The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-25
GOVERNOR ANA lie COLONIES
tcontinuea 90 Elghth Pace.l

Co, Lawton says II VIII then be time Tor
the government to Jess the powers of the
/ President when it comes to ordering out
the national guard
In speaking OF the reasons that induced
Congress 20 adopt The measure it has for
raising troops, Col Lawton said il was
TO avoid the questions as to authority that
might have been brought up had de-
mand been made upon the governors of
the states for troops from their national
guards. He says there are three conun-
Seneies in which the President is author
lied 20 call upon the governors for the
national guard. These are to enforce the
laws of the United States. to suppress
rebellion or instruction and TO repel for
.eigneinvasion. Ii has been construed that
none of these will hold good in the present
emergency, but Col. LaHwton believes the
war with Spain would Justify the Presi-
dent in making the call for the organ-
lied troops under the last provision of the
statute giving him the power in the three
events. Repelling foreign invasion, in
Col. Lawton's opinion, means hitting the
enemy wherever you can fnd him. He
does not think II was meant that the
President should wait until the foe is ac-
tuany within the boundaries Of the coun-
try before an effort should be made to
infiict defeat. He says the war should
be carried into the enemy's country, il
the best means of repelling invasion
Col. Lawton thinks the plan adopted TO
avoid the question that might have been
raised of the Presidents right to call out,
the troops and his power 10 order them
to foreign country was a good one. BY
il, the appeal is made to the militia of
the country, and all able-bodied men with
in the military age, who are quick enough
to get among the first answering the calls
in their respective states, can get into the
army TO win glory and renown in the
war with Spain. Nobody is ordered out;
Ii Is all matter of free will. This is
also. in Col Lawton's opinion, a strong
point In favor of the call as made by the
President. as men who volunteer always
make better soldiers and better fighters
than those who go to war, because they
! have to.
Some Of the officers of the Georgia vol
unteers may be given command of troops
| they have never before known. Col Law
ton says he hopes the First Regiment will
remain intact, as it would be much more
| pleasant fer him, as it would for all off,
| GERS. to command the organization with
which he is now enrolled. Asked about
the probability, as it is considered by some,
of the Georgia troops being differed by
! graduates Of West Point in the regular
service of the United States, Col. Lawton
said he does not believe word of it. He
thinks the Georgia troops will continue
! to be. commanded by Georgia officers. He
| says he knows that Capt. Oscar j. Brown,
4 an officer OF the regular army and assist
/ ant adjutanr general of the state troops,
! has, no desire to have Col. Gambler of the
Fifth Regiment displaced in his favor. 1t
has been reported that ii is the Governors
intention to put, Capt. Brown at the head
! of the regiment
| Col, Lawtcn talked Interestingly of the
militia, meaning ali able-bodied men in
! the United States within the military age,
! telling Of how they had to turn out at
/ specified times during year, though they
We're unorganized. undrlled and unframed.
They had their officers, and these were the
only men who turned out in uniform. The
I militia was the laughing stock of every
community when they paraded, and would
pc now were The call made for the mem
i bers to appear at such musters as were
/ held before the war between the states.
I 4 is upon these men that the Presiden;
now calls, but ii is understood that he
1 wants that part of them to respond that
IS organized as the volunteer soidiery of
the country
The plan of Gov. Atkinson regarding the
situation and his action has been forecast
ed IL one Of the Alfalfa papers, which says
the Governor viii Issue his cali this morn
| ing and that: Gov Atkinson has not
4 ganizing the force of 3174 volunteers
4 which this state has been asked to furnish
but he has decided that 1t would be I'M
/ wise to allow the entire militia force Of
Georgia to go TO Cuba. He wants to pre-
serve the military of the state and to ac-
compltsh this he believes 1t will be nee
essary 10 keep some of the experienced
| troops here. He thinks it will be proper
TO allow half of the experienced men to go
and half of them to stay.
ITO raise the 1000 troops outside of the
! present state militia it will be necessary
| to enlist new recruits. There are but 1900
4 white troops in the state and but half of
these will be allowed 10 go Two thou
sand entirely new men will probably have
TO be enlisted.
"a complete shake-up in the forces of
the state troops will occur when the men
| volunteer. As only half of each company
| will be taken, two companies will be re-
quired to make up a fun company and
| each of these .reorganized companies will
have to be differed, There will be no more
than enough of men for officers, for nearly
all Of the present officers are anxious to
i go.
1t has been reported that Gov. Atkinson
| would commission Acting Adjutant Gem
eral Oscar J. Brown as colonel of the Fifth
| Regiment instead of Col. John s. Gambler.
| Those who go from the Fifth win aroba-
bly, be Incorporated with the men from
l'another regiment to make up full regi-
ment. The Fifth Georgia Regiment of mi
lita viii be left intact except for the fact
| that half of its men will be out
Whether Col. Gambler viii be left in
charge of the Fifth militia or placed in
command of one of the new regiments Of
volunteers, is a question yet to be decided,
but the friends of the colonel are a unit
! in the demand for his retention. Capt.
Brown may be placed in command of a
regiment of volunteers. Gov. Atkinson
| said last night that all these matters must
be decided by the development of events"
Col. William Garrard, when asked what
action would probably be taken by the
Guards battalion, in response to the cali
for volunteers to be issued to-day, said
Il would moi be possible for him to say
anything on the subject until the cali had
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