The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-06-24
WRITTEN FOR TIL: INDErENDENr PRESS.
"A RETIRED PRIVATE" VS. OUR MILITI

WRITTEN FOR THE INDEPENDENT rEEss.
"A RETIRED PRIVATE" VS. OUR MILITIA.
Mn. EpToI: In n late number of the Press
over the signature of az Retired Private"
we have n communication. "A Voice from
pcnny's Creek" crying a.nins. Military
System. This we take to he kind Of
response to some others of the same sort,
which have "straycI out within few
months past. At lras, there seems TO he s,ri.
/ king resemblance hctwccn it and some others
/ We have seen. in two kcd particulars-
. One is n perfect concurrence IN point of vent
ing spleen rnnn Of The ollrs: and we think
! hes. organizations Of the S,nte the other
consists in total want of good reason,
valil arrmncnt, against the organization |
which seems To he the sui, zee: of such attack. |!
One gentleman is ''le,l into haSly ref lection
Upon Militia by an abortvc attempt to
have battalion drill" onn day too unia-
v"rac for any one to turn out and because
the number Of mru small anil arms scarce
he hastily concluded that the system Is n com
plcic 'lumhug." Anothc" is found rHiSing his
'vocc' through sympathy for the "quict
citizens of our State" who, noor t;lio'cs, are
compelled to perform forced duty ''un-
with Bald face, B!uc-ruin IL Co, and give "Lus-
mess to our solicitors" In The time he
, places other siStr, States ahcaI of his in
various par icuars, and fnrgcts perhaps that
:hev are all 'gc"' if not superior, 30 il
..onqucring' .'Bu :; head & Co.." aud giving;
"ousimcss io Solicitors"
Such arc some "i the objections which are
. presented against our Military system which
appear 90 us I" fall far short Of substantial ar
, guncnts. None Of the evils, if ihr:c be any,
. either Of an individual or pebble character. are
. pointed out. and we are led o no conclusion eX
ccpi thai because ncn w;I.ully nrslcct their res
> pcctivc military du. ,cs and cusc &" cunrcc the
j. laws, H,r,j1ic. The whole system is 'hum
bug" and ought to be abolished. This is logic
$ with a vengeance" anil if this is the standard
, by which The merits OF any organization are
: julgcL, how will ih. Church Of Christ. the
tc,nple of justice, and other organiz,iio ions
. having in view the public good, escape The
# severe cpl hrt Of "hnnbu.. unnsrnsc,' de-,
/. siucc thousands identified with these fall far
!, short Of dischargins hr.r duties.
- But confess surprise that "a Retired
- Priva,c,"" fails (" see The good arise, the
benefit to he derived nom Military Sys
tcm." for who could either see or appreciate
the 700! of anything. which they had rn'cav'
orcl TO do. as labo'iouslv as friend :" Private
e. has done the Militia for few years past. W,
see good in anything in proportion rs W.
,o "S and square up 10 it, aud moi hy "reth ing
il until we arctoo far "rctu ed to know whether
I'd il be ''of good report"
But friend "Private" olecis because o
- al
~ arms corrcciIy." We think his objection no
l. valid, but give him credit for his liLerality il
re giving greater proportion than we could hav
~ asked. This, l venture the assertion, is muc
80 better than his class in English Grammar did il
m his school boy days, and surely he would moi
to pretend to deny the utility Of this beautifu
r. science. because one of ten, in his class coul
III not have parsed every sentence in Synta
t. CORRECTLY
nd The notion also, that men never learn any
se thing from our system Of Militia is all hoaS
d. and is too strangely opposed by experience
re and observation, for to think ourself over
ell dant enongh to swallow any such stuff. -
~ They learn something. and would learn niue
ID. more if they would lay off that feeling tha
makes all 'nnamilcs" love idleness.
jill tain the opinion that there is less military spir
ic. now in our State than formerly, and that til
ice little military service rendered is a mel
ITO avoidance Of the law.
But we believe, yea, we know. that ther
is a strong prejudice against tho system be
cause it allows some men the privilege of d'
ing duty or not, just it is more or less agree
ith able to their feeling ss while others who nj
more law abiding and better citizens, are r.
s., qnired to he prompt Now we do not cal
~ either to trouble legislature OIL the subject
he all we ask while the Military Law exists
that instead of doing away with the fine fe
non attendance, it be made more secure, all
The then we candidIy believe so much grumLlin
BPS would cease, and there would be fewer "retire
4 privates." .
GO We pass unnoticed our "private's partia
MS. ity for Military Schools, but will add. th'
The while they are good enough in themselve
re- they evidently fall short of answering the p'
yas pose fully in a country like ours. We ha'
not endeavored to present any Of 1.-The good
lad arise or the benefit 10 be obta ined by our aMi
a' itary SYSTEM" as these were matters ths
tbe were discussed before friend "Prvste' had
,et- being, and SO far as We know. thsreasons an
arguments then offered stand good to tf
ar. present day, and wins stand until "A Retire
on Private" and his accomplice mount differer
hobbies. '-' ~ -.. '
,,gge Mr. Editor, we will not trespass any long'
Wv for the present, but will close by saying th'
no. whether the ladies' who favor vs. with the
6y preseuee. smiles and beauty at our Parades, 81
'i'' prove of the Militia or not, we think them pa
era triotic and sensible enough to know thatit is
ved good mark ,of good Citizen to promptly obe
'Se the laws Of his country, though he may not 81
aT6
'o' sz Sz''''''' " ''~"SF' -" BAYoNET.