MILITARY ACADEMY.

certainly require no more men than are sufficient to take charge of the munitions of war with which the fortresses are furnished. The second is important, and to be provided for in all events. The policy adopted towards the Indians, both in war and peace, has a tendency, to diminish the requisite amount of this force. Exemplary punishment upon any tribe committing aggressions, and compelling them to deliver up and place at the disposal of the government, the actual aggressors; at the same time giving to the Indians a fair price for their lands, and preventing intrusions upon their reservations, all have the effect of preventing further Indian hostilities, and relieving the country from the necessity of maintaining a military force on the frontier to any great extent. The recent exhibition of the power of the United States, to Black Hawk and his associates, had a tendency to the same result.

The Florida war may be considered an exception to the above remarks; it has occasioned much expense to the Government, and loss of life to our troops. It has been the most harrassing of all our Indian warfares, and the physical condition of the country has presented a powerful barrier to its speedy settle

ment.

It would seem almost unnecessary for this country, in forming an estimate of the military force proper for a peace establishment, to take into consideration the danger of a foreign war. No power on the continent of America, colonial or independent, is of sufficient magnitude to excite the least apprehension. An invasion from Europe is as little to be feared. The nations of that continent have full employment at home. Should any one be rash enough to attempt it, they would meet at the threshold strong fortresses at every exposed point, a navy adequate to protect the coast, and a million and a half of militia with arms in their hands ready to repel them. Presenting such a front, and acting upon the principle of doing equal and exact justice to all, and submitting to injury from none, the United States have nothing to fear.

During the pendency of the late controversy with Great Britain respecting the north-eastern boundary, two hundred men were stationed near Mars Hill, on the border of the disputed territory, to overlook the authorities of New Brunswick, and prevent further abuse to American citizens. The present amount of permanent force is sufficient for all the ordinary purposes of defence, and yet too small to be burdensome to the treasury, much less to endanger the liberties of the country.

MILITARY ACADEMY. As an important auxiliary to the national defence, the military academy at West Point was established in the year 1808. It is located on the west bank of the Hudson, in the county of Orange, and state of New York, fifty miles above the city of New York, and one hundred below the city of Albany, where the river passes through the highlands.

MILITARY ACADEMY.

It was one of the most important and strongly fortified posts during the war of the revolution. In the hands of the Americans, it kept open a communication between New England and New York, and the states to the south. In the hands of the British, it would enable them to cut off this communication in a great measure. It derives much celebrity, from being the place where Arnold's treason was detected, on the point of its consummation. The objects of this establishment, are to instruct a number of youthis from different sections of the United States in the science of war: to furnish candidates for vacancies in the army; to diffuse throughout the country military skill, and in case of actual war, to furnish the means of organizing an army with intelligent officers. An important incidental advantage of the institution is, the bringing together and educating in one seminary, youth from all sections of the country, thereby enabling them to form acquaintances, and to cherish mutual affections, calculated to strengthen the Union.

The military academy, as organized by the law of 1802, and re organized in 1812, consists of a corps of cadets, not to exceed two hundred and fifty, and of various professors with their assistants; there is also a chaplin ; equestrian exercises have also been introduced. The cadets are arranged into companies of non-commissioned officers and privates, for the purpose of military instruction. Four musicians are attached to each company, and the whole corps is instructed in all the duties of a private and of an officer; and of a regular encampment, for which latter purpose they are required to be in the field three months in a year. Candidates must be over fourteen and under twenty, and previously versed in reading, writing and arithmetic. They are required to sign articles, with the consent of their parents or guardians, engaging to serve five years unless sooner discharged. They have sixteen dollars a month, and two rations a day. When a cadet has received a regular degree from the academic staff, he is considered a candidate for a commission in any corps according to the duties he may be judged competent to perform; and if there be no vacancy, the president may attach him to such corps by brevet of the lowest grade, until a

vacancy occur.

When the academy is full, (as it usually is) it annually sends forth fifty young men, with a competent portion of military skill, into different parts of the community. By these means, a knowledge of the theory of war is preserved in time of peace, and diffused among the militia, at the same time a body is formed, from which an army may be readily organized in case of war. It is a happy substitute for the practice among European nations of permitting their officers to engage in foreign service. The chief engineer is ex officio inspector of the academy. It is also visited annually by about twenty gentlemen, charged with the duty of holding a strict examination of the cadets, on the

MILITIA.

subject of their studies; also of examining into the general condition of the institution, of reporting any defects or delinquencies in any of its departments, and suggesting improvements. They usually spend about three weeks in the discharge of their duties, and are required to make report to the secretary of war. The selection of cadets is made by that officer, under the direction of the president. One is usually taken from each congressional district, and the remainder promiscuously, without reference to the place of residence.

The further continuance of this institution is opposed on the ground that the prospect of any future war is so remote, as to render this a useless and unnecessary expenditure, and also that it is a powerful instrument of executive influence; the berth of a cadet being eagerly sought after, and usually bestowed where it will have the greatest political effect.

