New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-08-03
OF THE MILITIA.

For years past the militia regulations OF this
State have been almost entirely dead-Ietter.
Fifteen or twenty years ago barefoot companies
did meet TO train two or three days in the
course of year; but these trainings were mere
farces, so that they gradually fell into contempt
and finally into di,use. A feeble attempt was
made to reOrganize the militia, By making the
service voluntary, and exacting a fine of such
as did not care to serve. In the large cities
the voluntary system has not been without its
advantages, and has resulted in supplying us
with many abe.bOdied, welI-disciplined soldiers;
but throughout the couGtry, Whatever its success
may have been elsewhere, the voluntary system
ha, been of little avail. Military organizations
were rot held In esteem; money and time ex-
pended ia equipments and drill were considered
thrown away; the fines imposed were inslgnit-
can't IN amount, aud even these were seldom
collected and in consequence few found it worth
their while to trouble themselves about military
matters And why shOuld they We we're not
at war, and did not seriously anticipate such
an event as q contingency in the least degree
probable, aud the Goyerhmen! offered 10 sufii-
drll, while the ease with which the service could
be avoided seemed rather to offer premium
for Is neglect.
What bas been the result Of this almost Grim.
inal want of foresight, for it is without doubt
% true Of us as any other people that in time
Of peace we should prepare for war! The result
is that, while we ougat to have been able in this
State alone 10 bring one hundred and fifty thou
sand well-armed aud toerably wel.discipliued
men iuto the field, within three days after the
call of the President, but for a few regiments
from some of the larger cities, we could not
have supplied him with single regiment Of raw
troops withcu. delay of weeks and even now
the enrolling and forwarding of troops would be
too slow to meet anything like great emer-
eency, IS we lately came too near having abun-
dant reason to experience.
What now is the Lesson, almost too dearly
bought. 10 be learned from these facts Plainly
that our military system should be Immediately,
thoroughly and efficiently recognized so that
every able.bodied citizen should be a citizen
soldier made available by previous military
education for the support OF the govern
ment. To this end military rewards and
honors should be multiplied, and penalties, if
not increased, should be most rigidy enforced.
Every member Of the State Militia thus re-
cruited, should be required to appear on parade
tborouxsslly armed and equipped prepared to go
into sctiye service at ine shortest notice, and
suaic;ently uniformed to promote that esprit de
eorps 40 essential to military discipline, though
from motives of economy the uniform required
should be as simple, durable and inexpensive as
would be compatible with the OBJECT In vlew'
Noyces for the first two on three years mignt DC
trained in separate squads ana not requirea
thoroughly to equip. Soldiers 10 the prime Oh
life who had seryed their time, worl,' form
reserve force little less efficient than .no'e
actually enrolled and would require only arms anS
equipments to render them equally available II
time of need.
This thorough preparation for war, instead of
involving us in quarrels with our neighbors, would
render US more certain of the peaceful enjoy
ment Of our rights and less sensitive to any sup
positions or implied insults from abroad.