, 1888-08-18

The WcegOUernor: Before the Draft is
introduced, he would beg to make a few
remarks, in fact to record a protest against
the matter being furthered. The Draft
proposes to abolish the Military Force;
but the Council would by adopting such a
proposal exceed its province, as defined
by the Colonial Law, and according to
which a change of the kind can only be
effected by a Law passed by the Diet and
confirmed by His Majesty the King. This
follows from W l and 2 of the Colonial
Law; the frstnamel section, with some
exceptions, confers upon the Council the
legislative authority in all matters eXclu'
sively relating to affairs within the bOun-
daries of the islands, whilst 2 promises
that in all other matters the Council shall
be heard. In his opinion it is beyond a
doubt that the military force can not be
considered as q matter which only relates
to affairs within the boundaries OF the
Island the duty Of the Military Is not
only to maintain order and safety III the
Island, but also to protect the Island III
general, TO guard against sedltIon, ana 10
prevent ~endeayOurS in the Island or IfOn
abroad to sever the Island from Denmark
and going Over to another Power. 1t is
true, that in 1872 an Ordinance was passed
reducing the Military Force on the Island;
OAD NlClC - W 4 Ill III
measure for reducing the force and one
entirely abOlishing it. Besides which, IN
1872 the Danish Diet had cognizance OF
the facI that 2 Military Ordinances were
laid before the Colonial Council, and the
Diet raised no objections to it. Further
more the Colonial Law throughout presup-
poses the existence of u Military Force:
4 II, referring to II state OF siege %
mentioning expenses for the Military here;
y 81 in cases Of riots a proposal like
the one before the Council is Therefore
tantam0unt to Il proposal OF altering the
Colonial Law. and this again can only be
done by a Law. He felt sure that the
honorable Chairman will agree with him
in the view that the matter can not be
turthpred in the present form.
3rd Member for Frederiksted's Country
District (Heuit0: Regarding the remarks
that have just fallen from His EXctlIency,
the acting Governor, would beg to say
that he could not consider the Draft now
before the Council rs having for its object
to abolish the Military Force. 800 (Ihe
Vice Governor: read the heading OF the
draID without putting something else III
its place; it is plainly and distinctly said
that the Military and the PoIicetorc5 are
TO be abolished, but in their stead is to be
placed Il CouStabulary, to come into opera
ton from the day the said two branches
are abolished: we Will get IL more suitable
force instead OF the Military, but still
in many essential points preserving several
characteristic OF the Military. Hence
there viii b, no point where the Island
will be without a reliable and useful pro
tectjve force we intend only a change for
the better. OF course, if Government now
refuses to allow the discussion ofthiS Draft,
from the grounds advanced by His Excel
lrncy, there can be nothing further to do
but he really did not believe that those
grounds would be sufficient; it could sure
IN not be that the Colonial Council Shall
be drbarrrd from having any say or vote
on this most vital of all our economical
affairs and we have seen, that the present
organization Ofthe military force rests on
the Ordinance of 25th March 1872, which
was adopted at Governments motion by the
Colonial Council. and sanctioned by His
Majesty as an Ordinance, without it hay
ing been before the Diet; prior to that the
military organization had been subject OF
many local enactments He could not
admit that s., l or 2 OF the Colonial
Law afford any guarantee for curtailing
the CWnCiPS power in that respect; if,
as His Excellency himself admits, the
Council can by its own initiative cur
tail or reduce the military force, sure.
~ it seems but natural that the Coun-