, 1872-02-07

And what would the resul then be ?
1t would cost a great deal more than now and
never be as well done as by men, who are accus-
toned to order and subiectto the severe military
laws.
We may therefore conclude that the daily ser
vice could not be performed by u militia.
Now for extraordinary service in case Of q riot.
or, any other emergency of that kind.
Would anybody believe, that Il number of mon,
dispersed over the whole country with their own
property to look at, who are not sufficiently drilled
and disciplined and are commanded by men, who
can have no authority, as they have not the means
TO enforce their orders, that such q number of men,
who're everybody has his opinion, which he is likely
to consider the best, even if assembled to the nun
Der OF 800 or 400, could do the same service in
putting down a riot and in rcostablishing order as
80 skilled soldiers who are accustomed 10 the use of
arms and have grown up in strict obedience to the
orders of their commanders
And when would Il militia assemble in case if
were called upon to act : The superiority of a
military force over a militia is considerably in
creased by lis being always ready for use.
Before the men could possibly be gathered togo.
Their, property and even life might have been des-
troyed on a largo scale. And what could be done
with those men OF the militia, who preferred to
stay at home and let the others fight
Perhaps fine them q few dollars, that is all
We are afraid one single disturbance Nigh. cost the
island and especially the poor taxpayers more than the
whole amount Of keeping a military force for severa.
years.
But will there ever occur such a thing as a serious
disturbance Of public security i'll this island
Does anybody really believe, that since the emanci-
patton there can be no reason whatever for any class of
society in this country to be discontinued and try to
obtain material advantages by force and lawIess VIC
lence ?
How long time will it take before the aorarian Ques-
ton, that since the time Of the Gracchi in Rome has
caused trouble aud serious disturbances in all societies.
will come forward in dis island 7
Or does anyb.a5 tunI, that misery makes a man
look as quietly AND approyingly upon the actual state
of things rs 4 rich planter or a weIi-to-do merchant,
aud that no ardent wish for a part Of the rich mans
property is ever bred in his mind ?
Lit us try every thing possible to make the poor
classes happy and give them reason to be satisfied with
their condition, bat let US never, by weakening the
power. of the law tempt them to Try to Get out of their
misery by an easier way than honest work.
Or does anybody perhaps coincide with the venera-
bic JUDGE Sarrauw's opinion who seems to speak as
if he were in favor of violent outrages, to Judge from
the highly approving terms, in which he speaks about
the events of 1913.
Nobody could possibly be more in favor Of the prin-
ciple OF emancipation than ourselves but we would
never approve of the way in which it was effected.
IF legally existing relations require alteration let
them he altered BY law.
But as long as they exist they must be enforced. 9TH
erwiso 10 law viii ever command respect. Nothing
can be more riicuious than commanding without hay-
ing power to enforce the command.
Misery ana poverty are certainly cnaIA5 upon man
kind.
We wonder how far the venerable. Judge Sarauw
would approve of It if these "chains we're broken, as
he chooses to express himself in the motives to the
amendment to the military ordnance, in the same way
as in l848.
We presume he would be too glad if a lot Of poor
fellow citizens and non,taXpayers came into his house
and did practically apply the famous saying of Baboeuf
on his money-chest: Possession of property is a theft
If resorting to violence was the proper way to solve
difficulties, we certainly did not need any judges!
1t is most likely however that the taxpayers will
prefer to see their property and persons protected against
violence, and continue to settle their quarrels at the
courts as hitherto.
But we really must consider e militia. that could be
formed in this island, where so many different interests
stand against each other, as a very insufficient protec-
ton for life and property, in case of any disturbance.
In regard to the second point of the question it has
chiefly been answered in the Proceedings remarks SO
that we may sum up as follows:
The loss of time for members of the militia, the pay
for hiring men to perform the daily service, that is
done at present by the military force, and lastly though
not least; the risk of being without protection for
life and property in case of eternal troubles wifi cost
the island much more than the keeping of a reasona-
bly, large military force as intended by a new mill
tary ordinance.
We wish these few remarks could put the question
in the right light to those, who have had no clear dee