Evening journal., 1891-02-05

| lOWuhbnu, 20. ID. MllfOrdt ana Oapthil
e l. Rice, Jr-, Troop B, Wilmington.
Captain Edmund Mitchell. Jr., and
Colonel a. d Chaynter Of Wilmington,
who we're members of the committee,
were not present.
Mr. Eisenbrey, opened the battle and
! said: Il think that tho movement TO
wipe out the Delaware National Guard a
great injustice to a noble band Of men.
The people do not demsnd it. They
simply demand the abolition of
certain features, and are not asking
that any blows be struck against the
body. The whole thing can be summed
up in the abolishment Of the encamp-
ments."
Mr.. Fultou-"I appear on the same
side ] was appointed to present this
side 20 the committee. Before organic
ing the National Guard we had military
system. II answered every purpose.
There was no complaint Of want Of emer
gency men. 1t is all set forth In chapter
10, Revised Code. There was no demand
for anything else or anything better
until few years ago, and when the
National Guard was first spoken Of then
was not much opposition to IL. As it is
at present worked there is universal
opposition TO It, l have heard the
matter discussed In private sssemblages
and public meetings. There was only
one sentiment, and that was that the
system as now conducted was unneces
sary and demoraliziug The Farmers
Institutes have unanimously demanded
the abolishment Of the encampments and
excursions. We are emphatically and
unanimously opposed 20 them, and am
here In that behalf The expenses for
the encampment and militia in .1eS0
amounted TO $17 900; and for 1890 they
amounted TO $l6 63s Oh This is inde-
pendent Of the salaries. The expense
exceeds the per diem aud mileage of the
whole General Assembly. There is no
argument needed to convince thinking
men and struggling taxpayers And
then there ara objections made to the
enoampment on the score OF morality.
They are not conducted in 6 manner
conducive TO sobrietY and good order
All persons who are acquainted with the
manner In which these encampments are
conducted are entirely opposed 10 them
The fact that Bishop Coleman came out
In q card denouncing the encampment at
Brandywine Springs is conclusive. He
characterized 1t as demoralizing. know
of ladies who hRvs said that they weulG
rather see their sons 60 to the graveyard
than see them join the militia. The
taxpayers should not be taxed and have
those taxes eaten up By encampments &"
Mr. Higgins-"Do you think those you
represent have objection to the National
Guard as an organizat on"
Mr. Fulton-"Ne, sir
Mr.. Higgins" Would they object to
a reasonable allowance being made to the
militia every year. provided that allow
ance is fixed one2'
Nc. Fultor-"Yes. sir. to anv greater
allowance than the SO, 400 now allowed
Pse whole thing is to crafty the vanity
Of few men We have no use for
grand standing army in our state. 1t is
an agricultural one. Yet We keep q stand
ing army as il We were expecting an
attack every day. We are in no danger
as state or as a nation. aud never met
with any disadvantage when we did not
have this standing army.
Mr.. Jacks0n-"W What are the general
expenses Of the encsmpmenl2'
Mr. Fulton--'I don't know never saw
a single bill; the men were paid g3, 7a5.
and the general expenses We're &lO.5l3.
| do not know what the money was spent
for, bat a good deal OF IL went for
whisSey and somebody got the rest. do
not object to the miiitiamen having all
5he whiskey they want provided they pay
FOR it Themselves
Mr., Hutson--"Is the $500 appropri. !
ated annually to each company includedg
IN what you want to abolishf"
hr, Fu,:?R-"No, sir. it de:s not re /,
peal that"
MT. nlsenbrey-"The original bill
does (meaning the Ridgsly bill)
Captain Rce-"Mr. Fulton laws great
stress on the encSmPment from the moral
point and says We go there aud get drunk
and gamble That | deny We have
as assets 10000 in camp equipments,
and in case Of emergency can in twenty-
four hours go into camp without any ex
pense whatever to tine state. Our troops
will com pare as well as any body of men
you have. They can be relied on. The
Militia of our state Is comprised of the
best of our young mechanics, clerks and
workingmen. We cheerfully put our
hands in our pockets and pay what the
state does not provide. It costs my com
pany $500 more than the state appropri
alton for its maintenance, to keep it alive
We only ask fair square hearing We
only want that which is right. We only
want to be we'll cared for In Whining.
ton my troop Is backed by 100 Of the best
and they annually
contribute $500 They appreciate the ad-
vantage Of having such an organization
in case of an emergency. The hquor dis
pensed at the camp was sold by speak
easies outside the lines, / don't want. to
enter into a controversy with Bishop
Coleman, but l don't think he was ever
within the lines Of tine eucampment Aud
mark this. These speakeasiss were
owned by the man who was entertaining
Bishop Coleman. and who is one OF his
parishinors. There were no two wagon
loads OF empty bottles hauled away from
the camp rs charged by Mr., Fulton. It
was nv duty to take away the camp et-
fects and know no such thing occurred.
want Il distinctly understood thai l
don't belong to that class Of meu
General Kenney-As far as ths expen-
diture OF the money appropriated is con
cerned | would simply say TO Mr.. Fulton
that it was expended according TO lsw
and the bills sent to the governor for
inspee lion before the draft was drawn
for their payment. No state in the Union
has been placed In as false light as
Delaware in respect to its military sYs.
tenn, In 1879 we organized. We got
nothing from the state. We went to
Yorktown in 1881 in uniform bought by
ourselves. Little by little the guard
grew. In order that more interest
might be taken an appropriation Of 81, 200
was made, which was special appro-
priation Of $500 to each company. there
being only six companies in the state at