Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 October 1879 — A National Militia. [ARTICLE]

A National Militia.

Gen. Benet, Chief of Ordnance, in his annual report, makes a novel recommendation with respect to a national militia. He recommends the passage of such laws as will make an efficient national militia of some 200,000 men. The proposition in substance is that the militia of the several States, when they have arrived at a certain degree of efficiency, and have complied with certain conditions, may, according to the pleasure of the respective States, be enrolled as a national militia, in which case they shall be maintained at the expense of the General Government. The degree of efficiency is to be determined by the reports of officers to be called Inspectors of Militia, who shall be appointed partly from the regular army and partly from civil life. Col. Benet, the Chief of Ordnance, recommends that one-half shall be selected from among those who have served in the Union army and one-half from those who have served in the rebel army. This is the first time that a proposition of this kind has ever; proceeded from any bureau officer. To obviate any objections that might arise on the ground of State rights, it is proposed that any State shall be at liberty to withdraw its militia from the national enrollment in its own pleasure, subject to certain regulations. Among the conditions of admission to the national enrollment are that the State shall consent that, under certain circum stances, its militia shall be subject to the order of the General Government. Col. Benet recommends an appropriation of ♦4,000,000 to put into effect any law that may be enacted upon this subject.