Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-02-02
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-aUzed-Ot prOpe " organizing
the State militia The grave apprebensiOns that
some Of our most sagacious statesmen entertain
regarding the subject Of army Te-enlistments,
have stimulated the energies Of several of the
States in thus duty of "a ising forces for both home
defense and active service. Virginia, Missis-
sipp and Louisiana have taken the lead, and
promise to do much valuable labor, whose per
Torrance, by the Confederate government
would serve in q measure to distract its attention
from the faithful prosecution of the war.
We have repeatedly before expressed the oPin-
ion-and have striven in vain to impress it upon
4" the assembled wisdom - OF the State at Nash
viIe-that it is high time for Tennessee to take
action in the matter if she expects to preserve
the impershable renown she has gained as the
4" Volunteer State Of the South. 1t is true
that the Legislature has passed q miserable abor-
ton in the shape of a new militia bill since 1t
convened in session last October, but its imper-
feetions are SO gross, and its inadequacy for the
purpose intended so p~alpsble, that it has proven
rather an incubus upon the military enthusiasm
Of our people than otherwise. Its principal de-
fects are two. First Its provisions fail utterly to
secure competent and efficient officers, without
which no force can be servicesble. Second No
authority Is conferred by which the State troops
can be called out at regular periods to dril, and
perfect their organization. As these twOfeatUres
alone constitute the gist Of what a proper militia
bill ought to be, of course any other not embody-
ing them may be regarded as a mere emasculated
measure, worse than useless, if not an actual
nuisance in the way Of Legislation.
If the present Legislature does not covet the
ambition Of being regarded as the most useless
body of men ever assembled at the Capital within
the history of the State, its members had better
take up this important subject Of recognizing
the militia, and give US an enactment equal to
the emergency, by way Of furnishing an oppor-
tunity for the chronicler Of their proceedings to
pen one wise act they have done before closing the
present session. If they viii even sanction the
bill recently passed by the Legislature Of Louisi-
ans, with some few triding amendments, they
win do much towards suppressing that feeling of
popular indignation which has been engendered
by their purposeless and inactive career of nearly
four months, now being slowly eked out at an
expense Of eight hundred dollars per day to the
State Of Tennessee.
The man points IN this bill, to which We refer,
may be briefly stated. It subjects to militia
duty al abie-bodied males between eighteen and
f~orty-fve years of age-the same to be organ
lied into regiments aud brigades. The Legisla-
ture is empowered to elect a m~sior-general for
three years, and the Governor to appoint briga-
dier-generals for the same length Of time also
colonies, Heuaenant-colonels and majors for three
years, after which they shall be elected By the
officers. The captains and EeutenaBts are to be
recommended by superior officers and appointed
by the Governor, aud non commissioned officers
to be appointed by the captains. This part of
the measure viii secure good officers but it
goes still farther, and requires company, bat
talon, regimental and brigade drills at regular
times, imposing heavy fines in case Of q failure
to attend. The c0mmandeT-in-chie Of the State
forces is authorized to call them out when the
public necessities require it; the service of a
detachment being limited to three months, or to
double that time in case Of emergency, and the
receiving the same ra.ions and pay
allowed IN the Confederate army.
This is the whole thing briefly stated, and only
furnishes US with 3 skeleton Of the plan of or
ganizaton proposed The necessity Of this
States taxing simIla- action is so manifest, and
universally acknowledged by intelligent and
men, as to require no argument or APP
peal to establish the conviction in the popular
The people are far ahead Of their Repre-
sentatives in this matter, andexpect them to take
prompt action in it, that Tennessee may not lose
her iaursls earned upon the CORY field in other