The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-06-11

The military display of Friday, while it exhibit
ed Il marked Improvement in many respects over
anything OF the sort that we have witnessed in
this city for some time past, left room to wish for
great deal more. As the occasion was one of
more than ordinary interest and the day was ac-
cepted by almost all classes of our population as
holiday, we may presume that the several compa.
MES on parade turned out in their full strength or
nearly So Yet all told the whole number of yo-
lunteers, officers and privates, of every arm-ar-
tlllery, cavalry and infantry-could not have ex-
ceeded six hundred. This, too, in population
OF more than two hundred and fifty thousand
souls. Certainly this is not as it should be- In
city of the size of Baltimore there ought to be as
many regiments of volunteers as there now are
companies A uniformed force of five thousand
men would hardly be out of proportion to the num-
Der OF inhabitants, between the ages of eighteen
and torty-ive, capable of bearing arms. That the
actual number should fall so far short of what the
city Is capable of furnishing, reflects little credit
upon the military spirit Of our people 1t is in
this respect that there is greatest need for improve
ment. 1t is not because we apprehend any dam
ger, immediate or remote, of foreign in
vasion or domestic disturbance that we desire to
see the military force of the city quadrupled OF
quintupled in extent. We trust and believe that
the day is far distant-we would even hope il
such were possible, that it might never come
when our citizen-Soldiers will be called upon TO
bear arms, either for the public defence or in the
support of social order But even against a con-
tingency which, although so remote must yet be
admitted to be within the bounds of possibility.
we do not desire to our city so absolutely un-
prepared as it is now In a country where if is
accepted as fundamental principle of government
that standing armies are dangerous 10 liberty !"
and that "a well-reguated militia is the proper
. and natural defence of free government. some
pains ought assuredly to be taken TO keen up a
military spirit, and, at least, smattering of mill
tary knowledge among the people This can be
effectually done but in one of two wavs-eitber
by embodying a course of military instruction in
every system of school education so that bows NAV
be put through their Accidence and the manual
together, and initiated at one and the same time
in the principles mathematics and physics, and in
their practical application to the science of fortif
cation and the art of gunnery-or through the
medium of volunteer companies We see no OBJ
lection TO trying both methods Considered SIM
ply as means of moral training, there can be no.
thing better than the drill. characterization and
a want of respect for constituted authority are the
prevailing and characteristic vices of our country
men, and there is no school to eradicate these and
teach, instead, lessons of obedience and habits of
discipline-like the dril-room. It is the best nos
sible preparation for the duties and responsibilities
too early with boys at school-it is not too
late for men to practise it in the ranks of
volunteer company Hardly less important
are the advantages of such a course Of edu-
cation in a physical point of view. 1t is at
once healthfu discipline for both body
and mind. Volunteers accustomed to execute
evolutions in HARDEE's double-quick are not
while the practice of handling the musket for two
and three hours together, is good exercise for
the muscles. Should our companies add as we
doubt not IN time they will, the bayonet-drill to
their other studies, they will have a system Of
physical exercises inferior to or less complete
than those OF the gymnasium All this is exactly
what is wanted, and it is for these reaSons as
well as those general considerations of r,b,ic
safety and policy already adverted to tbat ue
should like to see an increase of militarr s,,;r;.
among our people, and an increase in the w.t.
of volunteers. The effect every way Womb ~
salutary, and no more favorable opnor,rr,
ity for testing 1t could be furnished than Tho
present. The parade of Tuesday was the last
law parade of the season. The next will
be on the 18th of September During the inter-
val of three months-when the long summer
evenings tempt into the open air, and furnish the
only time for exercise that the heat of the weather
will afford-when the general dulness of
the season and the early closing of the
stores will leave more than the usual amount of
leisure upon the hands of young men, there will
be capital opportunity offered for the volunteer
companies to beat up recruits and for those who join
them to perfect themselves in the drill. Since the
parade of Friday, we understand, fifth company