Of ADOPTED
citizens" has been received.
The Constitution OF the United States
cvnlers on Congess the power "o pro-
vide for organizing, armlng and liscip
lining the Militia" and also for Ealing
;hem forth when necessary, "to exc
cute the laws Of the Union, suppress
insuuection and repel inyasions, -
Congress, in pursuance of this authoTi,
'ty, passed an act as early as 1882, re,
quiring that "edch and every free, able
! bodied white male citizen Of the respec,
tive States, resident therein, who is OF
shall be of the Oge C( eighteen years and
under the age of lorty.Gye years, (eXCepI
as is herein excep,ed) shall severally
and respectively be enrolled in the Mil
|iIia by the captain o. commanding Off.
Ger of the company, within the bounds
such ciuzsus shall reside" together
with those who shall from time to
1 time arrive at the age Of eighteen years
or being of the age OF eighteen years end
under forty five years, Except as before
IcXCepted) shall come to reside within his
bodnds." The exceptions referred to
are ii portion Of the ciyi. officers and
employees OF the Government,
By ,he act Of March ?, 1903, it is
made the duty Of the adjutant general
Of the Militia in each State, to make
return Of the Militia of the State to
which he belongs, g = to the President
of the United States annually, or before
the first Monday in January in each
year," an abstract Of which is required
to be laid before Congress.
In April, 1903, Congress passed an
act appointing annually thereafter,
the sum Of two hundred thousand dol.
lars "Iof the purpose Of providing arms
and military equipments for the wAole
bOdy OF :he Militia Of the United
States" and directing that the arms pro.
cured in virtue. OF such act shall be
transmitted to the several States com
prisng this Union, and Territories the-r.
Of. to each State and Territory respect.
lively in proportion to the number Of
effective Militia in each State, and Ter
rilory, to be distributed, to the Militia
in such State and Territory, under such
rules and regulations as shall be by law
prescribed BY the Legislatures Of each
State, and Territory"
The Constitution OF Ohio in the same
spirit and in eccordance with the fore.
going enactments, requires "lhat all
white male citizens, residents Of this
State, being eighteen years Of age, and
under the uge Of forty five years, Shall
be enrolled in :he militia, ard perform
military duty, in such manner, not in.
compatible with the Constitution and
laws of the United States, as may be
prescribed by law
TIE fourteenth section of the act o.
the General Asse mbly of March l2, l944
provides "that the acting militia Of this
State shall consist Of volunteer compan.
les. raised at large BY order Of the com
ma ndaul OF brigade or division, if there
be lao conimanGant Of brigade, such com
panies to be composed of men between
the age Of eighteen aud furty.five years
provided, no minor shall be enrolled by
any officer Of such light company with
out the consent Of the parent, guaIdiel
or master Of such minor, 4 = and al
volunteer companies, Gc formed ac
cording to law, now raised and Jrganiz
ed shall be Teturned.'
The nineteenth section Of the sam
act makes i. the duty Of the Quarte
Master General in. the distribution o
the public arms, TO appor!ion the sam
10 the several divisions according to tn
number Of volunteer troops therein; an
the cUmmandanrs uf division. havinl
within their respective commands
greater quantity of public arms than ar
decessary to supply the volunteer mill
tia therein, are hereby required to re
turn the same to the Quarter Maste
Gereral.
In all the legislation which has take
place upon the subject, whethre by th
General or State Government, hav
not been able to find the slightest allr
! sior to the distinction which you men
tion. The trainers of our laws seem t
have been satisfied with the relation @
'cilizen,' without any reference TO tn
Qualifying terms of native or adopted
. Congress ordains that every free abb
bodied white male citizen of the TespeC
tive States. resident therein, shall b
enrolled. and thus constitute the Mil
tia of said States. The constitution an
laws of Ohio makes 'all white male cit
! zens' OF certain age, subject to militia
ry duty, and it is upon the number
such persons, returned to the Presider
: OF the United States, that the publ
: arms, so purcha sed and paid for by Ii
I money OF the whole people, are appro
= prl9ted by the General Government
c this State. Their subsequent and loct
distribution among the several division