The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-29
THE NEW MILITARY CODE
FEATURES OF THE PENDING BILL
AND OPINIONS ABOUT 1T.

The sub Committee Having the Matter Il
Charge VIII Report TO the General Com
. mittee- Changes Proposed-GeRe-ai 10
cal News.
/ A measure now before the LesisIatur
ton is the Senate bill "to provide for th'
, enrolment Of the militia, for the organiza
ton. and government Of the National Guar
Of Virginia, and for the public defense" -anC
entitled the military code. The BILL o
which Mr.. Harrison is the patron, has beer
in the hands Of a subcommittee Of a Com
mittee on General Laws, and it is under
stood il will be favorably reported upon.
After providing for those who shall b,
exempt from military duty" and "the
enrolment Of persons liable 10 military
duty the third section relates 20 the or
ganization Of the National Guard Of the
State Of Virginia, which shall consist OF
4 the uniformed militia OF the state. The
fourth section deals with ''staf depart.
ments and duties"
THE COMMANDERS STAFF.
The first section reads: The staff OF the
jutant-gencral, with the rank Of major
general. who shall be chief OF stan
| one nspector-general; one cOmmissary gen
eral Of subsistence who shall be chief OF ord
\ nance: one advocate general. who
shall be n counsellor az law Of the Supreme
Court Of at least five years standing; one sur
Reon-genefal. VINO shall be graduate OF some
| INCORPORATED school Of medicine, and at least
| I'VE Years practice; one chief Of engineers,
who shall have been educated As an
engineer: one chief Of artillery one quarter
/ one general inspector OF rife practice, each
| with the rank Ofbrigadier-gcnefal SIX aides
de-camp, each with the rank Of colonel. JD-
on the recommendation Of the chiefs Of staff
| appoint such assistants Of such rank mot 70
| exceed that Of colonel as in his judgment
may be necessary. The officers composing
| the staff Of cOmmandcr-in-chief,t their assist
ants, and the staff officers Of divisions and
brgades shall constitute the general stan OF
the State.
In the stan departments there shall be, TO
| each division. one assistant adiutant general.
with the Iank Of colonel who shall be chief
OF the division STAFF one Inspector, one en-
/ gineer one judge-adN Ocate. one surgeon one
chief Of artillery, one ordnance officer, one
/ quartermaster, one cOmmissary OF subslst-
| ence, one inspector OF rifle practice, and Ons
/ chaplain. each with the rank OF lieutenant
colonel, and as the personal stan Of the d.
vision general, three aideS-de-camp, with
the rank Of major. 10 each brigade there
shall be one assistant djutant-gencral, with
the rank Of Lieutenant colonel, VINO shall Dc
chief of the brigade stan. one Inspector
one engineer one judge advocate. one sur
geOn, one ordnance officer, one chaplain, one
qusrtermaster, one cOmmissary OF subsisi-
ence, one inspector OF rifle practice, each
with the rank Of major and as the personal
stan Of the brigadier general. two aides-de-
camp, with the rank Of captain. The duties
Of each are then detailed.
Some Of the succeeding sections in brief
say:
The chiefs OF the stan departments. to-
gether with the aides-dc camp except the
chief Of ordnance) shall be appointed by the
Governor, and their terms shall expire with
his.
An major generals, except the adjulant
general shall be appointed by the Governor,
with the consent Of the senate.
Field officers Of regiments and battaiOns
shall be chosen b. the field and company
officers ef their respective regiments or bat
taliOnT
Tbs commandments may. whenever
he may deem that the good Of the service re-
quires order any officer Of the national
guard before a board Of examination, 10 con-
sst OF not less than three nor more than fve
general and field officers, which is hereby in
vested with the powers Of courts OF inquiry
sud cOurts-martial. and 10 shall be the duty
Of such board 10 Inquire into the moral char
aster OF capacity or general fitness for the
service Of such commissioned officers.
