The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-06-03
WRITTEN FOR TIE INDEPENDENT rEEss.
THE MILITARY SYSTEM.
A VOICE FROM pENSY's CREEK

VOICE FROM PENSYs CREEK.
MR. EDrToR :-In vain have we endeavorei to
see the good to arne. or tho benefit to be OBJ
taiued by our present Military System. We
would now appeal to your columns to make one
broad request that some one who hns been of
an observing turn Of mind and has paid atteu.
,ion to passing events. he glided down the
stream OF time. will inform, Of the little
good likely to be achieved by calling out the
quiet industrious citizens Of our State and
compelling them to perform evoutions Of a
kind Of military character, for which they
nothing, and which they do not in the least
try to remember.
We boast of Military Spirit! Now, Mr..
Editor. om confident that the presence Of men
under arms on the muster field does not war
ran. the supposition that military pride
prompts their attendance. Remit the fine in
case of default. and am certain that not one
man in ten will attend. Does this not prove
beyond all doubt that the chief. yea, the only
object. is to avoid the penalty. Mr.. Editor,
We do not wish to trouble our Legislature
this subject. All we ask is, that they will do
| away with the fine for non. attendance, and
there Is nothing more certain than that the
Military System will very shortly be numbered
among the things that were.
| There s not one in ten of those who have
mustered from l8 to As that con 60 through
the Manuel Of Arms correctly. A short time
since asked one Of the Old Field Graduates to
''present arms." and the result of his effort was
very poor appearance Of charge bayonet."
We have asked. Where is the good it does or
can dot Echo answers Where7 1t will not
make the brave more valiant: it cannot make
o coward fight, for we know that bravery
comes from nature and education.
Fuss, Feathers and Epaulets tell us that the
glorious liberty We enjoy, the freedom be-
queuthed to us by our fathers Of '76 was
achieved by and through this very military sys
tenn. Now. we are not verdant enough to
swallow any such stuff. We would ascribe
tlf9(r success to their stout hearts, strong arms
and invincible determination. In our humble
opinion the Revolutionary War would have
| been Of much shorter duration if the heroes Of
rs had been provided with guns aud amun-
tion equal to the foe. We cannot believe it
would have taken more than half the time to
have scared John Bull off the track.
Boots. Epaulets and Feathers take the liberty
at all General Parades to compliment the la
dies who deem fit to favor US with their pres
ence. thinking the Military has their approba-
ton. But, Nr. Editor, they are widely mista
ken on this point. Woman's presence is through
sympathy. She comes to fulfil her heaveu-born
mission, and though abe sees there is no presen t
good to be obtained, aud no future benefit to
accrue, yet she comes radiant with smiles and
beauty to lessen the burden of the quiet citizen
called upon by the military law to stand or
stalk about in an old field under broiling sun
for two or three hours and for what good
it would take a second Solomon to tell.
We are in favor Of Military Schools. such as
those of West Point Columbia or Charleston.
From the graduates of such schools We could,
in all times of need, get officers to command
who understand the n ilitary as it should be.
Is there South Carolinian that can possibly
make it degeneracy to put aside the present in
efficient system Of Petty Musters and useles.
Parades. Look at Georgia, Alabama, Missis.
sippi, and in fact all our Southern sister States
They do not muster, and can we, without
| great vanity arrogate to ourselves superiori-
ty over them in any respect, either in religion
institutions Of learning, laws, internal improve
ments military spirit or love of country. Oh
let US not be 80 conceited, for the greater part
Of military spirit. seems to be exhibited by
Carolinisns in the mister field is forced, and
when we acknowledge tho equality of out
Southern sister States in every particular We
do them nothing but justice.
Mr. Editor, we will close, though we have
| said NOTHING of the ncOn We ience of stfa,6;no
drills. the loss of time to the farmer and me-
chanio tho assault and batteries that give
business to our solicitors: the general wal
made upon Messrs. Baldface. Tangle-foot
Busthead, Blue ruin & Co. in which they inva
riably come off more than conquerers too.
For the present we leave these things to b.
imagined.
= RETIpRn DRIII ATE