Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-10-21

tent until tine war of 1917, during Whlch the
militia were frequently called out and often
rendered valuable and important service to the
country. But after the peace with England IN
1915. the character and efficiency OF the militia
for parade and discipline suffered marked and
rapid decline. This apparent abatement OF
military ardor is doubtless mainly, II not who'll
", to l., attributed to the feeling which has ex-
tensively peryaded the community since that pc,
Rod. that nil danger from foreign invasion had
ceas ID that little or none was to be apprehen-
ded from domestic violence, and that cOns2-
uuently a military organization was unnecessary
and us.lss Under the influence OF this leelnE,
our laws, which have required our citizens to
furnish themselves with arms and equipments,
to appear with them by companies Tor inspec--
ton and drill and to attend regImenta and
other masters have been looked upon as imp)-
sing expensive and unnecessary burdens, aud all
efforts Of legislation for some years past to give
popularity and efficiency to such laws, have pro-
we'd unaySiljne am not now considering the
Justice and prJprety Of this feeling, but mere
! iy STATING the fact which ought not u be
overlooked in any further attempt at legislation
on the subject. For i'll our republican system,
IL law in order ID b. permanent and of3ctnal
must be sustained, or at least must not be con-
demncd, by pablic sentiment. ,.,,.
BY our iIrl.snt laws the militia is divided in
to two classes denominated che enrolled and
the uniform militia All persons liable to do
militia duty by the laws OF the United States
and of this State, are to be annually enrolled
by the listets of the several towns, and return
is to be nssf5if. their enrolment to the Adlu-
tant and fnsosctor General. The enrolled mill
/ : h.im.
AIDES md divisions, bat its members as such are
not liable to drill, muster or inspection.
Tie uniform militia consists of companies OF
volunteers from the enrolled militia, OF which
there may be one, and under certain restrictions
two to each regiment. These companies OF vol
untcr militia are required to serve eight years
uni IS sooner discharged are, Oh proper S)cu-
rty, to be furnished with arms belonging to
estate are ut their own expense to furnish
themselves with equipments and with uniforms
as directed bp the COMMUNICATIVE chief ; are
subject to inspection, drill and muster; and
each member OF such company, who is returned
uniformed and equipped, and who has perform
ed three days military service, is entitled to re-
ceivc three dollars annually from the State
treasury.
The sparseness of our agricultural population
is unfavorabe to the organization OF military
companies, it is probably only in some of our
largest villages that they may be expected t. be
formed and supported. Several companies have
recently been organized in the state, who met
for voluntary drill and muster at Brandon, on
the first and cond OF September, and were re-
viewed by the commander 1t is but
justice to those volunteer companies to say, that
ther appearance and discipline were under the
circumstances, creditablc to them and to the
state.
The success of this muster of uniform militia
appears to have in some degree awakened II mil
itary spirit in the community. 1t Is understood
that several new volunteer companies are IN the
process Of organization, in different parts Of the
state, and SHAT application for greater legiSa-
tive encouragement for this class Of militia than
is now given, is likely to be made at the present
session. II have thought it proper to take this
rather heightened notice of our militia history,
and Of tho results Of our previous legislation,
in order to bring this subject fully before you.
| trust you will give the matter u careful and
iudcous consideration, and whatever action
you may take, will be such as will be perma-
nently beneficial to the soldier and to the com
munity.
feel it my duty to call your attention to
our laws on the subject of the attachment OF
property on mosne process, and especially to
that feature of them which gives priority to the
first attaching creditor. Whatever may have
been the eG,ct Of this law at an early day when
credit Ill., comparatively limited it's present
operatl& IS, in my judgment, unfayorable to
the business interests of the community
1t operates harshly upon the honest debtor, by
offering a premium to such creditor as shall first
attach and deprive him of the possession of his
property, and perhaps ruin his business and it
is unjust to creditors, by allowing the most
greedy and unscrupulous one to obtain his
whole debt from an insovent, to the entire ex-
cluson of all others. 1t furnishes also to the
dishonest debtor IL convenient mode Of delraud-
ing his creditors, by procuring his property to
be secured to himself by fictitious attachment.
| would therefore earnestly recommend the pas
sage of an act that shall provide for the equal
distribution Of the proceeds of property attach
ed, among all the attaching creditors.
Forming portion of the general government,
We are deeply interested in the measures and
character of its administration, and a few
words IN reference to them will not, it is beliey
ed, be deemed out Of place in this communica
to-.
The marked general feature Of the national
government for several years past, has been its
entire disregard and abandonment of some of
the most important principles, which were con-
sdored as political axoms by the trainers Of
the constitution, and acted upon as such in the
indeed down to II very recent period. This has
been more particularly manifested in reference
to the subiectof slavery. Thus, the principle
of non-interention, which applied the obliga-
ton OF common honesty and fair dealing be-
tween Individuals. to our trlr sacti0ns with
other governments, has, with IL view to the ex.
tension of the area Of slavery, given place to
the detestabla doctrine that national convenience
forms sufficient justification for a iorcibe APP
preparation to our own use OF II foreign terri
tory and its people aud III accordance with
Which doctrine, countenanc and encouragement
have been giver to the laWless invasion OF such
territory, and the most barbdrous and cruel rob-
berry and murder Of its unoff3nding inhabitants.
The power of Congress to exclude slavery from
the territories Of the United States, which had
been exercised without question, by lrequ Mt
and repeated endctments from the foundation o t
the government down to 1919, has been recent
iy declared to bewthout the pale Of the CON
sttution, and the extraordinary doctrine is now
promulgated that the constitution itself legali-
zes Slavery in the territories, and that Congress
has c1nsequGp.l authority to prevent its in.
PRODUCTION. This doctrine of the present exec
utive of the general government ssought to be
confirmed and established by the opinions of
majority Of the judges of the supreme court of
the United Srates, the highest tribunal Of our
country. OF these opinions of the judges the
legislature of this state at the last session ex-
pressed by resolutions their decided condomna-
ton, in which condemnation | fully concur.
With strong habltual reverence for judicial
authority, when exercised within its appropri-
ate sphere for the discrimination OF individual
rights, confess have not a high regard for it
when sought to BE- cxtanded to political ques-
tions. The history of our parent country fur
nlshcs many examples of judges, learned and
SDuVht and nht,;nnl hv thn Government for thn