Every ORGANIZATION shall he provided. al
the expense OF the State. with such arms,
equipments. cOlOrs, musical instruments,
books Of instruction and Of record, blanks,
camp and garrison equipage. and military
supplies as may be necessary for the proper
performance Of duty required.
The council Of a city, or The board OF super
NlsOrs or q county may furnish ench
company or troop, battery OF battalion, with
an armOry. and keep the same in repair, and
the commanding officer Of such battalion.
troop. battery OF company shall appoint an
armOrer. whose pay snail be a charge upon
the city. town or county in which the armory
Is located.
An annual inspection and muster OF all or
CARNATIONS Of the national guard shall be
made by The inspectOr-general or his assist |
ants at such time and place as the command !
er-in-chief shall order and direct.
The cOmm8nder-ln-chief is hereby author |
lied, IN his discretion, TO order such Organi- |
zations as he shall deem proper, and without !
regard TO arm Of the service-nOt, however. |
exceeding one thousand men In any one year !
10 be stationed al such forts OF other places |
IS may be furnished by the United states |
government, or as may be convenient for |
that purpose within the state OF Virginia, /
for a period OF not exceeding five days In |
any one veal, for instruction In the manage /
ment Of heavy artillery FOR coast defense,
under such instructors as he shall assign for
that purpose.
n CASE or RIOTS, &c.
In case OF any breach Of the peace, tumult, /.
riot. or resistance 10 law, or Imminent dan
ger thereof, 10 shall be lawful for the shorin /
ofany county, or the mayor ofany city, 10 call |
for aid upon the governor and commander |
in-chief and In eases where the emergency |
is such as not 10 admit Of this delay, then |
upon tho cOmmandant OF any division, bri- |
gade, regiment OF company; and IL shall be l
the duty OF the commanding officer Of the /
division. brigade, regiment, or company /
upon whom such call is made. to order cut, |
in aid Of the civil authorities, the military
force; or any part thereof, under his COM
mand
The general Inspector OF rife practice shall /
have chnrle Of The rife practice Of the Ma
uonel Guard throughout the state. and shall
under tho direction OF the cOmmander-in-
chief, prescribe the manner IN which Il shall
be performed.
The cOmmander-in-chiefi 10 authorized 20
annually offer In each division or brigade. on
behalf OF the state, prize not exceeding
one hundred dollars in value, 10 be known IS
The state price for competition among the |
several regiments, batialions, and separate
companies In each division or brigade: and
similar prize, not exceeding five hundred
dollars in value 20 be known as the estate
prize" for competition among all the
regiments, battallons, and separate cOmpa-
nier throughout Tho Stale, and also q prize,
not 10 exceed nfty dollars in value, for the
company IN each brigade having the highest
general figure OF merit.
The military courts shall be: First, courts
OF inquiry second, general cOurts-martisl:
inird, delinquency courts, which are OF two
kinds-first Tor officers, second for enlisted
men. The conduct ofall examinations the
ing fines IL given in detail.
ORIGIN OF THE BILL.
The bill is ninety-three printed pages
long. The above however, are the salient
features, which change or amend the pres
ent law. The measure had its birth in Nir-
ginia in the Military Club, an organization
Of officers formed 20 advance the interests
Of the militia service Of the State; but, in
truth, il is an adaptation Of the New York
law, an instrument that took about ten years
TO perfect. The Military Club has been al
work Oh the subject for over a year, and il
has been three times printed In its pres
ent shape IL is as nearly perfect as il is pos
sible 10 get il, perhaps.
IMPORTANT OPINIONS.
knswing the interest felt in military cir
cles in the measure, reporter Of this paper
visited some Of the leading officers yesier-
day. and asked a lot OF questions. which
elected substantially the following:
FIRST REGIMENT DISCIPLINE.
The discipline Of the First Virginia Regi-
ment is as good as il was twelve months
ago, and its efficiency is BETTER" said Colo
mel Henry c. Jones, the officer in command.
There are only four officers and
II