Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-06-11
Volunteer.

There have been so many acts, and amenda'
tory and supplemental acts, of the Congress Of
the Confederate States, in reference to the re-
ception Of volunteers by tee President, that it
may be necessary to give a succinct abstract
Of the recent bills passed at Montgomery. On
the 7th of May, 1861, a bill was passed to
'raise an additional military force to serve
during the war" The President is authorized
to accept the services of volunteers, for the
acar, without regard to the place Of enlistment.
By this act, the company officers were to be
selected by the men composing the company"
But, it appears, on the next day, there was
al act passed to make further provision
for the public defence" By this act the pre-
amble of which begins thus-"Whcreas, wal
exists between the United States and the Con-
federate States" &c-it is provided that the
President be authorized to receive volunteer
forces into the service Of the Confederate
States: 'such companies, battaliols, or regi-
nsnts as msy tender themselves, sOithout the de.
10y Of formal call upon the respsctice States,
to serve for such time as he may prescribe;
and, when mustered into service, may be at
tscbed to such divisions, brigades, or regiments
as the President may direct, or ordered upon
such independent or detached service Us the
Presi6en: may deem expedient: Provided,
however, ths. battslions and regiments may be
enlisted from States not Of this Confederacy,
and THO President shall be authorized to com.
mission all officers entitled to commissions"
e.
The information NO furnish by these eI.
tracts may prevent much useless labor, both on
the part Of volunteers about to tender their
services to the Confederate Government and to
the Government itself. Already, VI under
stand, elections for officers are being held BY
Virginia troops, under the strange hallucina-
tioa that the appointing power conferred on
the President by the Constitution, has been,
By some means or other, transferred to "the
majority" thus introducing a radical Democ-
.rscy into the military establishment!
This the Congress had no power to do, and
it IVES not in contemplation. It was merely
meant, by the act of May Tth, to permit COM
panies rendering for the 1rar to elect company
officers. But even this act was superseded by
the subsequent one from which We have made
quotations; and those who presume that mill
t.ry officers are to be elected like civil officers
hare conceived n mistaken view Of the subject.
Nevertheless, the preference Of companies,
when made manifest to the Government, is, no
docbt, always respected as a recommendation.
Bat it ought to be distinctly understood that
the power has not been, and never can be, from
bis constitutional obligations, and oath Of Of.
Zee, relinquished by the President.
1t is bad enough, in all conscience, to elect
Judges upon the h~ustings but if we would
avoid q wild insubordination and a terrible
reign Of anarchy, let us not encourage the idea
OF obtaining military commissions through the
instr nentality OF popular suffrage If mob
may make q man who never read 4 word of
law q judge, so the same power might put a
sword in the hand Of an officer who could not
WELD q lath.