MILITIA. The great instrument of national defence in the United States, is their militia, consisting of every able bodied white male citizen, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, with certain exceptions, and amounting, in 1842, to 1,668,357. No subject presented more real difficulties in its adjustment, to the framers of the constitution, than that of the militia; none more perplexing in its operation. The duties of protecting the United States from foreign invasion and domestic insurrection, and executing the laws of the union, devolved on the general government; this required the command of the physical force of the nation. The states were unwilling to give it up, and a middle course was taken. The 8th section of the first article confers on Congress certain specific powers relating to the militia; it ordains that "Congress shall provide for calling them forth, to execute the laws of the union, to suppress insurrections, and repel invasions, for organizing, arming, and disciplining them, and for governing them when in the actual service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress." The second congress under the constitution, in 1792, passed an act professedly in execution of this part of the constitution; the act, with its supplements, required that every able bodied white male citizen within the specified ages, resident in the several states, with certain exceptions, should be enrolled in the militia, equip himself, and do a certain portion of military duty yearly; and that the militia of each state should be arranged into companies, regiments, brigades, and divisions, and officered by the several states. This act, depending upon the state legislatures for its execution, was complied with in whole, in part, or not at all, according to the sovereign pleasure of the states. The United States not having the appointment of the officers, had no control over them, and could not punish them

NAVY.

for neglect or disobedience of orders. When they had occasion for the services of the militia, application was necessarily made to officers not of their own appointment, and in nowise responsible to their authority: they would therefore comply, or not, according to their pleasure; and nothing short of a resort to the sword, or civil war, could compel a compliance. The incidents which have attended the occasional calls of the militia by the general government, show the utter inefficiency of any system where one body enacts laws relying upon another independent body for their execution.

As early as the year 1808, Congress passed an act for gradually arming the whole militia of the United States, and made an annual appropriation for that purpose. This has been

expended partly in establishing manufactories of arms, and partly in purchasing musketry, which have been distributed to the states in proportion to the returns of the militia.

NAVY. The subject of a naval force early attracted the attention of the government. At its commencement it had nothing which could be called a marine. The war of the revolution had been commenced, carried on, and successfully terminated, without a navy to any extent. The few vessels which Congress had employed during the war, were disposed of, or suffered to go to decay after the peace. The condition of the country from 1783 to 1789, prevented any efforts towards the creation of a marine; although the constantly extending commerce of the country required one. During the first term of General Washington's administration so many other important subjects pressed themselves upon the consideration of Congress, that little was done regarding a navy. The first act for procuring ships of war, was passed in 1794. Its immediate object was to protect the Mediterranean trade against the Algerine piracies. It authorized the president to provide by purchase or otherwise, and to equip and employ, four ships of 44 guns, and two of 36. It also provided that in case peace should take place with Algiers, no further proceedings should be had under the act. Such peace did take place in 1795, before the ships were procured. The act, notwithstanding this restriction, which its advocates hoped to get rid of, was intended to lay the foundation for a permanent navy; and on this question the parties, federal and antifederal, divided; the former maintaining that the best interests of the United States required, that at the earliest possible period they should provide a navy adequate to guard the coast, and protect commerce; the latter claiming that the period had not yet arrived, when it was proper to provide a navy; that a small one, such as was within the power of the United States to provide, could be of no essential service, and in case of war would only fall a victim to its more powerful adversary; that it would be more likely to occasion than to prevent wars; and that

ITS CONDITION IN 1812.

incumbered as the United States then were, with the whole debt of the revolution, it was folly to incur the great additional expense of a navy. As the immediate professed object, it was cheaper, they contended, to buy a peace with Algiers, or purchase the protection of some naval power, than to incur this expense. As was usual at this period, the principles of the federalists prevailed. The act passed by a considerable majority. By an act of April, 1796, the president was authorized to continue the building and equipment of two forty-fours, and one thirty-six; and the frigates United States, Constitution, and Constellation, were built under this act, and equipped, and manned under another of July, 1797. The warlike attitudes assumed against France in 1798, led to an increase of the naval force. Twelve vessels of twenty-two guns each, were directed to be purchased and put into immediate service. Two successful encounters with the ships of that nation rendered the navy popular; its affairs were then placed under the direction of a new department, with a principal officer denominated the Secretary of the navy. By an act of February, 1815, a board of navy commissioners were appointed to aid the secretary in the discharge of his duties, and under his directions to do most of the business appertaining to the office. The board consists of three commissioners, whose salarics, with their secretary, clerks, draughtsman and messenger, amount to $23,450.

The political revolution of 1801, placed the government in the hands of those who were opposed to a permanent navy. Their principles of harbor defence, as explained by Mr. Jefferson, were gun boats, and moveable land batteries, which might readily be brought to bear upon any point of an assailing foe. The Barbary piracies having ripened into a war with Tripoli, soon after the commencement of Mr. Jefferson's administration rendered a respectable naval force necessary in the Mediterranean.

ITS CONDITION IN 1812. At the commencement of the war in 1812, the American navy consisted of ten frigates from thirtytwo, to forty-four guns, ten small vessels of war, and one hundred and sixty-five gun boats; while that of their enemy amount. ed to a thousand ships of war, upwards of one hundred of which were ships of the line of the first class. The events of that war united all parties in favor of a navy. They may be stated in few words. The American ships never shunned an enemy of equal force, and never met one but with success. The meeting of the Chesapeake with the Shannon is not an exception. The whole number of British vessels captured and sent into port, or destroyed during that war, exclusive of re-captures, was sixteen hundred and thirty-four, carrying three thousand one hundred and thirteen guns, and twelve thousand two hundred and fifteen One hundred and seventy of these captures were by public ships of war, and the residue by privateers. As the cap

men.