The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-05-13

anu equipments tHC mlltld Shall DC iuIDlSI-
ed, and on what conditions-leaving it in the
discretion of Congress to regulate the annu-
al appropriations for purpose.
The bill alters the law to conform to the
present condition of the militia and does not
seek to alter the status Of the latter. The
idea that 1t Is proposed to organize a new
force to be under federal control, or to IN
teriere with the control Of the States over
their militia has no foundation IN the text
of the bill. The changes contemplated in
the existing law, while radical, do not go
beyond existing law IN regard TO the author
ity of the Federal Government over the
militia, and do not ask the exercise Of any
powers not clearly vested in Congress.
Though the bill says the active militia shall
be known a. the National Guard they
are purely State troops: the proposed law
does not change their nature: and the name
National Guard" is really "a misnomer.
The bill presented to Congress by the mill
tia convention which assembled in New
York III January OF last year, says, the ac-
tive militia shall be known As the National
or State Guard, as the legislature of each
State may prescribe.
Section 10, Of General Scales bill has
been a good deal criticised. 1t has been as
S ;rted that ii squints towards cel t alizatlon:
that it vests too much power III the Presi-
dent, &c. That section, together with the
four succeeding ones, makes the necessary
provisions for authorizing the President to
order the active militia In the service o. the
United States, aud for governing them
while in the service. These provisions do
not differ materially from existing law, enac-
ted in 1895, except that they are better ar
ranged and more concise, and are made APP
plicable to the active militia only-which is
a RESTRICTION. instead of an extension. of the
Presidents authority.
1t must be borne in mind that the powers
of the general government and the rights of
States are intimately interviewer In the ju-
risdiction over the militia. One Of the sta
ted causes for forming the Union was to
provide for the common defense" la the
opinion of the trainers of the constitution, a
well regulated militia was the essential
means of providing for the common defense,
and they accordingly framed the clause to
provide that Congress shall have power;-
TO provide for organizing, and disciplin-
ing the militia, and for governing such part
of them as may be employed in the service
OF the United States, reservlng to the States
respectively the appointment of the officers,
and the authority of training the militia &C.
cordine to the discipline prescribed by Con-
gress."
The purposes and provisions Of this
clause, which scarcely admit of misinterpre
~tation, are not transcribed or violated in
letter or spirit by the proposed law.
This bill follows in many respects, the re-
concentrations made to Congress in 1925,
by a board composed of some of the most
distinguished officers of the Army and
Militia, convened for the purpose Of con-
sidering the question of Militia Reform.
The President of the Board was Winfield
Scott, then a Major General in the Army;
and Zachary Taylor. then lieutenant colo
mel of artillery, was one of the members.
The militia were represented on the board
by General Cadwalader, of Pennsylvania,
General Sumner, of Massachusetts, and
General Daniel, OF North Carolina.
The board reported that they considered
the primary defect of the militia law to be
in the excess of numbers which it held to
service; and recommended tllat0 select corps
of militia be formed. to consist in each State
of one brigade for every Congressional Rep
at 700 men, and that the officers of this
select militia be assembled in camps Of IN
struction ten days in each year, ana be paid
bu tie general government tor their time and
travelling expenses and that the United
States should jDfntsh officers to instruct the
annual camps. And in 1885 President Jack
son in his annual message, urged upon Con
gress the wisdom of reforming the militia
upon some such plan as this.
Every true North Carolinian must share
with you your aversion TO standing armies.
North Carolina has always been jealous of
standing armies. OF the thirteen original
States, this State and Pennsylvania were
the only two whose State constitutions con
tanned interdictions OF standing armies in
times of peace. The Introduction contained
=. IL noalo,oxor of RiobfC p,nlo Of Hail.
fax, in 1776, was in these words: AS
standing armies in time of peace are dan
gerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept
up" The Legislature of North Carolina,
in 1886, in the preamble to the act estab-
fishing a militia, declared hat I'm all re
publican governments a we'll regulated mill
tia is highly necessary for the defence and
safety thereof - and the constitution of
1875, under which we live to-day, true to
the ideas that governed our wise forefathers,
and in consonante with the principles en-
u Il. L'olo,,l constitution declares