Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-09-07
RICHMOND WING.
MONDAY NOR slNa, SETP. ], 'aoS
Nc General Assem blY.

Il
dnary need for is sefv:Ces The system OF raids Chick
the eoemy has recently Pus il -praodcs hrIWs uPoa
che States and upon culens cut Of tbeTeguaF sci wee
peculiar responsibilities IA connection ~itn the var
Taese responsibilities Involve IA great degree Ih'
sReisney It not sate;y VI regular army. Tlsy
embrace the Important iI'y OF preserving from dee
III ction the very Ut subsistence upOu VII Oh TIE
army has to rely, as vel the protection Of every
description OF property iIom ruin. The losses IN allied
BY raids sUrpass perlas Ihse inflicted By the guar
forces OF the eLsuy all but life, aud they are to b.
prevented or thWsrvd only through al effective sNsIem
Of local organizations Independent Of the destIu;ton
of property caused b. hesa raids they wOrk serious
disadvantage 10 our military operations bV furnishing
Information which could Othera ise DO Obt in, D. 10
chs ab3tnce Of any organized means of resistance hige
bodies Of cavalry, experience has shown, can Ni'h
mpuuity penetrate points which should DC ins'ceis
Die in view Of the necessity 0! sc secrecy as 10 our
movements aud meas Nothing but a cousciOusnss -
{. imminent dlageg, arising from kuO"ledge OF abe
dlate preparation Gu our part, can deter the enemy
roEl the pCrsut of such aiyen!ue The recent ator-
i've raid towards this city sustans this presumption.
tor no sooner dill they sscsrta from tie grescucs Of
iSrce at Bottoms Bridge" az authorities
On the alert than they abandoned the enterprise. 81
w, it be every She,e. ii proper meas Of defence are
piOSided
And Why should ,hey not. There il, a. ID nc
ssnt, within the iDls Of that portion OF Virginia
"a possession Of the euemy, population siapted TO the
duty OF hcms defence, yasdy cusaunberiag Virginia,
lola Low 10 active rervies. Young and old men be
sEsen the ages Of I6 add Is aad As CO. are IS Ca
p4Os of performing military duly not involving the
,r and oH
many nov the army ithiu these ages. These julie-
axe toe most and ,agrse4ble
solders and when military service - Invested Of such
sardshps all tlaI is seriously Obi cdOuaoie connection
18th it is removed aud the dut Is Lceught within
lie capacity Of every bcthscO tie ages nett On'd
VI ordinary physical eidlSa@,e
The perfection Of plan Of Organization for hcme
defence suited to tbis emergency vii require some
degree OCau loo. Il hoGd coz bine the advantages Of
efficiency and public convenience Ia the astttr
Of drill aud discipline, such should be chosen
IS Sould most comport si,h genera convenience
especially IN the country. Co0EG DAYS for instaace,
might be h1ed upon for tie assembling - tie militia
Tor general drill AID field evo.uous in tie respective
counties but sb35LCs Oh these occasions should be puu
nAed sith the utmost Sc TsEy. TIE msn s1oul he ia
pressed With the conviction thai military r-les sad pen
allies Silb strictly enforced Weekly drill ia each
c0mpany district should be required End in all Iesyc
We strc.est rules Applicable military ofgaRiztucr'
soould be enforced. Every reported absent in an
emergency should be held to the srct.s accountability
The whole sysem vii be nothing bot farce if proper
,nelns are adopted 10 secure punculi attendance
when the occasion tor active service arrives Ao-uJel
sm and d5sert;ou ia the regular amy have entail, a
5,yfI- HID "a. r.T L.If
Der on the rolls Of Gus Generals been al tier pests n
the great battles arOuui this city sld the battle 81
shaspsbu'g Twelve months ago, the var would the,
have been at eGd. Norris the tv diminishing, As
might be hop.d would be, il view OF efforts to eheeA
it, IL needs separate STATE seol to arrest it. And
lothng that the States could 90 within their respee.y
spheres would more tend the success OF ous cause
aid an early termination Of th5 var
The militia should be especially changed W,h the duty
81 hunting up and arrestng deserer and straeglers-
This is. perhaps, the important duty that can b.
assigned them. They should be made 10 believe thaf
sPOn tie efficient discharge OF this dgy depends hsr
OEn exemption from active service in TIE field ipas-
much the depletion Of army i5om this cause will
involve the necessity Of EluE Up from the ranks the
militia II giant police system Is established with
reference 70 this duty the evils ress5rg rom absentee
isn viii cease, aud oar indepeadePc &c soon follow.
We suggested sometime ago fae propriety OF cOnsti.
tuEng the committee Military Affairs Of both Houses
joint committee, with Pen George W. Randolph, the
senator for this city, al IT, LeAi No man in the Con
fsderacy IL betteS dtt9d for the pOsou Independents
Of bis ability lawyer and legislator, he has eljoyrd
she peculiar advantage of active ssrTce in ae htld snj
Of 4 conBectOn with the executive department Of the
vovarnmant 80 Sarrefary ,F W.
an arrangement We suggest will Obv4ts the co ac,s
and embarrassment which entaed 80 muc delay ina
turing plan Of military organization the winter before
last Diversity Of schemes lead irreconeiIable antag
onismS Of opinion and in the eEd to abortve legsl4.
tion The members in the late General Assembly being
somewhat on par in point oil legislative ability con.
esiVsd themselves eaii led each in his opnon TO the
position Of leader There vas however, q woefll lack
of useful capacity in that BODY especially of the kind
adapted TO the conception OF military system fuited ~
Ibs emergency. Let hope that no lucl preteusOns
viii now be INDUCED at a sacrifice Of that unity whcl
can alone secure efficient action.
The General Assembly will have before IL for consid-
Grafton, doubtless, important subjects Or financial
character. It's frat ssep IN this connection should be
the OOn6seaton of al the State bonds of Virginia now
in Northern hsnds These probably amount 90 6ftesn
millions over and the Legislature should not hesitAe
apply to them the rule that the Yankees have
naugurAsd in respect to the property Of Southern Cit
Eens lying within their Jurisdiction Tue schedule of
sales In Washington and Alexandria and Nov Orleans
Of property owned By our citizens presents e1aps
Of Yankee earnestness which should not be lost upon
Virginia Legislature Retaliation in the manner eug
Essed not only legitimate but obligatory upon every
consideration Of justice and self protection. Must We
enrich these villains by permitting Shea 10 hold
sOEds As bases Of capital and subjects OF profitable
raRc, While they are beggariDg citizens l. would
y doing violence to justice to do so. And when We
axe into the account the rrepArable losses tnssled
lpOn our State through the strumentAlity of the ma