Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-02-28

zQtiOH ead Failure Of Purpose Deficient
Crop Probable ard Bankruptcy Of tho State
IRiHsnt
From tbs MssIssippian
Ia thsb ginning let it be promised thai moth
ing is intended thai will in any way underate
the efficient Executive. Like sll other great
and good men, ne may have his hobbies, and
there are very few men in responsible positioas
who do not make some mistakes. Let the think
ing men Of Mississippi, in aud out of the army,
judge for themselves ia the present ms tance
The first objection 70 the S ate militia system
is that it creates invidious distinctions in our
military service, complicates and cOnfusss tie
same by one half, and doubles the expsus
necessary to obtain the same service, By dupi
eating the number of official digntariss Of the
land The Confederate government, having
already passed stringent and efficient co1script
law, which has proved the salvation of the
country, there should be no other military or
ganzstion whatever, to conflict with the Cor
federste arrangements. Uniformity Of service
contributes greatly both to efficiency and, ,econo-
my, and at the same time causes much less dis
satisfaction smong all ranks of soldiers. There
should be no exemptions whatever and when
every man between the ages of eighteen and
forty are 10 the army, and more are still wanted
let the age for c0nscripts be raised to forty-6vs
Another strong objection to the militia organ
ization IS, that If is inefficient and utterly use
less. What have the militia of any country
ever done, or what can they ever dol Com
posed as it il, Of as good material as can be
found IN the woTld-the staid, substantial citi-
zsns Of the State--the fathers of our Conled
crate soldieTs-Tnen who, if properly organized
and disciplined, would fight equal to any men
on earth-still / must say that the militia of our
State, IN its present condition, is a useless
EXPENSE miserable failure, knowing Httle
and caring less, about strict military discipline
Ths militia officers have allowed the owls 20
catch SO many of their men that many Of the
companies now at Grenada number not moro
than twenty to thirty men, rank and file Aud
majority Of those remaining n camp are sub
jeet to prevailing epidemic of very bilious
furiOugh disease, iusOmUch that they are rel-
dered worthless for any other purpose than 10
consume eommissary stores, which would 9th
erwiss be very useful to the Confederacy If
those from thuty-ive to forty who are now uu-
WarTantably detailed IN militia service, were put
in the Confederate army-thUs filing up lhe old
regiments-they would eat less beef aud do
more real service than ths whole of the mili.ia
now do under their present organization. The
whole expense of militia officers, quartermssters,
judge advocates, etc, would then be euriailed
and much greater efficiency attained. But mauy
of these officers being themselves subject to
conseription, oppose the disbandiDg Of the mi i
tia with great military fervor and much martial
eloq1ence.
Another very powerful reason why the State
militia should be disbanded at once, is that they
are composed of the bone and siBew of ths eOun-
try-ths steady farmers Of the land-and their
presence Is absolutely necessary at home, that
an adequate support be produced the current
year for our army in the fsld. This is tae seed
time Ct the year and if we do not sow properly
we viii certainly reap scaDily. We are 10 much
more danger of being subdusd by famine than
By the sword
but the most cOgant reason yes named aga nst
the present Mississippi system is, that if per-
sisted 10, it viii ultimately bankrupt the State
That our single State should undertake the ex
ira expense of supporting major general and
staff, brigadiers and stalls, c1loasls, quarter
masters eonmissaries, Judge adD0catss and |
STATS, IS out OF the question aud not to bs en- /
teriained for a moment by those who hsYs ths /
future welfare OF the Safe st heart. That the 1
funds ol cur State should be thus neediessly 1
expended for chat which IS nought, Is very dis- I
c0uraging to eyarg thinking Mssisspoian, wh0 I
is now lighting Ia the ranks Of the CJnfsieracg /
have been IN the Confederate service for I
the past two years, and expect to continue thare-
in while single soldier is necessary; but sti4 /
do rot wish to see ths fathers Of cur land IN /
necessarily dragged ous from comfortable /
homes, when they can be useful to their fani !
lies, and profitable 10 the country, aud eon6usd !
to the militia camps where they are utterly use
less to the cause, and very expensive 10 the /
State. II more men are needed for the defense 4
of Mississippi the Confederate authorities, at 1
Richmond, ought to be oognizsnt of the faei, /
and call out by conscipton the number needed, /
thus dividing eq aslly the expenses and burghens
of ths war among all the S stes.
JOHN RANDOLPH