The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-10-14
THE MILITIA,


thorizing the President at his discretion,
increase the regular army to forty thousan
men. Such measure has In advance the ar
prevail of such Democrats as Gen. Mcclellan
OF such Democratic journals as the Cburie,
Journal and of such magnates in the railroaI
and financial world as Mr.. Tom Scott @
course, the Administration press and party il
and out of Congress will sustain 1t. Henc
we may look for q very vigorous and for
midable movement during the present session
to press such bill through the nationa
Legislature.
An effort will be made to stitie the protest
OF Its opponents by references to the recen
strikes, the present unsettled condition ant
threatening attitude Of the working classes
and to the ominous relations Of the country
with Mexico. Nor will this formidable muster
| OF specious argument be without effect. Cap
ital is alarmed, and ready to view with favol
any measure that looks to the govern
ment Of the masses by force, while In many
portions of the country the war feeling is be
coming aggressive and will swell with new
ardor at the mere thought of sounding drums
and the gathering of battalions
The Democrats in Congress, however
should set their faces against this move.
ment, and the Democratic masses should
diseountenanee 1t. The working people
Of the United States are freemen, and
there is no more law to govern them BY
troops than there Is to govern the SCOTS. the
CARROTS, the Vanderbilts and the Goulds by
troops For the strikes and riots which have
occurred these men, and the bad and unwise
government we have had for SO many years,
are more re ponsible than the mobs. The
increase Of the army to forty or even to one
hundred and forty thousand men will not
obviate such outbreaks in the future. The
only way to insure the public peace and the
security Of property is for Congress to adopt
the Democratic policy, reform the tariff, pur-
sue an economical policy, and thus extend
our trade and reanimate our industries.
Ii we are to have war with Mexico, a
standing army of 10000 men would be but
@ poor reliance for defence or conquest
The Mexieans would speedily whip out of
their territory whatever portion of the 40
600 regulars we could spare from the
Indian wars to send against them. We are
not opposed to the war with Mexico. indeed,
we believe that such war would be of vast
benefit to this country and In the end to Mex
leo. 1t would result in the annexation of all
OF Mexico north Of the Sierra Madre to this
country, and in time these rich regions, rich in
agricultural resources, and in gold and silver,
would be added to our great sisterhood Of
States, But we do not need an increase of
the regular army to 10000 men for that
purpose.
II we are to have war, within twenty days
after call for them, twice forty thousand
volunteers can be mustered into service
and sent forward to the frontier Texas,
indeed, is already organizing an advance
guard for any such emergency. Thus
there is not the slightest necessity for an
Increase Of the army. The dependence of
ibis Republic in time ofwar Is upon It's militia
md not upon standing army; and when the
people lose sight of this fact their liberties
will be in serious danger. In the most glori-
,us era OF her history England had no stand
ng army. Thus Macaulay says of Elizabeth
"There was not ward in the CITY. there
was not hundred in any shire in England
which could not have overpowered the hand |
ul OF armed men who composed her house, |
,old. If a hostile sovereign threatened in
'aslon, II an ambitious noble raised the |
tandard of revolt she could have recourse
My to the train-bands of her capital and the
fray OF her counties, to the citizens and
,oemen OF England, commanded by the mer-
hants and esquires of England.
THUS" continues our author, "when In
,hich Philip was making for the subiugation
| the realm, the. first person to whom
ne government thought of applying for
ssistance was the Lord Mayor of London.
They sent to ask him what force the city
-ould engage to furnish for the defense OF
he kingdom against the Spaniards. The
layOr and common council in return desired
, know what force the queens highness de-
red them TO furnish. The answer was-ff-
zen ships and five thousand men. The Lon
oners del1berated on the matter, and two
avs after humhly entreated the council, In
gn OF their perfect love and loyalty to their
rince and country, to accept ten Thousand
zen and thirty ships, amply furnished.
Let the Federal government reverse the
and ruinous policy it has pursued
# the past fifteen years, and look to the in
rests of the people instead of to those
party leaders, monopolists and office hold
s, and the perfect love and loyalty of the I
sople to their country will always insure the
double the force of volunteers it
ay need for defense or even for wisely ag-
ressive war. |,
Ihe true military policy of theAmerican gov !
nment should be to encourage the organiza-
onand esprit de corps of the militia of the sew {
al States. In time of peace the militia will I
'st the country little or nothing, and in case {
war it will be a well drilled series of armies, |
of the finest material, ready to take
10 Held. If then any military appropriation
made over and above what is necessary to I
alntain the present army let that appro- {
ration be made in the way of improved 1
ms and camp equippage to the State gov t
nments for their militia.
New Orleans has superb body of militia
volunteer companies of artillery and infan-
Y. Other cities in the Union have similar 6
CARNATIONS. We're the theory of great 1
anding army done away with, and the t
untry aught that the government was rely t
g for domestic tranquility upon the wisdom |
10 lus tlce OF its laws and policies, and upon !
IA Sfafn militia for |