The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-11-07
The .:NationaI Militia" Scheme.


As the various schemes to increase
the regular standing army have failed
TO attract popular favor. the Military
Ring at Washington, speaking through
the II outh of Gen. Benet. Chief of Ord
nance. have proposed an indirect meth
Od or reaching their end. Now they
want to establish a So-Called National
Militia to he two hundred thousand
strong. and oiIicered Icy graduates OF
West Point. No proposition OF this
kind ever submitted To the public has
been more offensive in design OF more
openly defiant OF the Constitution and
the laws made in pursuance thereof.
The trainers OF the Constitution trown-
ed upon . ST tandiug army. and in author
iZiuv Congress ITO raise and support
armies they hedCCd in the power with
4 condition that mo appropriation OF
money to that use snail be for = longer
term than two wears. - They relied up
on tie ''mi.it q O execute The laws If
the Union. suppress Instructions, and
Tepel iuva>ious.' because hey came
from the body OF the people, and had
the greatest interest in preserving free
institutions. Congress was empowered
Ito provide for organizing. aTmIUG and
diScipliniug the militia and for guvcTnH z
such part ot them as may be employed
IN the service OF the Uuited States, -
but with this positive condition affixed,
''TeSCTyiug the States Ucsi'ecl lively the
the appoint mrut of the officers
The act Ui May g. 17a2, section 1.G3l
of he Revised = atules, following his
command provides hat the militia OF
each state shall be arranged into divi-
slons. brigades. regiments. bdttaliOus,
and companies. Us tie Legislature OF the
STATE mag direct" CT course. when
called into the actual service 81 the Uni
ted Stats TO rpel invasion. or 10 sup
P press lnsUTrec;ion. they ! eCaWe suhjec',
from the necessity of discipline and OF
unity. 10 the rules and articles OF war.
Il is thus seen that the Constitution
explicitly reserves To tine States res
ptcjiye!v the appointment Of the officers
of whatever militia they might raise for
any public emergency. \ I'D this clause
may be- said 10 draw the line most clear
" brtvegu the au'h horitv of the United
States and that Of the States acting in
their individual and independent cape
city.
To protect the Union against foreign
enemies and To preserve il against domcs-
tie violence the people agreed to furnish
militia from their own ranks. to be
commanded H. the President OF the
United states when called INTO actual
prrme the crisis miLhI he tiny were uE-
der heir OWL officers. appointed 10y The
Executive or chosen under the laws of
their own States Th3 volunteers who
rushed To the front In 1861 were officer
ca hy their OWL associates.
The Chief OF Ordnance now C5Oliy
proposes to kill the vital spyrk Of the
militia system: TO reconstruct it az
tail 10 West Point to distribute the
two hundred thousand militiamtu over
the country. with q cuTrurling bait of
seven hundred for cuch Congressional
district. aud TO vote five millions from
the general taxes as q starting appTO-
priatiou for new Standing army, great
CT THau that or England.
This ni0uslroUs scheme is another
step in the direct ION OF that gruJTaliZ1-
tiou which. diSruisrd under he name Of
ma iOualijv. is designed 20 destroy The
existence Of / he States by gradual pro.
cess of euaScu.atI0n. and which. is car
riya uuj to IT'S logical and intended con-
clu-iun. would build mp an imperial
power al WASHINGTON. backed by a stand
iuG a~urv ready 10 execute its command
aud. .IHIly. 10 sell The sceptre 10 the
highest bidder
There is nothing iusjdtoUs i'm the
project. ii il ;.U ius5lrut AMI airocious
assault ON the Constitution. the laws,
and The lihtrties OF the people, 10y an
officer Of The regular arIy.--Ne,r York
San.