Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-11-29
TUE LEGISLATURE AND THE
MILITIA.

THE LEGASbh @>~'-
MILITIA.
The Legislature after six weeks session
has adjourned without doing anything tor
wards putting the militia in condition 10
defend the State, in contingencies which
though we believe them to be improoaoie'-
are liable to arise at any moment.
A brief statement of the Militia bills con-
.;dered a. Montpelier, and of the causes
which produced their failure, (which we
rather from reliable sources) will be of in
terest to the public.
The existing law provides for the enroll
ment of all able bodied citizens, and for
twenty.seven regimental divisions, and al
lo,ps the formation of two uniform companies
10 each regiment, which may be furnished
with arms BIZ the State, and the members OF
one half the companies receive three dollars
a year from the State.
A bill passed the Senate before any House
bill had been acted on, providing for a more
exact enrolment, and requiring the formation
of fifty companies of eighty-three men each,
to be armed and equipped, and drilled at least
six times year, by companies, and three
days in a year by regiments, and to be kept
constantly full and ready for service. The
members of these companies were to receive
four dollars year, each, from the State.
Provision was also made for calling all the
militia into service in case of neei. A tax
was imposed on all persons able to do mill
tary duty. and not members of the active
companies, of one dollar each per year.
Before this bill was acted on in the House,
q House bill was passed, providing for en-
rollment of all the militia and its organiza-
ton into CONF anies, and for parade there
of for inspection, &C., twice year, but not
providing for arms or equipments, except in
a special instance, which we shall allude to.
1t also provided for oLIo,Oing the voluntary
formation of four uniform companies to each
regiment, which when formed could
be armed by the State in the discretion
of the Governor, on giving security for the
arms, &C., and who might drill at pleasure ;
but no pay was provided for them. If these
companies did not form, (but within what
time was not provided for) the state might
furnish arms to of the enrolled companies.
No taxes were imposed in any event. By
this bill too the Governor might call out all
the militia in case of need.
The essential difference in the two bills
will thus be seen to be, that the senate bill
absolutely created fifty uniformed, armed,
equipped and drilled companies, and for
military tax, and for a general ENROLL
ment without company organiza-
ton; while the House bill provided
for company organization of the enrolled
'tia, but left the formation, arming and
NIL. # uniformed companies, entirely
drill, &c.,, 'ne ooHt'nyenA arming OF
voluntary, and IL. ani'e
a part Of the enrolled cun. erence Was
In this state of difference, cv. yea
held on Thursday afternoon, man..
on the part of the House by Messrs. Hu6bell, \
Cusbman and Nichols. and by Messrs. Ed
munds, Harris and Dillingham; on the part
of the Senate. After discussing the merits OF
the resnec,.-S ....c,.nc senate Committee pro-
posed to the House Com, 10 adopt ali that /
part of the House bill relating to the enrolled !
militia, with that part OF the Senate bill
relating to the uniformed militia-which the
House Committee refused TO do. The Senate
Committee also proposed lit being objected
by the House Committee that the military
tax was unequaD to drop all that part OF the
Senate bill providing for military tax
The House Committee made no other propo
sition than to take the House bill entire.
The substance of the Senate propositions was
reduo-j to writing and handed to the House
Committee to be reported TO the House.
These are the main facts connected with
the failure to pass any militia law, and they
will enable our readers to form some opinion
on the subject.