The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1861-08-10

would, notwithstanding q force Of militia su
perior TO any Of them, have ere this beer
slamefully oyerrun.
Why this lamentable condition of The most
powerful and populous Of our southern sover
eigntiesf It evidently resulted from tardines:
Of action on the part Of lfer authorities, aud
the consequent neglect to marshal and train
for the first military exigency, her entire physi
cal force capable of bearing m Thus ed.
ucated and prepared, she would have crushed
out all disaf1ection aud treason to her glorious
cause; and her gallant citizen soldiers would
have been ready, at the outset, to drive back
the insolcnt invaders in dismay aud disgrace.
But the reverse of this picture actually exhib.
its her, now calling into the field for The first
time her almost entire militia, inadequately
trained and unskilled in arms, to give charac.
ter-to the greatest battles ever fought upon
this continent, and upon the issue Of which
may hang in perpetuity the freedom or bondage
Of her people.
Is this, with an experience so instructive, 10
be the defenceless aud humiliating condition
Of Louisiana, when the threatening and ap-
preaching storm shall burst upon her hither-
to peaceful and happy fields, when hordes OF
northern vandals, already in All advanced state
Of forwardness, shall descend npon her with
the force Of an avalanche, both by land and by
water. The present generation during the
uninterrupted peace with which providence
blessed them, have naturally acquired, in
the more congenial pursuits of commerce and
agriculture, tastes, habits and inclinations,
averse to the exactions incident to war. To
the absence of all incentive to a military
schooling, may be added the want Of adequate
legislation to enforce it as a duty.
Though some fifteen thousand Of our gallant
men. (more in proportion to population, as
your memorialists believe, than the contingent
furnished by any other State, are now under
arms, either confronting the foe in other States,
Or protecting our own; yet there still remain
to US Ct our entire population, capable Of bear
ing arms some thirty Thousand more, upon
whom we must in a great measure rely for our
own defence. TIL
Not only experience, but the testimony of
men. fully demonstrates that the train
ing necessary for efficiency in the field is not
to be attained by occasional instruction, at
Of weeks or months, as now practiced,
but is the result Of continuous and ~uninter.
rupted discipline in schools or camps Of in
straction. TO effect this great object we have
no adequate legislation, and the immediate
notion Of the law maker is imperativeIy de-
manded.
The probable time allotted MS for training
Is evidently short, too short, in the judgment
of your nnenorialists, to await the meeting of
The legislature in November next; for, from
very indication, the current year will not
nave expired before The enemy will be push.
% his numerous columns upon US. Our
'reat commercial capital, from its geographic
81 position and vast resources, as the mart of
nr rich products, offers too many tempting
,ducements to the ambition. and cupidity Of
foe to be spared longer. Shall. then, the
nperisbable fame Of her glorious defence near.
: half century ago against q foreign inva-
y. when the State was comparatively a vii. ,
.rness, be now perilled for the want Of time.
preparation? That triumphant victory was
zen achieved, as any approaching one must
!. BY the stout hearts and strong arms Of q
tizen soldiery
In native ranks and native swords
The only hope Of triumph dwells."
In the view we have considerably taken of
'e subject matter Of this memorial, we have
semed it q duty, not only to the State, but TO
%ourself, who, under the most embarrassing
circumstances, has thus far 90 ably admins.
red its pnblic affairs, to invite yoor attention
} a great public necessity. through the medi.
m Of this memorial. We feel solicitous tha,
future Of your administration should be as
triumphant and successful as its past: To
hat end. constituting as we do, q component
art Of the very population upon which the
proposed legislation will operate, zoe pray youy
r~eelleney to eonpene the Legislature IN extra.
'rd'nory session, at the shortest possible notice.
IN order that prompt and energetic action mav
b taken TO reuiss the miiaa,y code of the State.
and efficiently train, arm and discipline he,
soldiery.
The late lglorious and unparalleled victory
achieved by our arms at Manassas furnish
no reliable hopes, in the Judgment ofyour
memorialists. that the dread conflict now going
on, will stop there. The bitter and long pept
up feelings aud prejudices Of that i~anatical and
deluded people, will only acquire, by the aery
ordeal through which they have just past, The