The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-07-11
Total i 7Os eu2 4.4ss 5, $40 IS 2ss $50 Il

DIS Columbia l,lso IS IS 24s
Total I 100 ej2 A,4ss IS $40 IS 2ss $50 7s7
Two millions OF men, at least, are now mus
tered in The militia. Upon paper this has
formidable look. In the field, upon muster
days, its aspect is more iudlcrous than tero
cious. N-verthe less, an American has more
reason 10 be proud of the militia than France
has of the Imperial Guard, or England of her
choicest troops, the Life Guard included, or
Russia, Austria. aud other deepotisms, OF their
colossal aud well disciplined armies.
The very weakues and absurdiiy Of the mi
litis, in II military point of view, is subject
of genuine cougratulation. As they pass be-
fore us, IN javial mockery of the pomp, place
and circumstance of war, each man shoulder
ing has umbrella, his cane or cornstalk, each
snan ss brave individually as JULIUS CESAR,
but individually aud collectively as ignorant
of the art OF war the American indians, we
CAME OF but glory IN a country which requires
no other ouiwark than such a body OF men,
whose lot is cast by Providence i'll such
cure and pleasant places that army, equip
ped with canes and eorns talks, is sufficient tor
her protection. Ii our Republic Were stu
ated ia Europe. half million of regulars
would be the smallest number we could rely
upon our StCulity aSd&hst ucihbuOlibe
Eaonarchies and it would be a poor consola-
tion Tor the taxes we should have to pay, to
see these iue fellows upon parade, each man
dressed in a handsome uniform, and all keep
ing ,ep in the most harmonious manner. Our
very burlesque of war is suggestive of a
strength and security unknown TO any other
nation on the earth. There is not one that
has such a rampant between itself and its enc
,;a.a ,ba h If fha A tIap
one which, behind its ramparts, can show
drawer hearts and stronger hands.
But If we only keep up i'll rude and even
aaughable way the forms of war, the past has
proved that those forms are not without mean
ing, that there is a thing signified as well as a
sign in our militia sys TEN, and that the militia,
for defensive purposes, is an Indispensable ad-
lunct TO the independence and safety Of free
State. For purposes Of aggression our militio
Is not formidable, and this is no drawback.
but one of its chief recommendations Take
Tor example, the State of Pennsylvania. She
has an aggregate Of three hundred thousand
militia. lu case of the invasion of her soil by
a foreign or domestic enemy. it may be safely
estimated that at least two hundred thousand
OF this force would take the field in ole shape
or other, in defeEce of their State. But how
absurd 1t would be to represent this large
number OF militia Us the available force
which Pennsylvania could bring into the
field for the invasion of another State
These militiamen are farmers artizans, me-
chanics, merchants, lawyers, and are not
going to leave their farms and business TO 20
campaigning against other communities
Cur country, embracing all the States, has
never yet been engaged in a war in which the
whole resources of the nation have supported
an army of much more than fifty thousand
men. In the war with Mexico, backed by the
treasury OF the nation, our u um bers, in ALL but
little exceeded fifty thousand men, while the
aumber Of fighting men scarcely exceeded
fifteen thousand. No one State, nor half of
them together, are going to do more against
other States of their own country than the
whole against l foreign nation. But, on the
other hand, this militia, so powerless for ag-
gression, have shown, both in the Revolution
and In the late war, what they are capable of
In defence. l. mere handful, under JACKSON
at New Orleans, scattered The flower OF Brush
regulars like chafi before the wind. No Que pre-
tends that they can figh in an even open plain,
like disciplined soldiers, but the topography
of almost every State affords plenty of locaIi-
lies where they can bring the phi steal ad van
tages of The country to their aid, and snake
new Thermopylae 4" Of every forest, hill
side noun tain, ravine and flood. Moreover
the ascertained fact that militia can easily ac-
quire the requisite practice in handling the
guns of Qualifications, gives the United States
an element OF strength in national defence
which no other country can command 1T AS
little cost, and without danger to the liber ties
OF the people. With two millions of men i'm
the United States, accustomed To the use of
arms, easily converted into soldiers, and
fighting in defence of their own firesides.
what Empire on the face of the earth could
oyerrun the country!
But, then, it ought never to be forgotten
this ''cheap defence Of a nationn can no longer
be our boast and our bulwark if we permit
the Union Of these States to be dissolved
There is not a State in the Confederacy where
the people do not think now they are taxed too
heavily, although most Of the taxation is on
account OF works of improvement which pro-
mise to increase the public strength and pros
perity. But the heaviest taxation now known
to any commEnity in America would be a
drop in the bucket compared TO the enormous
burthens which would be REQ uired for the
support of such a military force as would he
necessary TO defend neighboring, but separate
and hostile governments II is the cost O
standing armies which impo verishes the peo.
pie Of Europe, and keeps the great mass poor
and almost hopeless-forcing them often 10
emigrate In immense numbers to escape taxa.
tion and military service. Such would be
our own condition If the Union should be d.
Vided, and there would be no city of refuge on
The face OF the earth to which we could fiv for
relief. In the Union no section can he do.
prived OF it's independence, because the gene.
raj government has no army sufficient to ac.
complish that object, and the militia, while
potent for defence, as we have already shown.
vaiueiess for aggression. Life, liberty and
property can all be better defended in the
Union than out OF it. The true policy Of each
State Is to strengthen its militia, and to
strengthen itself by developing all the arts of
peaceful industry.
The American Press.
There is said r. be about tn rec hundred daily
papers at this time in the United States. Five
hundred ana seventy thousand is estimated
as the regular circulation Of the daily press
or la Uo0,0O0 per annum. There arc n lao hon,