Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-02-19
Correspondence Of the n. Y. Herald
The ZOunves al Springfield.
spnlyopfrLD. mn, Feb. 4, 1861

Colonel EIsagorfh on our Popular Army
ils Ercellencies and Dcfeets-T TIE Colonel asa
Laleyer and Soldier - Important Fdotsf for our
Af6da ReRmeRt- The improvements Sug-
gsstsd by Colonel Ellst0orth-Ezesllsat
Adgies for Or Volunteers, Ja, &c,
Thera has been no more noted character in
Springfield, next 10 Mr. Lincoln himself than
Colonel 3, r. Ellsworth, commander OF the
celebrated corps Of the United States Zouaye
Cadets, Of Chicago. tie is now studying
law with the law partner Of Mr.. Lincoln.
recently called upon him at his Office and
found MIN engaged in replying to the numer-
ons letters which had accumulated during the
last few weeks in which he has been engaged
in stumping Illinois for ihe republican cause
found the Uolone. 70 be very througkiy
posted on military matters, and, in my Cpin.
ion, bis love for the military will override
bis intentions 70 become q lawyer. Finding
his opinion on military matters eagerly sought
by the leading military men Of the country,
obtained from him statement which in
substance is as follows:-
We have In this country an institution
which is referred to occasionally in Fourth
OF July orations, as the "bulwark Of our
eountrv's liberties" Sc, which all unite in
NININAAlAlA lAAAaNNAAaaftGs " AlAH tANl
believe certain degree Of fitness education
and practice necessary to the success Of men
in any other pursuit or profession they persist
In maintaining that our militia, with no
means, comparatively, of educating themselves
to their duties and lRboring under the weight
of an organization defective in principle and
detail, ara "well enough" and it only re-
quires the emergency to call into play this
immense power which our people believe
exists somewhere, to give life TO force OF
two million defenders Of our government
armed, disciplined, equipped and seryiceable.
| This does very well to talk, looks very pretty
| on paper, and conveys a pleasant sense Of
security; but the facts tell q very different
/ tale. Some one turns to the register, and
| triumphantly tells you to look there, and sure
enough, it foots up an aggregate of almost
three million Of men; but you ask your tTi-
umphant friend "Is that eorrect2" "Cer-
/ tainly," he replies. How large force has
Illinois, for instance" you ask further
i' Why sir, he responds, Illinois has 257,.
/ 900 men, an army Of itself" When was
that report made p ain 1852 Pursuing
| the subject, you inquire still further "Ol
what do you understand that force to be COM
/ posed 2" Why, sir, Of uniformed men,
armed, drilled and disciplined and ready to
respond to their country call. Assuming
/ that with the exception Of a few States, this
I is a fair example, let US look at the facts
/ That report embraces the number of men
in the State in 1856 capable Of bearing arms,
and, instead of 257, 600, we have not one
/ thousand uniformed and equipped men in the
State, and they, having no incentive to exer-
ton, pay but lite attention 10 military mat
ters; and the whole system has fallen into
disuse and.decay. This is not an insulated
instance by any means. Well" says our
/ friend, admitting that TO be the fact, we all
/ know that we have the most military spirit
Of any people on the globe, and if we are as
sailed the whole nation would fly to arms
Look at the Revolution; look at Mexico
"Wen, we ask, ewhat do you prove p
"Why, that if people Of between three and
tour millions can successfully combat with
Great Britain, one ofthe strongest nations on
the EARTH or march through an enemy's
country with a small army, fighting against
the odds our men encountered in Mexico, that
now, when we have thirty millions of people,
we are equal to any emergency" Very true,
but does it not also prove that, had the men
i of the Revolution, added to the advantage
/ Of fighting on their own ground, and with
he motives which sustained them, enjoyed at
the outset the advantages of thorough organ
ization and discipline, the war Of seven years
might have been brought to termination in
half that time2 Or does it disprove the fact
| that our army In Mexico was indebted for its
efficiency to the labor Of educated and compe-
tent officers, without whose services the
volunteers would have been but little better
than an armed mob, and their ValoT, great as
it was would not have enabled them to combat
successfully against even the partially dis
ciplined troops of Mexico "0h, but stop,
says our friend again, "you will ADMIT that
the men, by theaid Of educated officers, were
made good soldiers in the field p "Cer-
tainly." "Well then, haven't we the same
abundance ofoficers nowP Undoubtedly
md if men were again required for p
foray Of the same nature-requiring com
paratively small number ofmen-we should
not realize the incomplete nature of our
militia system more tha- we do At present
but wars with Mexico, with Kansas and with
Utah, don't constitute the full measure Of
our liberties. Why do we appropriate i'm
mense sums to lortiiy our coasts, and foi The
manufacture of arms aud munitions OF war {?
Is it not proof that the policy Of our govern
[ ment, while decidedly opposed to s anding
armies, still recognizes the necessity of pre-
paration for any emergency Yes. On
whom are we to depend to man t1ese fortif-
cations and use these arms ? On the militia
of course Then the question arises what
will prove the most economical and the best
policy To wait until the necessity
overtakes US, and then rely upon the
masses of patriotic men who viii assemble
readily enough, but whose very numbers
would prove their destruction; or shall we
reduce this harum-scarum institution to a
| systematic, economical and available organ
zation whose discipline viii enable them
with one half the number to accompli. b
iouble the amount of service to that of the
mob. VIII any statesman who has exam
med this matter say that the maintenance OF
limited but suffciens militia as the main
| defence and reliance of our country for pro-
lection against invasion, for enforcement OF
| the laws and all ordinary purpose for which
in all countries, greater or less numbers OF
troops are occasionally necessary, is not a
measure of the highest importance to our
seebrity? And how much is the expediency
OF this policy enhanced when it is known that
militia, If properly organized, can, in time Of
peace be engaged in doing great good by
diyerting the attention Of our young men
IRON the popular, fashionable and pernicious
means Of amusement that now constitute
almost their only recreation, and opening to
them the means ofphysieal exercise and social
intercours, which, surrounded by the proper
'sfeguards, viii result in the development
manly and independent spirit While
wishing that it might take national charac-
ter as q permanent and reliable institution
divested Of all its Objectionable features, we
are compelled to acknowledge that our present
system does no general good, and for its true
purposes is valueless-a nonentity-and
therefore useless. But we are told. that