Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-05-04
r r A S O N S,

Act passed on Friday, April IL 1861,
entitled can act for the better organi-
cation of the Militia of the Common.
wealth.
The undersigned, members of the SEN
ate, desire to place upon the Journal their
reasons for voting against the bill passed
in this body on Friday, April 18th, A, D.
1861, entitled can Act for the better Or
ganization of the Militia of the Common
wea th."
The act provides for the appointment by
the Governor Of Pennsylvania, Of militia
ry commission, clothed with full and ex-
traordnary powers to re.organize the mi
lita of the Commonwealth. The nature
and character of the organization proposed
is not set forth in the act, and is, therefore,
entirely unknown to the members of tho
Senate and House of Representatives.
The Constitution expressly declares, that
"the freemcn of the Commonwealth shall
be armed, organized, and disciplined for
its defence, when, and in such manner as
may be dsucted By IdW;" and, further that
"the military shall, in all cases and at all
, times, be in strict subordinaton to the civ
il power" Under the provisions of the
act aforesaid, unlimited authority is vested
in military commission, whose members
are to act Independently of the Legisla-
ture and thus the w-making power,
which alone should control and direct tho
organization desired in the present and in
all emergencies is deprived of the privilege
of acting upon the details Of system which
is Of the most vital importance to the citi-
zens of Pennsylvania If the "ciyil power
must blindly yield to military suprema-
cy, it will be an easy transition to pass from
known and existing laws to military des-
potism sustained and upheld by standing
army. Since the opening of the present
session no attempt has been made by the
majority in this body to re.organize the
militia in a proper and constitutional man
ner, and the representatives of the people
have not been permitted to deliberate upon
any measure to remedy the evils in our
military system which this act now pro-
poses to cure. Before the Undersigned
could give their sanction to any system Of
reorganization they must know its details
this is clearly their constitutional right
and they should not be called upon to
place this important subject entirely and
unreservedly in the hands of an unknown
military commission.
The heavy burthens resting upon the
people demand that all expenditures from
the public treasury should be made with
caution, and when made, should be guar
ded with proper and necessary restrictions
While the peculiar system of re.organiza-
t ton is closely veiled from the public eye,
!, the manner of disposing of the erroneous
: sum appropriated in the act aforesaid is
equally vague and underlined. This act,
in effect, makes the Governor of the Com
: monwealth the disburser of half million
5 of dollars, if So much may be needed, and
contains no provisions for proper discre-
tionary power on the part of the account
, ing officers of the Government in the al
lowance and settlement of the accounts
= The sum appropriated may be used we'll
, it may just as readily be expended improp-
:, erly-this will depend in great measure
upon the character of the military commits
sion appointed by the Governor the names
Of which have not yet been presented to
the Senate for its approval and confrma-
ton.
t 1t is our unquestioned dnty as Legisla-
f tors to put this State in a condition to re-.
, pei invasion, to suppress insurrection, and
:, to defend our borders in time of war. For
those purposes, by the second section Of the
: eleventh article OF the Constitution, we arc
e authorized to contract debts, Had the ev-
idence been furnished to us that either of
these causes existed, we would most cheer
d fully have joined in supporting any proper
1t and constitutional measure demanded by
1t the exigencies of the times. Again, it il
Y our manifest duty as State, willingly to
respond to any requisition made upon us
by the President of the United States, to
support the General Government, to pro.
lect the public property, and to enforce the
a laws. AT the time the bill was under con.
10 sideration no such requisition had beer
Y made, either directly or indirectly, TO the
10 knowledge OF the undersigned. But il
:, order clearly to evincc cur desire and in
= tention to respond to any such requisition
we asked the privilege of voting for the las
clause of the third section ofthe act aforo
said, This privilege was not granted ,anC
% we were, therefore, compelled, by stric
-. sense of duty, and for the reasons herein
" before stated, to cast our votes against tn
IN entire bill.
That the citizens of this State will nevc
e, fail to respond to such a requisition, is at
\. tested by the cagerness with which her pa
- triotic sons rushed to the support of ou
'e National flag in the war with Mexico
That they will do so again in obedience t
. a call of the Chief Executive of the Natio
IL no one will doubt and in all his coustitu
H. tional efforts to uphold the Goyernment,t
tie protect its property, to maintain its lawl
re and to guard the National flag from insu
70 and dishonor, he will receive the cordia
II enthusiastic, and determined support of Il
g. united people of this Commonwealth.
ly WILLIAM IL. WELSH,
- L d ANNEORn