American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-03-20
tFor the Citizen
Tor the Citizen.
TIE MILITIA SYSTEM--HOM II WORKS,

and the spologetic letter Of Maj. Gen. Upper. in
dictate very clearly that tie rotten is abou
TO tanble down. And the General, Ike any othe
prudent man is about to stand fran under.'
Poor Gov. Pettus will have to share tie response
bility Of its institution and all the blame Of keep
ing it up. Bat what matters that 10 him ? II,
will have filed the cycle of duties allotted by the
constitution to governor, and as he l. not am
bilious man, and as no C. S-Senatorship looms NJ
before his wrapt vision be can laugh at our ca
lanities. and mock when fear cometh. So il
is he who keeps the Militia in the field. and a.
he is a firm nan--often mistakibg stabbornness fol
firmness. fear,he will not yield until the last
militia goes home, and leaves him none but an
army Of officers to command which is nearly TIE
case now, for rumor says there three officers to
one private in many Of the companies.
trust Governor, you will not think me preach
ing treason when / only wish to deal plainly with
you, while call your attention to few stubborn
facts that may have escaped your observation.
You have a great deal to do. and many things to
think about, and Jupiter is said to have nodded
your exceliency may have committed this undigni-
fed passtime and overlooked a main item in your
system. / mean the item of expense. You who
keep the books can know exactly. ] can only APP
proximate truth.
First then You have a Major General whose
duty it would seem, is to stay all the time in his
office at Jackson, in the capitol furnished free of
charge, and singing to the tune of salary of eight
Thousand dollars per annun, with full staff of
oficers-or il should be fall to command efficiently
such host Of gallant spirts-neuer to go to the
field except to drink champagne and eat basket
dinners least, we heard of him snch an
interesting occason-and making patriotic speech
es. The Maj. Gen. makes good speeches. and
backed by resduum of eight thousand year. |
should not wonder that they were intensely mill
tia
1t il said Governor that Senatorship would
suit the tall, military figure of the Major General
amazingly. Bat Governor don't you let him have
it. You just stick to the militia aud keep him at
home to command them, and do you go to Rich
mond if-if you get there. But the people
with the militia . may interpose aud cal you TO
the discharge Of other duties. After having worn
the robes of Office 50 long. tired out and fatgued,
they may think the otiuna diSnitate of home
VIII be the fitting place for honored old age, free
the tolls and of State and glorious the
retrospect of well spent life. This viii be their
verdict certain the needle TO the pole. if you
keep up the militia system any longer.
But the Maj. Cen could not manage such cast
army OF ,eif'ng men. and put them fighting =:
must. therefore, have his subordinates in command
his brigadiers. How many has he? One for
each military district. Bat shall fnd enough to
do in disclosing the merits of our own gallant brig
adler, and let the rest pass to other hands.
You would suppose that the Major General
could not go to the field that The Brigadiers surely
ought to be there. and very active, smelling gun
powder afar of. Bat not a bit of it. At least
is not and tho he has Office herlded by militia
~ directory. set he has Bank, which is about as
snug affair ever locked up Shilock's treasure.
But Governor, you would ask-he doesn't stay in
it, does he' think be does. except once | heard
of his being in The tented field. And what did he
do there? One told me, he would stay in his tent
all day, and take the very unmiitsiIy attitude Of
lying tat on his back, reading much from book
that did not treat of military affairs and, my in
formant confined :. When the good general bad
much Of the tolls and sufierings and hard
fare of his command. his yielding nature could
stand it longer and be resolved to leave forever
scene freighted with such narrowing reco!ec-
tons. As the car which held his valuable person
moved majestica!ly thing of life by the
camps of the doomed men, he took his war worn
cap from his aureled brow, aud waved it gracefully
in 'mid air for one last fond testimonial from
sympathetic natures to their dissolving hero But
nary shout made the welkn ring. but simply the
hearts emotion, he is gone, he is gone.''
Well, well, that will never do. This system win
have to be given mp, fear, if such abuses are
creeping into it. But stop, Governor ! am not
done yet You have no more have you? Each
Brigader. you know has big staff and our staff
fills three four counties with It's ponderosity and
| would say they ought to be in the army if they
we're not mostly relatives Bat they too, are at
home, pursuing their daily avocations. And be-
sides, each brigader, you know has his Colonies Of
counties, aud we of course, have our Colonel. And
he-cute hap-anticipating Maj Gen. Tupper's
late order, turning out every body, :. hung hope
thereon and occasionally runs for civil office but
gets beat about four votes to So that, if the
burning of Yankee gunpowder should come so near
as TO make it necessary TO have his valuable SER
vices in the field, a policeman IS badge would house
him snugly at home. He too has has staff. All
plump, nice, tat young men. the best food in the
world for hungry conscript officers or the militia
draft And just here, word to you privately Maj.
Gen. Upper
When you issued your late order, did you not in
tend to have it obeyed in every particular. reybatm
ct kieatim? Surely | did, Yet this sapient
eonceited selfwilled militia Colonel absolutely re-
fused to put his and sts-s names in the hat to
be drawn from, but had the great assurance to say
be would contest your right TO make such an order
The General drew up his fine military figure to its
full height, and said . Was ever such rebellion
seen outside of Lncoindpm? l will have him
forthwith Bat this Is not all
He has from first to last, blundered along ignorant
OF the law and bis duty, has been wilfnly partial
IN carrying out its provisions. He has repeatedly
ordered drafts without giving notice of time and
place. He has arbitrarily taken names from the
list of snch as would not : bend the pregnant
hinges of the knee and omitted Others better
qualified in every respect to make soldiers than the
name selected.
q Well. SIR said the General " you astonish me.
will punish this rash Colonel if it the last
Of my Official life. will now go and see Governor
Pettus and If this little matter of the Senatorship
can he arranged between us. this militia system
shall be broken up instantly.
am glad. sir, You have been plain with the
Governor and myself We who stand at such
awful distance from the people. the masses, the
common people, Eean, seldom hear the truth.
and what do hear is through the medium of in