The New York herald., 1878-11-15
OUR. MILITARY SYSTEM.

EX-CONFEDERATE OFFICkkS OF VIRGINIA ON TdE
REORGANIZATION OF THE ARMY AND THE IN
PRovRsfENr OF THE MILITIA PLAN TO BE
RECOMMENDED TO CONGRESS.
GBy TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
RICHMOND, Nov. IA, 1878
An important meeting os military has just
been held hero which is destined to attract consider
able attention throughout the country. 1T meet
ing Of volunteer officers and graduates Of the Virginia
Military Institute. and y intended TO inAugurate
reorganization Of the entire military system Of the
United States. It's importance will be more fully nm
dcrs.ood when II ia known that it conducted by
old United Statcs Army officers, ex-Confederaes and
the alumni of the Virginia Academy. committee.
through General Dabney Manry, chairman. reported
memorial to the State Legislature and to Congress
asking for u reduction of the army. reorganization
of the militia and system of appointments to West
Point by selecting from the most -eompeteEt Of
graduating classes Of the State Military Institute, the
cadets to be appointed by the United states Academy
instead Of having them appointed by members Of
Congress, as ut present.
VIEWS OF BRADLEY 4. JOHNSON.
General Bradley T. johnson favored the striking
out OF the memorial NIL that portion looking to
ducton OF the army and to limit the change in the
manner Of appointments Of cadets to those hereafter
appointed from Virginia He read an elaborate paper
in favor Of reorganization OF the miis and limit
that 1t was the duty of Congress 10 pro-
vide for organizing the militia. but that their
officers must be appointed by the States. and that the
militia could alone be called upon to keep the peace
quel insurrection and put down disorder. The
sitution nowhere authorized the federal authority
suppress disorder posse consitas. and that
under could the army be used in any
state without bcing called for by the Legislature by
the Governor when the Legislature could not he
vened ia time.
A MILITIA ORGANIZATION.
His proposition was for the organization OF force
Of militia uuU for each Congressional district to
be equipped and organized by the United States, but
the officers appointed by the States to be under the
orders OF the Governors the States the 0ppropria
ticn not to be paid until an inspection by
the federal staff showed the militia up
to the standard Of efficiency; the volunteers in
each State to be enlisted for five years one
nth GO out Of service each year. and camps OF in
structon not exceeding thirty days each year to be
provided. This would gve300. 600 rncn in the ranks
Ut the end Of Ave years. Three hundred thousand
men would be trained and discharged, and at the end
Of years 900, 900 trained and instructed men would
constitute reserve force for any emergency.
ARMY ORGANIZATION.
According to his plan the whole question OF army
reorganization ought to be left to the Congressional
Commission appointed for that purpose, and the
army ought to be kept in tho highest degree Of
efficiency. Its star ought to be organized aud in
strurted fully up the advanced experience Of
the casre OF formation for troops Of the Union in
time OF war-readily capable OF being expanded 10
100000 or to 60O. COO men as necessity required.
The memorial nmen0sd adopted and will be
presented by the Virginia members to the House and
the Committee Military Affairs and mn attempt
made 10 getlhis Congress to provide for thorough
reorganization OF the militia.