Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-03
The Volunteer SoIdiery of Washington.

/
! COMPOSED OF EXCELLENT MATERIAL, But NOT CON-
TROLLED OR DISCIPLINED BY I.Aw-so CoMMIs-
s10NER EDMONDs INFORMS THE WAR DEPART
| MENT-THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS, IN VIEW OF
| POSSIBLE CONTINGENCIES, WANT THE MILITIA Es-
TABLIsHED UPON AN UNQUESTIoNABLE LEGAL
BASIS.
| The following letter explains itself:
OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONERS
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, >
WASHINGTON, october 2, 1884, }
Gen. S. p. Berset, Chieror Ordnance, U.S.A.:
SIR: In compliance to the usage In similar cases
| heretofore, the Commissioners Of the District OF
Columbia have the honor to transmit herewith
requisition for arms and accoutrements to equip
| the first company Union Veteran Corps This
| requisition is made at the request OF Capt. NJ A.
Tappan. commanding the organization referred
to- and Is respectfully transmitted by the Commits
sioners taking occasion to bring to your attention
and that Of the Secretary of War the anomalous
| practice Of arming bodies Of men in the Dis
| the Commissioners can discover, either controlled
or disciplined by law. The volunteer soldiery OF
Washington are composed OF excellent material.
| and embrace very worthy class of society. They
| are justly held in high esteem; Capt Tappan's
organization equally with Others, it IS presumed.
| But the relations that might arise between these
| military organizations and the Commissioners
| make the latter desirous of having them estab-
Commissioners neither invite the imposition OF
any duty nor Will they shrink from any duty en-
joined upon them. but the possible uses Tor which
an armed volunteer force might be required in
suppresslng civic disorders, the warning that
there should be nothing equivocal in the Obliga-
tlOnS of that force in the exercise Of authority
over them. The Commissioners respectfully
| invite your attention to the Revised Statutes OF
the District OF Columbia, under the title of militia"
They would also ask that you would consider a
different Interpretation OF the Revised Statutes OF
| the United States, paragraph 1861 and paragraph
1867 than has been hitherto customary, that arms
for the militia and volunteers Of the territories
and District OF Columbia are chareeable to the
annual appropriations made for the several states
tion that the peace OF the city of washington is
less likely to be disturbed than that of any
other city In the Union, but the security
OF the large amount Of national property
here would seem to require that the men
who bear the arms of the government
should be brought under the compulsory discipline
OF its laws however ready they might be to volnta
rliy comply with them. With this expression OF their
views, the Commissioners desire to state that the
forwarding OF the accompanying reQulsition is
compliance with usage only, and that they have
neither obligation nor authority in the premises.
(Slgned) j. b EDMoNDs,
President Board OF Commissioners
The requisitlon is for eighty Springfield rifles,
caliber 46, with accoutrements, appendages and
spare parts, to be shipped to Capt. NJ. A. Tappan,
commanding 1st company, Union Veteran corps,
Washington, d. c.