Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-10-20
me Governors Message. :. The MI
lftia.

The very able Annual Message of Gov.
Nmith was laid before our readers on
Monday. 1t has been seen from it that
Important subjects of legislation are not
lacking for the present Session. But
Gov. Smiths own presentation of these
subjects is so ample, that editorial COM
nents thereon would be In the main SUI
Perfuous at present. ..
There is one subject, however, on
which we think too much cannot be
said, until something is done. At every
session of the Legislature since the out
break of the rebellion, we have urged
upon 1T the duty Jas it seemed to us) OF
providing for the efficient organization,
arming and drilling OF the militia.
Nearly every other newspaper in the
State, we believe, has done the same.
AT the opening Of each Of the last two
sessions the members, fresh from the
people they represented, seemed full OF
zeal for the accomplishment Of this
duty, but it gradually oozed out in one
house or the other OF both, as the session
progressed. The great stumbling block
discovered in the way appeared to be
the expense of procuring the necessary
arms and equipments; but as was well
said by our correspondent, Gen. Phelps,
in Yesterdays HERALD, " if we have be.
come too poor to insure wholesome
execution of the laws, then the sover-
eighty of the State has already become
partially paralyzed and impaired the
rebellion has already injured our civil
vitality and Aessened our capacity for
elf.government." In other words, we
must take the risk of predatory incur
sions from the northern frontier, which
In the States defenceless condition
might do damage in day to an amount
vastly greater than would be the cost
of arming every man and boy Of Yer
mont; we must take all the other nu-
merous risks growing out Of the ire
Rendous civil conflict raging in the
land, and we must keep it out Of our
power to aid temporarily the general
government in the case Of such sudder
emergency as has already occurred
several times in the course Of the war
simply because we are too far gone as s
state to provide for such contingencies
or to take the measures dictated by
common prudence for the public safety
But if the expense scas the real obsta-
Gle, it is now happily removed in great
measure We learn authoritatively from
Gov. Smiths message, what was before
reported, that the necessary arms, &C
coutrements, ordnance stores, and ever
cnnp equipments, will be furnished fol
the use of the State, by the general gov
0nment. We learn from the message
also that the State has actually beer
exposed during the past year to JUS
such dangers, as it was urged upon thu
last Legislature she would be with NJ
efficient power to shield her in cas-
nothing should be done towards organ
.-iag the militia. We learn further tina
thase dam. ars are by no means altogethe1
awerted
We can see no excuse for our .-.eeisia
ture, then, lift fails now to provide q.
Efficient militia law. The chief execu
tive of the state urges it; the genera
government advises it; the state consti
ton requires it the people desire i
and the safety Of the Commonwealth il
this time Of great public commotion ant
peril imperatively demands it.