The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-15
TrxE MILITARY MOVEMENT.
THE MEMORIAL ADOPTED AT THE RECENT
MEETING IN THE HUSTIEGs CoURT-GEN-
ERAL BRADLEY JoHNsoN's MuBILIzING
sCHEME-TFE UNPUBLISHED HISTORY OF
TIE MOVEMENT, &C.

4
ERAL BRADLEY JoHNsoN's MuBILIzING
scHEME-THE UNPUBLISHED HISTORY OF
| THE MOVEMENT, &C.
Mention has already been made in this
paper OF the adjourned meeting held in the
Hastings Courtroom on Tuesday night by
number of gentlemen interested in fhe
movement, looking to the more perfect es-
tablishmcnt of the military force ofthe State,
&C.. At that meeting q report signed by
General Dabney Fl. Mausy, chairman OF a
committee appointed at q previous meeting
to present a memorial and plan, was read
and adopted.
THE MEMORIAL.
A memorial to Congress and the State
Legislature accom- panied the report, setting
forth the present condition OF the militia in
the State, the present extent and cost OF
the army Of the United States, asking the
reduction Of the army, and that the money
| thus saved be applied to the arming and
equippiug and improving the militia Of Vir-
ginia and the other States. The cadets ap-
pointed to West Point from Virginia shall
be selected from the graduates OF the Vir-
ginia Military Institute alone, and that the
standard OF education at West Point shall
be elevated in accordance with the demands
Of the age.
The memorial having been read, por-
ton OF it which seemed 10 reflect upon the
regular army OF the United States was
stricken out
General Bradley T. Johnson then gave at
length his views in regard to the re0rgan-
izaton OF the military system OF the coun-
try. He said:
The theory Of the Government is that the
people themselves shall have
THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS,
and It is their duty to defend their liberties.
institutions, and social order. Iherelorc
the Sth section OF the fst article Of the Con-
stitution provides that the Congress shall
have the power "to provide FOR organizing,
arming, and disciplining the militia, and for
governing such part OF them as may be en-
pIoyed in the service OF the United States,
rescrving to the States respectively the aD-
nointment OF the officers and the authority
of training the militia according to the dis
cipIine prescribed by Congress-; and the
Congress shall also "provide for calling
them forth to execute the laws oil the Union,
suppress Instructions, and repcl lnFa-
sions." 1t is no part of the theory CT the
Constitution chat the army shall be author
lied or allowed to serve as posse cOnitntnS
TO execute the laws or suppress insurrec-
tions. That is the function OF the militia
citizen soldicrS-prepared Tor their duty by
proper training, taken from the body OF the
citizenship to enforce laws or preserve order,
and returning again to their avocat!ons rs
soon as this duty is performed.
The Congress of 1T92-during Washing,
toms first term-passed an act for organlz-
ing and enrolling the militia, and that is the
basis OF all legislation since. No other
attempt has been made to enroll and dis.
cipine the militia in time OF peace. EXPO
rience has proved that the system thereby
prescribed Is utterly inefficient. Congrcs;
in 1908 appropriated 100000 per annun
for the purpose OF purchasing arms FOR the
militia, and that appropriation divided
among the States in proportion TO tneli
resentatives and senators is the only cX
penGiturc made by the Government in exc
cution Of the constitutional grant OF power
sto provide for organizing, armlng, ant
disciplinng the militia 1t is sell-evidcn
that the police power OF the States to pre-
serve order must he maintained. 1t mus
be maintained by the States. have 1t ol
good authority that ten cities in the UnioT
expend
TWO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS PER AHNUM IN SUP
PORTING THEIR POLICE FORCE.
And still in eXigences, when extra effort O
police is required, it has always proved
necessary to call upon the armed forcc-th'
reserve Dolice-for assistance. Owing Il
the incfiiciency OF the militia, caused by tb'
neglect OF Congress to provide properly
for organizing, arining, and disclpllnin&
the mlitia,' the armed reserve police poWe
has been found to exist only in the reSula
army Of the United States in most States o
the Union. The consequence has been tha
the army is constantly employed on police
duty in the States, in direct conflict will
the Constitution and open violation OF th
objects for which it is raised and main
tanned, and the people are being gradual.
educated to look to tie army as the con
servator OF order instead OF relying OF
themselves and their own patriotism to pro
tect them from social disturbance ana dO
nestle turmoil.
Hence we saw last year Governors OF grea
States f1antically te!cgraphin@ the Presiden
OF the United States fora corporal aud III
OF mon, OF q captain and battery, TO re
rreSs the mob in cities numbering tens o
hundreds OF thousands OF able-bodIed clti
zens capable OF bearing arms.
when the reopIe themselves rely on regu
lar troops to protect their homes and thci
families instead or
TRUSTING TO THEIR 0WS ARMS AND HEARTS
then society has progl essed very far iron
our original Institutions Of se|f-Soycrnln
citizenship. The lessons OF the last fey
wears must have impressed the public mln
so that it will be ready to examine and dis
cuss the question Of the Reorganization Q
the militia l prefer leaving the Who'll
matter Of army Reorganization to the con
gressional commission TO which it is com
mitted, and not at present bring it into til
forum Of popular discussion. The arm
ought to be maintained in its highest eli
, cheney, and kept strictly within the limits o
its constitutional duty. The Constitution
gives no warrant or excuse for the employ
ment OF armed force by the President 0
the United States unless upon demand o
the State authorities. The State militia
under the orders Of the State herself, wer
intended to be, and ought to be, ample t
maintain order i'll the State. When sh
calls for Federal assistance, and not before
can the Federal authorities Interfere.
These being the constitutional relation
Of the army and of the militia to the peopl
r and the States, and it being evident that u
armed reserve police force is necessary t
reinforce the ordinary police power upol
extraordinary occasions, [ propose
4, THOROUGH ORGANIZATION, ARMING,
| and disciplining Of the militia OF the Unite
5 States according to the Constitution.
The army ought to be the cddre Of mill
r tnry organization-the skeleton upon which
| in time Of war, the military power Of th
Union could be speedily, economically, an
| efficiently organized.
ctnT ouorht tn ha rnoiptaina1 in fh