Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-02-10
For ne ENQUIRER.
TUT tNT EHYVIFPT.
REORGANIZATION OF THE MILITIA,


REORGANIZATION OF THE MILITIA.
The subject of the organization of our militia, is
one from its importance, attracting general attention.
Before suggesting plans we should first examine into
the present and future contingent requirements of tho
public service, to what extent we do or may demand
military force, and endeavor TO arrange it with the
least burthen to the citizens of the State consistent
with force adequate 10 eIgencies present and con.
tngen;. We must look calmly and firmly in the face,
the possible, if not painfully probable, realities Of the
future and submit to the necessary sacrifices it shall
demand.
The slate OF our slave population requires police
Foreign war demands defence. Civil war, with
population and position, must call forth all the
ges that brave and gallant people Can exert. in the
defence of family. FIRE side, life, liberty aud property
To be prepared for civil and domestic war is vi
tal Necessity. Our maxim must be TO burthen not
more than peace requires
The unexampled growth and development If power
in the United States Gs alarmed the fears ofthe mon
archie and srisocratc elements OF European society,
especially in England and France and suggests to them
means Of arresng this progress. That Of d.union and
civil war ia the most hopeful, snd the slave institution
of the South means TO attain this object The ambition
OF Free Soil politicians, despairng of power through
national favor, seeks elevation from aseconal party
party Incompatible with the existence OF the Union.
lfpe:!naneut power TO be obtained by party from
sectional position and not from political principle,
selt.government is mockery to the minority section.
They will stand subjugated province, holding life
and property at the iii of thsir listers Ens'ish
sympathes, and possibly English gold, if they have
not already, are destined to pay important part in
this drama. Fanatcism in the mass Of the Northern
people, ignorant Of Southern character and ability
10 defend themselves looking re stance by the slave
States as thing easily crushed, their aristocracy
templatng with complaceucy such struggle as tend
ing to strengthen the arstooratic and weaken the re
fgnt pIlr n m hia
declaration Of The hOnored and trusted servants of
some of our sster States, honored and elevated to
power, with oft repeated dsnancaiions of war upon
the constitution, aud upon the lives and property of
our people, viz: Senator Sewards ay0ual that const-
tutons can not rise above the will Of the people, that
the parties OF the country should be brought inro
effective aggression upon slavery" Ifconstitutions
are not to conebl the will of the majority Of what
value are thcy' II monarchy or aristocracy can he
restrained 10 All observance of constitution and te
laws, II Is free government popular government
disregards the organic law, it Is despotsn of
majority, but still a de.potism.
What is the essential difference between our gov
erRlnents, State and Federal from al othersl II is
10 tho fnct OF written constitutions, intended TO
strain the will Of h~ majority and to project the mi.
nority, and each individual Of it. Each society has
the right 10 establish that form of government which
enbodies the 2rehrst amount of liberty the state of
that society will safely admit. The observance OF
that organic law by the authorities, whether vested
in individuals permanently or shifting majorities,
constitutes The greatest amount of liberty consistent
in their Judgment, with their happiness. The dsre-
gard OF tine law, and the substitution tor it Of the will
of the governing majority, is despotsm. Popular
government has been found the safest means Of
preserving this law mot the end by entrusting pow
in the hands Of tho2e most Interested in its obser
vance. Monarchs aud arstocracies, experience has
proved TO be unsafe depositaries. Again Senator
Wilson's fremont Temple speech, "that he is COM
mitted, TO the fullest extent in favor of an immediate
and unconditional abolition of slavery" Volumes
could be filled with declarations applauded by audi
of the aggres,Or States, all tending to the
purpose. In pamphlets, speeches, DO, &c, We are
distinctly told, il we dare r., to resist they "khow
to freedom w. In private conversations among
their grave. sensible men, they assert that
our conquest be effected by bands of foreign
Every thing indicates that if there is
not unlocked for reaction in the minds Of the
people Of the free States civil war aud disunion are
imminent.
In. writer Of this article was reared in school that
taught, that the Union bis country, and TO leve
that country more than himself He has remained
true to his teachings; he s not PRO slavery man..
Devoted to the Union and not pro slavery in his feel
ings he nevertheless would urge with all the earnest
ness of deep conviction on the people O! Virginia and
tie slave Sttos GENERALLY. that they are called on by
every feeling that address itself tn the head and
heart Of man prepare to defend all they hold dear
Preparation may open the eyes Of our sister States
and stay their fratricidal hands II it does not we
will roll back the tide Of war from our doors and
show the world that wo have not degenerated from
an honorable ancestry. a Virginian led the armies
Of the country III the Wal or Iudependeroe-a Virgil
nian headed the republican hssts which secured, at
the ballot box in 1900. those liberties which had been
won on the battle heIds of the Revolution. Virginia
is again called on to stand in the van in the npend
ing struggle for the constitution Of our country, to
wipe the hm from the eyes OF the aggressor States,
or, as frontier State, gallantly to stem the heady
torrent Of civil war; She will be true to her own
glorious past.
Thi. grea, Republic Is the last beat hope OF the
oppressed peoples of the earth. Its disruption and
failure i. treason tV God and man. Our Northern
sisters, from visionary sentiment for half civil
lied rRce may perpetrae this crime against civilized
man what is abstraction To them ID to pain-
full and practical reality. With 'he forecast of wis.,
dom, hoping the best, it is duty to prepare for
the worst.
Iwoud suggost the following outline, or skeleton
of n classification, TO be more eaboratey developed
in act for organizing the militia Of :e State, viz
The first, or junior class, embracing those between
l. and 25 inclusive. These should be enrolled, and
have frequent and regular musters-ineetng occa
siunay in colnpany-drill Mt other times in Squads
commanded by Capta!nor subatsrns wherever ten
or nors could conveniently meet for drill; dividing
the compaLy into four squads, if necessary. This
class should perform all patrol duty under corpora',
scrgeanis subalterns guards according TO the force
required. They should he called out 10 suppress in
surrectiCI, and, in time of war. they should be re-
CURED To serve t"5ve lnohtrs II ho sooner ulsnhmu
ed. This class. according to the census OF iooV'
amounts to $1,000. From % to 81 years of age
should constitute the reserve of the junior Glass;
timaed from the same census at 39,0OO men, exempt
from muster, but enrolled, and in the event of do
mestic insurrecon, crh war or INVASION pe tnromn
into tue junior ciase ana me wnoe clasa 10
draft ior ie coo.nuanGo VI ""cm ,, Tausd h uo
tlon cv war or INVASION, VI an. aeno'Iu W ru
years. These form all aggregate OF lo6,OoO men.
The ,econd class, consisting of persons from 81 to
40. 1000 men should. during war, perform patrol
duties under organization, militia, be subject TO
three months SERVICE il the junior class should be in
adequate to the e1igencies of the occasion. The
third class 100 man. between Az and so years, to