New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-25
QUE CITIZEN SOLDIERS.

To-day being the anniversary of the evacuation Of
New-York by the British army, November 18th, 1888,
will be celebrated in the customary manner, by pa
rade of the First Division of our State Militia under
command of Major-General Sanford, and review by
the COMMANDMENTS Chief and the Mayor and other no
liabilities. TIE line will be formed in Fourteenth
street at noon, when the review by Governor Morgan
will take place; after which the troops will march
down Broadway TO the Park, to salute the Mayor and
Aldermen If the weather should be fine, the display
Will be magnificent, as this Division embraces the en-
tire military force of the City, numbering, according
TO the annual inspection returns made last month, to
245 men, and sometimes parading nearly 5000. The
troops Of Brooklyn amount to 1913, and form part
of another military Division, the Second; but
BROOKLYN being in fact New York. the soldiers OF this
CITY. well armed spenddly uniformed, fairly dise-
plined body of respectable, intelligent hardy men,
ready at few hours notice to protect the City against
dsturbers Of its peace, may be counted $685. or nearly
one-haf as large body as that commanded by Presi-
dent Buchanan and Lleut.-GeneFa Seott-th' regular
army of the United States.
The existence Of such military police as the First
Division an incalculsbe advantage to the city, for
il holds in check the elements of ruffanism, which
might upon occason-as for instance, at the prompt
ing of a leader like Fernando Wood, with some po-
iticalor social revolutionary object in view-become
organized aggressive, and overmatch for the ord
nary police Quiet old gentlemen, who periodically
send to the newspapers statements of the grievance Of
having their omnibus or car stopped for few minutes
to make way for parade of citizen soldiers, and de-
mand why they tax payers, should have their streets
blocked up by bodies of men, neglecting their work.
and marching about eyerlastingly playing soldiers;
II. -, koar In mind bnxuf
of peace, good order, and security for life and prop
erty these men insure the city, and how much their
vouutariIy selfpaid, and most onerous du-
ties diminish the tax list. The only reward they
to seek is the admiration which their appearance and
discipline on parade call forth and this,
when well deserved, should not be grudg-
inQly given. Those who sneer at our vol
unteers for "playing soldiers" should bear in
mind that when the war with Mexico broke out, no
less than 200 900 of such offered their services to
our Government. The voluntary military system is
specially characteristic of this Republic and its chief
safeguard. In England for several months past, the
most extraordinary efforts have been made to induce
the people to form uniformed militia regiments like
ours, to repe the anticipated French INVASION Meet
ings have been held everywhere, presided over and
addressed by live lords and high dgnitaries and the
most stirring appeals of tle most brilliant orators and
writers have almost failed to awaken John BulPs pa
trotism, work upon bis fears open his pocket. He
does not understand the Pickwickian form Of military
organization, which awards to each member the right
and privilege to pay bis own expenses. He believes
in standing army, and thinks il the Governments
and not his individual business to pay for it. Only
2 eco have enrolled as volunteers in all England under
high-pressure appeals of impending invasion Proph-
cts. Here in New.York alone, if add
to the militia force that peculiar institution the volun-
teer target companiesamost every factory foundery,
workshop, printing-ofee, etc., furnishing corps,
with ia inevitable brass band to enliyen Broadway
all the days Of the year this force be taken into the
count, Eew-York City win show about as many vol
uneer soldiers az all Great Britain. The saving 70 the
tax list effected by militia organizations may be
approximately estimated when we look at the figures
of the Police Department. BY the last report the
number of this force is l699 and the annual expense
of maintaining it 81 l67 000 An outfit for member
of an infantry regiment costs about $50. If this be
taken as the average for all the 600 militia Of New
York and Brooklyn, appears they have paid out OF
their own pockets $i56 coo TO equip themselves; and
they probably expend on en- average $50 per man. an
nually or s8 600 in the aggregate, to keep up their
organization. reserve police force at an expense
greater far than thsfOr the time the military give to
their duties is no. reckoned in this aeeount-woald
have to be supported by the taxpayers, bat for this
voluntary service.
The Firzt Division s composed Of four Bngades and
sixteen Regiments, viz.
FrEsT BHIeADE-ls Regiment Dragons; "a DO. Infantry
"a ao Husssrs; list do Light Infantry; 73d do Inxntry
sscosD BzIeAps-ssh Regiment, Artillery 'sh DO, In
lsntry; cab Co., Infantry; I'd Do, InlsntTy.
TEiED BEIssDn-7tb Regiment LIZ Infsuty 9Th d. la
sansTy; ssh do, Light Infantry Ssh do. Infantry
PorETH BKIssDR-llth Regiment, Rles 6h d. infsnsryj
18th do, iEfsnsry.
A few years ago the First Division was mere mili
tary neb, without classification OF arms, and whou
,ezirental uniform. Each company uniformed after
s own fancy, and companies Of cavalry, infantry and
rifles were jnmbed together in single regiment OF
course there could be regmental tactics taught to
bodies 30 constituted. Recently law was passed
obligng the companies Of each regiment to adopt a
regiueuia uniform, and classifying the companies into