The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-25
THE ARMY AND ARMsBEAR1Ne.

regulated militia being necessary to the Sc
curity OF a free State, the right of the people
to keep and bear arms shall not be in
fringed." In commenting upon this clause
Judge Cooley says that it might be supposed
from the phraseology of this provision that
the right to keep and bear arms was only
guaran teed to the militia; but this interpre-
tation is not warranted by the intent The
meaning of the provision undoubtedly is
that the people, from whom the militia
must be taken, shall have the right to keep
and bear arms; and they need no permission
or regulation of law for the purpose
But this enables the government to
have a well-regulated militia; for to
than the mere keeping; it implies the learn
ing to handle and use them in a way that
makes those who keep them ready for their
efficient use; in other words, it implies the
right to meet for voluntary discipline in
arms, obs CRYING in SO doing the laws of pub
lie order" The distinction is broad enough
that no one need be misled into the notion
that this provision guarantees the carrying
of arms in an individual capacity, for pri-
vate purposes. The arms intended by the
constitution are such as are suitable for the
defense of the community against invasion
or oppression; for it has been settled by the
highest court in the land that the secret
carrying of those arms suited merely to
deadly individual encounters may 5e pro-
hbited. The right, then, in question is
made by the constitution inherent
to the citizenship as public body for pub
lie purpose, and exhibits the wisdom and
foresight of the fathers OF the republic in so
necessary to the security of free State has
become a maxim in national polity, and
has been the practice of the most enight-
ened nations of the past. In the days of the
highest arts of peace the military systems
have been the most complete; not that the
armies were larger, for, as General Sherman
has recently said, ian army is not to be
measured in Importance by its numbers or
its muster rolls, but by the animus the soul
that inspires it If its leadership, with rank
and file, be true to its destiny and to the
country it becomes, in time OF danger, the
Promethean spark which gives life
and energy to the whole" 1t forms
nucleus upon which the militia at large
can rally and by contact become inspired
tbac at,1 ;At;
rapid and almost imperceptible manner in
which the South threw an efficient army
into the field at the outbreak of the rebellion
is accounted for from the fact that the South
were an arms bearing people. They had kept
alive the military spirit engendered from
former wars so that the masses were equip
ped and in the field before the North began.
to move. The North had first to overcome
the Inertia resulting from neglect to main
tain a well-regulated militia, and the
terrible penalty paid for this lapse
in national policy ought to serve
as constant warning for the
future. In the words of General
Sherman, "the day of the millennium
has not yet dawned and the world is full of
demagogues dynamite fiends, FOOLS hypo.
critics, and mischief makers. The greatest
security to life and property, the largest
measure of human happiness, are possible
only when the government is a fair repre-.
sentative of the masses OF the people, with
power sufficient to protect the quiet, indus
trious family against the pronigate, reckless
disturber of the peace. To be right in con-
troversy is comparatively easy, but the object
of all good government is to enforce the
right, and since the beginning of recorded
time an army has been found the best
instrument for the service of
this power. trust the men who
govern us will not commit the fatal mistake
in concluding the soldier is a thing OF the
the past, because so long as man is man, so long
will force enter into the economy of govern
ment, and no government on earth can be
perfect which cannot enforce by physical
power its own laws and DEGREES promptly
and thoroughly and the army must be that
force, active or passive. 1t is a matter of
vital importance to republican America that
in our free country, where parties assume
such seemingly angry antagonism there
should be maintained one body, at least, to-
ward which men may turn with safety as al.