The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-12-31
Tha NATloN's MILITIA.

General sherman, in an Address Before
the Military Institute On Governor's'
Island, Adv, Gates the Establishment of
the Militia Systom.
NEW YORK, December 26.-The Military
Institute on Governors Island was at its,
best yesterday. A large gathering of heav-i
lily clad gentlemen met to listen to General
William Tecnmseh Sherman. General
Hancock presided. The audience was one
which 1t was not necessary to call to order,
General Sherman, In the course Of his ad-
dress upon "The Military Necessities OF
the United States" said: when ap-
proach any matter necessitating labor and
study l shrink from 1t, feeling dis
posed to claim all the advantages OF re-
tlrement, and certain that we may sately
leave the future in the hands Of the bright
youth we see daily growing up around ns:
Every age produces Its own workers, and
the experience of mankind is that the
agents of a former epoch are rarely adapted
to modern uses. am convinced by actual
experience that habit is more Of valuable
quality than what is called courage. Take
q hundred of the bravest men unaccustomed
to the confusion Of battle, march them up
10 a breastwork and they will break and
drop TO the ground sooner than would a
hundred average men of the regular army
that have become accustomed TO obey COM
mand, fall in, forward, etc. On this simple
rule Of habit rests the existence Of the reg
ular army to-day in this grand republic.
"All parties agree that 1t Is becoming the
settled policy Of our Government TO main
tain the smallest kind of regular army
more as school for instruction than for
actual service. This army, In case Of in
vasion, must be supplemented by the mill
tla, inasmuch as the militia is the physical
force In which the Chief Magistrate Of the
Nation must mainly depend for the execu-
tlon Of his high Office 1t therefore becomes
our duty as soldiers and citizens to aid as
far as we may 10 mold that militia into a
form on which II may be mlde valuable
when called into actual service. There has
been bill introduced in Congress by Gen.
Ieral H. W. Slocum, the passage Of which
would be long stride in the direction OF
that change. The whole bill substantially
repeals the old, antiquated system Of mill
tia devised by our Revolutionary fathers,
and substitutes new one, far bet
ter adapted 10 our modern experience,
While enrolling all men subject 10 military
duty, II leaves the great mass at home and
segregates the smaller number TO fulfill the
purpose Of our Constitution, to be prepared
armed, equipped and accoutered, and pro
poses for this purpose an annual sum OF
100000. Again. instead Of 700 men fol
each number and delegate In Congress,
could suggest more convenient and bettel
understood battalion Of four companies Of I
maximuAn of 100 and minimum OF fifty
men for each company. The total number
of Congressional Districts and Territories
is now about 800. This will give 1,32(
companies or 100 regiments of twelve com
lpanies each, aggregating maximum o
l32, 900 and a minimum Of $4,000, forc'
amply sufficient for the possibilities Of th'
case.
taking this lesser number and assum
ing the cost Of each militlaman TO be So
PER annum land that is large assumption
believe), 1t will make an aggregate cost o
$3,300,000. would divide this sum equal
Wy between the United States and States o
THE communities in which any company
battalion or regiment resides. Nearly all o
the officers who compose this institution
Icsn recall our experience with new reg
,ments as they came TO us raw and IN
practiced, and how soon by association the
became experienced soldiers. The bill pre-
posed will aid the States to make one uni
form system throughout the United States
/ believe" said the General In conclusion
"there is no more important subject to-da,
before this institution than that Of assisting
In perfecting the militia and In bringlnl
into II more cordial intercourse with tn
regular army and the people Of the Unite'
Statesn