The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-12-24
A Hint to Foreign Enemies.

In the address of Gen. Pierce TO a volunteer com
pany of New Hampshire, which recently visited
Washington, handsome and appropriate refer
ence is made to the citizen soldiery" Of the
country, which, the President truly remarked
constitutes the military strength of the republic
manifested in every stage of its history"
1.-THE United States" says the President, shave
never had large standing army, large perna-
nent military marine Is the republic therefore, fee
bic in a military sense Far from it. The fact that
are not burdened by taxes for the support of an
immense army and vast navy and that our fixed and
ordinary force is apparently small will add immense
ly strength when the hour try shall
In periods of public tranquility, the strong hands and
bold hearts of the nation not withdrawn from the
cultivation of the arts of peace to become a burden
on the revenues of the country and constant source
of peril to its institutions. They engaged in the
many useful pursuits Of ife-in agriculture, in COM
continent of to cultivation to civilization,
freedom, and thereby carrying the flag and the fame
of the Union to every sea and every cline. 1t is
nevertheless that citizens although peace
loving and pursuing peaceful pursuits, are it were,
born arms and to the spirit of selfreliant cour-
which teaches their exercise and of patriotism,
which anmates their in the of the country
Hence it was you have suggested that in the war
of l776, at Bunker Hill at Bennington, at Monmouth,
at Saratoga at Yorktown or at Kings Mountain there
ceased to flock citizen soldiers pei invasion;
that in the of 1872 whether at the river Thames
New Orleans in the North, or in the South de
teruined and effective armies were never wanting to
the Union; that in the war of 1896 the farmer the
merchant, the mechanic, the lawyer, the physician
the statesman, enuously rushed to the field, at the
public CALL in such number that the que stion with
my friend near me, then Secretary of War, (Gov.
Marcy,t not whence he should derive soldiers
nut who of the two hundred thousand of eager and
enrolled volunteers should be accepted and hence it
was that the citizen soldiers, in conjunction with
small but most gallant scientific, and thoroughly drill
ed regular Amy. upon which nucleus they FORM
ed nobiy sustained their country's arms, and made
every field field of victory.
1T is beautiful to the energies of martial peo-
pie with such capabilities and resources for war de-
them exerted IN great struggle of arms nation.
however, which can readily summon to the field five
hundred thousand brave, intelligent, hardy men, &C.
customed from boyhood to the saddle and to the use
of the rife and the musket is not in a condition to
invite by any supposed want of ability
repelit" r.-s - I-
These remarks, uttered at this particular time,
have peculiar significance. The London Times
and other journals Of Great Britain, supposed to
represent the policy of Palmerston, have been deal
ing of late so much in blood and thunder, that the
facts and suggestions set forth in the President
remarks seem very appropriate and timely There
is large British squadron now near our coast,
and probably, in the opinions of Napoleon and Pal.
merston, nothing could be easier than for the naval
power of England to sweep the seas, and how
down our citizens, whilst the soldiers of France
would overrun our country. We are not, how.
ever, quite so defenceless as we SEEM A great
danger like war with the allies would make a
soldier of every man in this country between
twelve and seventy; the very women would fight
and, in all probability the end of the contest would
thoroughly humiliate France and destroy forever
the boosted British dominion of the deep.