The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-12-21
I'M. N. Evening rnst. December ~. tHGp
THE NATIONAL. GUARD.
An Authoritative Exposition Of tho New
Scheme Devised for tho Better Or
ganisatiou and Improvement in
Other Ways cf The Militia
of Tho Several States.
IN tho Editora Of Tho EvanlnA Fnets


TO tho Editora Of Tho Evening foets
I reaprntfully icRirn ~ call your attention
md Thai III The public ~ Tho auhieat VI I'm In
provement Of thu National auntd. which was
ntiuiuptad hy The National Unard Convention
held III thin city IN February Incl. ~ MI he#
count II which wan published ~ the fnen'tte
ibsf 81 February w. ieIpl mud wnah WI, ~
coming before the uteannt enan'"n ~ aHnt,a 7.
AL That convention plan VIVA Adopted ny
Eraat change for the better ~ MN National
Guard Of tho yarioua ata'ea IN tho Union Ihla
WINS presented TO Uonsr'Fa ~ he hr,'nR; M ~,
spnula undoubtedly hava hao1na y law " The
attention IL That body hn,i not born nnEfnHaed
hy nolitlpal uueatlona. Hiura lhnn II hHa boon
diaanpned and alilhty amended ~ aeonnd
National Guard Convention. held M M Inuia
In Hentomher nnt ana Il IL now pending III
both hranehes 81 uonHtoaa
mo at,biart hnn a lap excited considerable gan
oral attention tho npraasitY VT amending tho
preeent law which hna Ptaei upen the atRutn
booka q O9nai.Aa s,naa ~, W,,nan, NY 'p m
A rncont writer In tho itRdntle Monthly nrguas
In favor If organizing u iatna ~ Two hnnirai
thousand national valnntoefp. e y" atilnnrnd
and praat Iralty controlled nv the President
Gen lenat, In his recent rni nrt M thtof 81 ord
nance, fae arn the aame nr"iedt. M h9iRh fnnntn
nnudinE substantially thn rtnn adnptna w lfa
National Guard Conventions. with ah'h HntlH~
catiuna al q ,urnn, M will makh i operate IL
ths s9 Ga y me s "ri" y ii" WI
cera who originated Il n uernliatlg nhata""i=
iatr operation ~, .,,
vnuntnnta" must hp q. npidnrnh M entirely obi
mnriral II placed undnt Tho tnhttnl a thn
President, they would ~ p1a' 'n4,lv ~ aili
flon to thu pEu'Hr army, " enlistment ahonhd
ba made voluntary and tho aAtvtaN NJ mora
than ID required nv the National Nanrd nf the
different stntnp, They would bn na hntter Than
thoae orsantgatl M Whutever might ha tha
uaae IN time of war there II 10 emergency now
csiptinE whieh would lnatiiy ~ etHani5At,nn
nnnnft y onull or ought tp canaliae tho uiujnnt
INA wrtiar In thn iNunhs nurnara u hnvo
pyerlookpa tho tistineiton hatween The militia
contemplated hy tho MT ~ lfaA AMI tha nSia'inH
National uun,d Tha waa nnmn"anda ~ "nll
able.bodled men hnwhnn eighteen ~" t ,o,' y
thrnn asya In the year, and from whom itafta
were maize IN time Of war. 10 rcanlrot n III NJ
raumanfa and companies. Ruat nrHnpiHf
fiona nntnuopad VI Wan thua anlt nnd without
uniform. instruction Or Ainelnlina. Rnh undnr
the command Of ohtoern equally tGnotnn In
thaae rnHpaptn were nf rnuiaa a oaridatufa
mon Il military organiatfi Vim. i wntin nnps
ply the detecs OF thta a,aleM, whtah hal ma,ie
the very name of militia u term 81 'onlnmrt.
that the volunteer force which Il known ~
National Guard. rHtnnE into nNlRionna ~ The
ly many hninriH yet ta nima nfn high aud
| IL constantly improving lslrongl the
lesnnns of the evI war. Tho intfaduttton II
modern deaa, end nariouiatly iaattn', n ~
rifle nrnrtipt IL haa become far more GtiiHlant
than any militia witch tharauuttf haa avni ~
fore known. STILL much IL .nnnlrnd {" mako Il
really efficient, aud enngteaaa. ,anl lnHi station
Il muat be recallecled TINT tha National Guard
Ia 10 be regarded not morolt ~ police fnroo
10 pat down ri9ta IN the l,rRitina ~ which II IL
etatlnnpd hut IA Il reinforcement IL Tho arm,
In time of war. In this capacity Il afta without
regard e. state boundaries. md ~ nari III
thn national atrnuEh. u n, az etnial hy
Jnlferaou. mot only 10 inject tho frat attaek.
