Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1864-09-03
BLoOMsBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PENN'A SATURDAY Sc

officers of the militia shall be elected by
men.
But who that is eonversant with the ma.
ture OF military organization will deny that
while the field officers are appointed by
the Commander.in Chief, who at the same
time is the executive of the State, elected
by partisan and lussful majority, the diff.
fusion Of political influence becomes an
easy performance, and the undue extension
of power an alarming probability! Who
then is prepared to palliate the extension
of civil power by the bsyonet, the sup.
preston of civil rights by war order, or
to consent that military as we'll as civil
power, properly emsnating from the pso-
pie should rise superior to their control,
mock at their fears, and set their wishes
at noughtl
The world is full of examples, distress
ing and monitory, of popular apathy, and
submission to the lust Of power, when ca
lamity had blunted treason. And next to
him who as fool in spite of his own ex.
perience, 10 that man who fails TO profit by
the experience Of others.
Nor in the appointment Of the most in"
fuentisl portion of the officers of the
State Guards alone, is this bill exception
able. Even the examining surgeons oil the
different counties are to be plant instru.
monts of the executive. Rheumatism must
now subscribe to party feal,ies, neuralgia
must affirm the Baltimore platform, and
hernia become the general complaint Of
loyalists.
Then too the arbitrary seizures, which
by this bill the Governor is empowered to
make at his discretion, AN alarming stretch
of power, which DO charity can palliate, ,no
alleged necessity justify. For mark, this
power is absolute restricted by no ciscum
stances, its operation limited by no exi
geucjes 7 Ii he may seize when the enemy
is threatening our border, or devastating
our valleys, he may seize to-day anywhere
within our State lines, aud with how little
promise of compensation or redress attest
the Republican majority, 1t lie true that
horses are only to be seized by certificate
but how about supplies, how about the
great arteries of our travel Is this ne
cessity of seizure to be alleged at any time
within the direction of the executive Car
power desire any more licenlious author
ity
Then, too, the discretionary powers in
vested in the Governor to determine from
which counties this extraordinary force ii
to emanate may well occasion Il salutar,
alarm Coupled with the significant alb
sence Of any provision exempling these
men from liability to Federal draft, wis
improvidence ol legislation have we here
Let this large force Immediately be set OF
foot, equipped, aud the necessary cours,
of drill aud disclipiue in.titute3, NAV no
next draft propo'ed by the autharitles a
Washington dissIpate our State guard
render much expenditure proftless pro
ject, leave our borders defsnselsss, anC
our most sanguiue hope, mockery =
Suppose that this State corps is calle,
from the southern tier of counties, as i
now avowedly projected, will the l5,00t
men relied upon for our protection be eve
sufficient to fill the quota of these countie.
on some future Federal calf More thai
this, is it equitable or even expedient, o
the score OF ordinary political prudence
than ap invidious discrimination be made
and the larger portion of this great Com
monvealth be subjected, in supposabl
emergencies, to the tender mercies of arm
ed opponents' Can it be argued, wit
any show Of plausibility, til at it is essentia
to its protection tha. this force should b
of the border! With our vast railroa,
facilities, presuming that fair p.oportio
Of the contemplated force ought to be post
cd near or in the exposed districts, coul,
not the residue or the whole of it be con
centrated in twenty-four hours Is not
then, suspicion juslidable, and is not GU
fear that salutary fear which is ths molhe
of uafetyl
But not less in its significant omission
than in these meaaciDg provisions is tbi
bill Objectionable. As was before incideu
ally adverted to, it fails 80 provide again:
the drafting of the reserve force by tn
} Federals authorities, thus, as we believe ,ren
dering the project abortiye, or in any ever
presenting the probability of an ill,dnled
inefficient organization resulting after larg
expenditure. This certainly is oardns
objection and induces another, that al
though Pennsylvania does thus ct.Istaut
maintain large military establishment ,sh