The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-07-16
The Militia Call.

They serve only as valuable repositories OF in
formation. From the one, the Government
may select i,r subjects IF taxation; from the
other, liz soldiers for the field. The american
system Of volunteering bias deprived the mi
ltia of the practical utility it once had. Ii
has been copied by Great Britain with great
success, and that kingdom considers itself i'm
pregnable against French invasion from its
large and we'll trained volunteer forces IN
every county. The British Government has
paid much attention to THU new service, and
the militia SYSTEM has virtually gone out OF
use in the kingdom.
Our Government has been very negligent OF
both services. II has allowed the militia sys-
tenn TO degenerate into a mcckery, and it has
taken no pains TO provide 3 substitute, by en-
couraging the volunteer system. The States
have relapsed into criminal negligence on
the subjec, Of defence. They have lett the
whole business If arms and the army +" the
Federal Government. Our own Virginia Arm
ory WIS turned into a Touring mill. Not
gun was manufactured in the State, except oc-
ca.iop ally q rifle by some gupsmitb Of the
mountains, who had almost forgotten his trade,
and who would sometimes make gun to keep
I'D the recollection Of bis calling.
The only traces of military knowledge and
skill remaining in the States were the result 81
private ent.rpris. and individual talent. The
people alone kept the military spirit alive the
State Governments ignored and neglected i.
W, yc.,il1 .nripr, and
flourish while. then they would languish and
fall into decay. The prospect Of war would
kindls the flames the decline of the danger
Ut Of the probability, would extinguish them
again. But for the military schools, which
filed the country with coed ofieers /; but for
the volunteer companies of the cities, which
served the same purpose Of The schools in
filing the towns with capable commanders
Of companies but for the large quantity Of
arms, which a Southern Secretary Of WA,
fcresseing the danger in the distance, ordered
into our Southern arsenals but for the vol
unteering spirit to which these circumstan
ces gave efficiency, the South would have
been in as ahject state of defeneelessDess as
Poland or Lomhardy OF Maryland. The fede-
raj government on which they relied as their
military protector has turned to be its assail
ant.
The South owes none Of her safety to her
militia system. As leans of active war the
militia is perfectly inefficient. 7, il of value
OILY as depository Of men from which SOL
diers may be drafted by the Government, whom
they do not volunteer in sufficient numbers
That tiire has not yet come; for vastly
more men have volunteered in Virginia
than have been accepted into the service
Those who have been rejected have been re-
jccted for the want Of arms. II they would
ensure their acceptance into the service. they
have only to provide themselves with arms.
The most practicable source from which these
may be obtained, il from the large stock Of
doub!e-barrel shot guns still in the country
A bayonet attachment has been invented for
thi. arm. and the use Of the Minnie bali or
the wire buckshot cartridge makes it az ETH
Gent o. any Of the improved arms. The
country rifle, also, may ofteu be obtained in
sufficient numbers to equip company or two
In q county. The use of the Minnie instead
Of the round ball in these. makes them fully
~ dsstructive as the famed Enfield rife. Let the
volunteers understand this fac: Ne company
will be rejected. but every one promptly received
provided 1t IL armed and as many as twenty.
five thousand volunteer forces may be raised
In Virginia in addition to those now in the field,
armed with the weapons we have pointed
out.
II i. not intended by calling out the mill
tia in the counties of the North side, to put =
stop to tho raising Of volunteer companies
These will still continue to be received for
twelve months or for the war, as heretofore;
aud it il certainly practicable for az many as
one additional company for each county ia
be organized and to be equipped with guns OF
rifles. The great want of the Government is
me. wih orms ~ hand and they prefer com.
pinies pledged for twelve months or for the
war, to militia unarned. undisciplined, and
bound TO serve only for a brief period of a
few days OF weeks.
Large preparations are making in difseren,
parts Of the South for the manufacture OF
arms. In few months there will BE- no def
cheney Ia this department. Of defence. Mean.
time the want must be supplied BY the bss,
substitutes thst can be bad, and no volunteer
ce~paDiss win be rejected if they possess arms
of the species that have been indicated. The
call for the militia is doubtless designed usrtly
for the purpose Of bringing ooi all the sysils
bic arms # this description which the country
MI "ds. Another object Is to promote the vol.
unteer movement. II il does not add 10 III.
shoetise strength OF The army ia any otL.,
way, the call will, We trusf, contribute Iarxsly
u il in encouraging the volunteer movement.
There II scsrcely man Ia the commuuity
whaAe prize does NJ. rebel against compel.
sovy service. The part If private IN y.lun-
ter s"rps Il honorable from the fact that il II
. sesyiee III choice and not IT cnu,pa lxion -
We tbsrsf.,s hops 10 zee = large impulss i'm
parted to the volunteer movement by the
militia eali.
The ttsbp0ss War j0sk js = failure. The
sbmmsssiD0sss xOf ~ bi0s they would sccepl,
snd The grfoNsItoa is aseadoi,ed inr the pre-.