but, n II threatens ~ he permanent. ~ main
.e'n ,hs dsteGS" NM, \ Tas"a,a ng :" "nG s,
BY which tho military. aeirt e krpt ALIVE
In the community, and forms ~ tmnaaIant
who load our yuluutnera IL t'nan ei wnt "A
n moro ppliaa farrn. whore sivlnn ia o1ntl lna
~ tho Vicinity " IA armnton. the Nnti"aal
Guard ppfhnpa do not mead much tmyonA II
ftfa aud eartfi'Ro hax. Yet tho re"ont labor
riota chow thnt thora hro aeAlti fnr. hvnn IA
peace, when Y may have To tnEnlarly ttkn Inc
Az eoldara. the instruction NJ tta nnnlh ~
must oertainlY he incnmplata nnlnRa tlley nta
dmty of Il aoIdIor Who're thla olnrmont ar
Instruction pRalea beyond thn ltnn ny pptt,
duty II Ia proper that tho Epyernmgnt should
furniAhing those nttirinp which lrn required
Tor campaign ltfa. By til constitution ttar, i.
art 10 uengrese hna p9wnf No. PROV :" faE ~
aud for governing Rueh phrt at them na may IT'D
employed In the aorvtee OF Tho unltct aaten.
reaerypr tn the StAlua respaattvalY hn npp int
mont Of the officers ana the authority nf ttnln- |
ing the militia according % Tho titanultHn pros
scrlhad ny q 'ngrraa.' THIS duty VIE r"onR
passage az thaHc VI 1900 apptoptiatng fano 400
n year which has been thu law ovar snen. hut
which amount tho lapse "f time haa low ron
dered entirely inaicln.tn fir tha purpose. ~
Il haa rendered. ohsnlefa tho method ~ ofERnt=
cation aud instruction thereia pre-orihea,
The exnenaiyr plnut ~ the national armnrln4
III not auffiplautty employ In furnishing ord |
nanee stoees for our email nrmy. Ihetr pro
duct could Ia inaronaedEa ~ 70 tupply many 1T /
the wants ~ thn miliiA ~ but sltght additional
machinery and workman In that state Of OIL
cteneY required Nv tho praErn-a rf atinnra |
This ia par irularly thu case iii regard Il small |
arms scarcely any of the STAT u having thoiI
troops armed With tho mninrn hfRaah len inF. |
such as Il used by tina ARMY. and u number ~
years being likely tu alApSa under tho pfHa"nG /
appropriation before thRy oan n tsnpplted. KIT /
the need fur ammunition ter rh practice. fpr
field eouitments AVID eihor ORDINANCE" stetea Il
rs great Ra that for Anna
The legislation framed Ivy tho two conventions |
OF the National Guard Association Was tho fruit |
of careful thouRh and ttriharatiaa by The lead
inr National Cnard of1oera reprnaentinr nnnIfy
all the Eastern, Mlddn AMI Western Stntrs. II
few Southern States aud California ttneHdtug
nearly all which have any National Guard
worthy uf tho nnmc and. ttis submitted. should
be adopted by Congress. Its provisions In hrtet
are rs follows:
First-Tho Increasing az the annual rnnsrra-
sional Rprropriai, from tho S1ao.oo1 tiycd Ill
Observation-Disclosures tho myth ef the uni
formed militia ~ the states ana only rnrng-
mixing their regularly uniformed Matt nal
Guard,
the different States Tor tia benefit ot such Ma
tional Guard, which Is not - eNoAei seven hun
dred for each congressional district.
Fourth Providing thAt ruah moneys shall 10
first used 10 provide u PRACTICABLE" >iea lrcss
and equipments. and then for arms ammuui-
lion and other mill AIRY stores. Each Sta = ~
be free 10 buy such military clutpmonts IA II
desires. under proper regulations NJ 20 inspee
lion. etc All small arms IL b. oi uniform cali
bro and adapted tor military service.
ttfth-The right of tho StanS to otltHer aud
control their troops Is not oniv aimed. but lie
Presidents power 70 detail OFF 'ers ta command
them when calted into service Ia reduced from
hat now allowed by law
Sixth Regular insr eatians IN ha male M THU
National Guard army officers being author
lied TO accompany State inspectors when de-
sired by the Governors ct tho various States.
Such officers being Etven no authority Qyer the
troops. but merely 10 act spectators This
ias recently been done In Massachusetts with
most satisfactory results. Gen. Arnad ii rrgn-
ar officer detailed at the request ~ the Gov
amor. having been able 10 mako many sugge9-
ions which have been found ~ ha Of great
7aiua.
Seventh-Each State receiving aid 10 provide
! t4N. f