Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-09-05

complex eVolutions. They will also have an op
portunity to practise camp and garrison duty
which they have before learned in theory alone
Three or four consecutive days of such instruc
ton will be bstantial service to those ALREADY
well grounded in the rudlments, though they
avail almost nothing to the ignorant
Further than this the present essay hardly as
pres to 60, in treating Of our future militia. Il
is enough to have indicated its proper material
The proper employment OF that material in.
wolves separate questions. These have lately
been discussed with abundant citations and Sta.
tlslics, in valuable pamphlet, entitled, "The
Militia OF the United States What it is What
It should be, " attributed to Colonel Henry Lee
Jr., from Boston, whose position on the staff Of
the Governor Of Massachusetts, during the
whole war, has enabled him 10 understand the
strength and the weakness OF the exsng sys-
tens. Ills pamphlet also includes the whole
OF Mr.. Clarke's report, above mentioned, aud
am indebted for valuable information to both.
As TO the form which militia laws should take,
Ihe following appear among the points Of most
prominent Importance, and may be briefly stated
l. There should be no exemption from per
sonal service, excep, on the ground of age or
physica iniiTmity. The necessary limitation of
number should be obtained by varying the pre-.
scribsd ages in the different States, according to
the proportion of young men IN the population :
z. Whether the appointment Of officers be
elective or gubernatoral, they should equally
undergo d stlict examination
3. The strictest military law ahould be en.
forced during the musters or encampments I
4. There should be national Inspeetor-Gen.
- al 1nI - Al. 1.
ment, with Assistant-lnspectors General for the
different States-all to be Regular-Army officers,
if possible thus securing uniformity Of drill and
discipline.@
The recent transformation Of our army is a.
most as startling as the changes which followed
the Revolution and the War Of 1872. After the
Revolution, there were retained in service gwen
ty-tive prvates to guard the stores at Fort Pitt
and fitty-fye to guard the stores at West Point
and other magazines with an appropriate mum
Der Of officers. After the War of 1879, the ar
my was cut down from thirty-fve thousand to
SIX thousand. 1t behooves US, who have Just
seen far grander host melt away as rapidly, to
turn our eyes forward to the next national peril,
and be prepared. The coming session Of Con-
gress should give US, partly BY edct, partly by
recommendation, system that will put the
mass OF our young men inside instead Of outside
the class OF trained militia, exchanging our
town-meetlngs-in uniform for an effective force,
and all our Blanks for prize3
'"Ifa militia is Indispensable service should be re-
qnifed from sufficient number Of citizens, aud should
rot be accepted from volunteers with the exception only
Of corps Of cavalry and light arilery,banches Of the
rSoe enlang greater expense, and involving greater
sacrifice Of time. ''-COioad Henry Lee, Jr
IN NAL ER h. fftuNa
wanting first, there must be eXempts for anycause
other than moral imbecllity lunaoy and liolsm for
ali physical defects should only the person from
personal service by paying hNsd equivalent second
hose who did not under either OF the above causes
should personally do duty y-IJH1ht. General DsHJoya
" MdSsGehuselfs.
he Board 40 the best period for the Of
service in the ranks Of the militia II will be perceived
nat the scheme ofenolmen proposed rendered other
imitation as 10 age Than that Just stated unnecessary
being probable that the minim quota would b Obtained
any state, without going hgher he ages OF thirty
n twenty nine and In Of the States moi hlshef than
Wenty-sx twenty Ave, with the present popula-
ion. '-Mgor General Hirftid Scott q. s. a., Report Of
'odrd Of O6ess, 1896.
' In general, the military laws Of the Csulons DO
lot permit subsuts .nGenernl Dpfewf C9uiman Term
.hiff Of he SWiss drgU.
'' The militia, a. t is now Organised Is mere school
stiles, shers honoFsarc conferred more from momep
ary impulse % personal tindness than from sense Of
~ 9uAliheston of he individuals ''Govsrnor C0le of
The first measure to be adopted by The State govern
nenis against incompetency is the appoumen 81 board
t efoers Of character and experience, such as may be
oun Ia every State at the present time toeEamine rigid
every officer elect and pronounce upon bis fitness for
he position their decision to be final COioHd HeHv
,es Jr
Without discipline firmly administered, and rcgula
ions found.d on just appreciation Of the difficulties
nd ends OF soldiers lfe mi tia ofglniEjton only
ends 10 give false idea of the duties Of soldier and
totally useless for the purposes Of police. &C..
uring the periods Of drl the English miitia-mani Is
laced on almost the same footing the regular SOLDIER
nd insubordnation and disorder. muny and de ertion
re repressed and chatsed by penalties and punshments
OF only OF extreme severity but involving the deepest
sgrsce "-B'igad sr-Gsntraf De Psyap Report 10 ne
ovsrHor Of Nee fo'k on MuHiepdl Military SystGgs Of
urops, 1851.
The Board in the plan of organization, proposes
Adjuant-General without rank, for the whole militia
the United States The importance OF such an ofhcer
sched to the War Department is believed could not
too highly estimated. ."-MVor- General Binfsld Scott