The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-10-10
The Maryland Militia.

1JS M ~ rs
The subject of our State militia is almost
! the absorbing topic of conversation just now
in the CITY. 1t could hardly be otherwise in
| view of the fact that our four or five thou
sand miitiamen appear nightly under the
eyes of the Baltimore public, march hither
and thither in squads or companies, uniform
ed in rebel gray, armed to the teeth and re-
minding all most forcibly of the constant
scenes in our throughfares, when the preser-
walton of the Union against the reasonable
and murderous acts of so many OF these
same militia officers and men made this clty's
military occupation vital necessity.
need hardly write you that the Unlonlsts
here look upon this organization with great
distrust believing that the Interior purpose
is to inaugurate revolution backed by
force of arms The Unionists i'll it are there,
almost to man, only in order to hold it in
check in case it be attempted to use it to an
unlawful end. Taxpayers, too, are begin
ming to growl over its financial aspect The
Legislature at its last session appropriated
$25, 900 to purchase arms for it, and passed
Communication law requiring all citizens of
militia age who declined serving in it to pay
So per annlm for the privilege of declension,
de- This tax, it was alleged, was to pay
for uniforming and equiping the forces.-
$4,000 was the sum to be thus raised an
nually according to Gov. Swann's figuring.
The $25, 900 mentioned above has gone for
the purchase of artillery and Springfield ri
fes. Instead of 100000 having been col
lected for ammunition and militia fines, have
found their way from that source into the
State Treasury. Of that amount $4,000
have gone to pay for drill and meeting-room
rent, &c, leaving but a balance of some $17,-
L., y, ti,o
at $19 S75 each. Already the State has in
Cured debt for 5000 of those delivered
to Baltimore militiamen. Six hundred
more are now being made up to be delivered
to the members of the 10Th Regiment.
That regiment has been raised in st.
Mary's, Charles, Prince George and Carroll
Counties, where Secesh sentiments so uni
versally prevail. The total force being thus
enrolled outside of Baltimore is 5000 men,
So uniforming cur State militia is to cost
our State taxpayers 1857 the communal
ton law to the contrary Notwithstanding
Maryland is entitled to arms from the Gen
eral Government only 20 the value of So 0J0.
Swami refused them in small arms, demand
ing artillery, which Stanton first and Grant
subsequently refused him. The force is now
being equipped with Springfield muskets
and accoutrements at cost of about S23
per man, which, for the whole ten thousand,
will amount to an aggregate of S23O,OO0.-
Add to these enormous sums $1SS,970 and
S2S0,000, the allowance, 81 per day. for the
hire of each of all the officers horses on
parade days, the commissaries' expenses of
the grand encampment for drill practice,
&c, already provided for, and your readers
will see that this mysterious Maryland mill
tary organization can hardly fail to cost the
States Taxpayers, during the first year of
its existence, quite $75O,OOO, and this, too,
in the face OF the formal report of the State
Treasury bankrupt. What the exlgency re-
curing this enormous increase of the State
debt may be, can only be drawn from the
pro-Rebel demonstration, in words and jeers,
of more or less of these militiamen. as they
tramp our streets nightly Col. J. c.
Mercer, late Colonel of the 1st MARYLAND
Rebel Regiment, commands the 9TH Regi-
ment of the Maryland militia He was
wounded severely at Gettysburg, L. his |
effort to destroy the Union. This 9Th is the |
crack reg iment of the force, the white kid " |
regiment. The story that the new Constitu-
ton provides for the speedy disbandment of |
this State military force is all bosh 1t pro-
vides that the Legislature may or may not
amend or abolish 1T at its next session.
year hence, perhaps. In the mean time its
work will be done, if 1t is to have aught to
do. If not, and there remains a possibility
that it may thereafter be able to accomplish
anything for the Secesh cause, the men who
will compose the next Legislature, under the
existing order of things in Maryland will be
the last In the world to leopard its efficiency.