Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-13
OUR SOLDIER BOYS.


state. or would it be necessary for them
to volunteer. My impression is that the
National Guard enlist only to serve the
state in which they are within that
States borders. A READER.
Reply: The President has powe: TO call
out the National Guard of any State 10
serve in a State other than that in which
It belongs. The Constitution makes the
President Commander-in-Chief "of the
militia Of the several States, when called
into the actual service Of the United
States" 1t provides, also, that Congress
shall have power "to provide for calling
forth the militia to execute the laws OF
the Union, suppress Instructions and
repel invasions." Under the power thus
conferred Congress has enacted several
laws providing for calling forth the mill
tia of the various States. one Of these
statutes is to be found i'm section 1872 Of
the Revised Statutes, which provides that
whenever the United States are invaded,
or are I'm imminent danger of invasion
from any foreign nation or Indian tribe
or Of rebellion against the authority Of
the Government of the United States, II
shall be lawful for the President to call
forth such number of the militia of the
State or states, most convenient to the
place Of danger or scene Of action, az he
may deem necessary TO repel such inVa-
sion, or TO suppress such rebellion
Other provisions Of law authorizing the
President TO call forth the militia of one
state for service in another may be found
in sections 52y7 and 52sS Of the Revised
Statutes.
What in many other States are called
the National Guard" we here call
"the Virginia Volunteers" or, "active
militia" But should they be called into
the service of the United States they
would be subject to the same regulations
as the troops of the United States, except
that courts-martial for the trial of militia
would be composed of militia officers only.
All officers above the rank of colonel
would be appointed by the President.
1t belongs exclusively to the President
to judge when the exgency arises in
which he has authority under the Con-
stitution to call forth the militia and
his decision is conclusive upon all persons.
After militia have been called forth and
have entered into the service of the
United States, their character changes
from State to National militia"
A more important question than that
decided by the Journal Of Commerce is
whether the President could order the
militia out Of this country. We find no
express provision Of law upon this sub
ject, but Congress has enacted that when
militia have been mustered into the ma
Ia 70
the same rules and regulations and arti-
cles Of war as are the troops Of the United
States" Yet militia have been known
to refuse TO cross the line. One such in
stance was in 1872, during our invasion
of Canada, when a considerable number
of New York militia refused to cross
Lake Ontario others, however, crossed
and did valiant service for their country.
So far as we know, the United States
has never yielded TO the idea
Of the country, but as far as possible It
has adopted the policy Of using them for
home service. In case Of war with Spain,
we doubt not that with such of the regu-
lars as could be spared, and volunteers
Offering for foreign service, we should
have all the men we needed for purposes
Of invasion; if not, the President and
Congress could put their powers to the
test. We, however, advise the Virginia
Volunteers not to be alarmed. 1t has
so happened that the territory of Vir-
ginia has been fighting ground in the
three great wars--that of the Revolution,
that Of 1872 and that Of 1876. Great
hostile fleets entered the Virginia capes
on each Of those occasions. Ne may, |
therefore, presume that in the event of |
trouble with Spain, our government |
would be careful to look after the de-
fences OF the Chesapeake Bay and Hamp- |
ton Roads. In that event, the services OF |
our volunteers would be needed at Old |
Point and in the vicinity of Norfolk.
We fancy that this would suit our boys |
much better than any other service they |
could be called upon to perform, but we |
TO say Virginia would also fur
lsh her due share Of volunteers for SER
vice anywhere they might be scnt-in
Cuba or in Spain.
There are very few Virginians who talk
IF war with levity. We all know-or, at
east, have heard from the lips of Gear
,nes--of its dark side In Richmond alone
here are $500 Confederate soldiers
graves. To this day there are blackened
walls and ash-heaps that tell the sad
story, of the evacuation fire Our Ines |
was great in lives, in property, in trade
md well we recall the anguish of the wo-
men as they read the bulletins from the
and saw the names of hus-
bands, sons, fathers, and brothers among
he killed or wounded.
We exhausted every resource of argu-
nent and persuasion before we went into
hat war, and costly as were its conse-
luences, we cannot regret that we fought
L. The principles we held we defended
with our best blood And we are ready
10 fly 10 arms again for a cause which
itself to Us. Bot when peace
Is broken let it be because it was no
longer consistent with national honor.
Let the war be a war for our country;
not for army contractors, or to bolster
up a tottering party.
--------,
This is the day OF the week for trouble
IN Habana. It's the day for public meet
ngs parades. and bull-fghts in the Gu
pan capital. IL there is to be an outbreak
If any sort there it is unfortunately La