rs or
encampments.[J]

4. There should be a national Inspector-General of Militia, appointed by
the War Department, with Assistant-Inspectors-General for the different
States,--all to be Regular-Army officers, if possible, thus securing
uniformity of drill and discipline.[K]

The recent transformation of our array is almost as startling as the
changes which followed the Revolution and the War of 1812. After the
Revolution, there were retained in service "twenty-five privates to
guard the stores at Fort Pitt, and fifty-five to guard the stores at
West Point and other magazines, with an appropriate number of officers."
After the War of 1812, the army was cut down from thirty-five thousand
to six thousand. It behooves us, who have just seen a far grander host
melt away almost as rapidly, to turn our eyes forward to the next
national peril, and be prepared. The coming session of Congress should
give us, partly by edict, partly by recommendation, a system that will
put the mass of our young men inside instead of outside the class of
trained militia; exchanging our town-meetings-in-uniform for an
effective force, and all our Blanks for prizes.

FOOTNOTES:

[G] "Much has been said of the advantages of a West Point education. If
it is supposed to include any extensive reading of military works, the
mistake is great. Four years, commencing commonly at sixteen, a large
part of which is devoted to mathematics and their kindred sciences,
gives little time for such reading. The possession of a thorough
knowledge of elementary mathematics is common also to many civilians.
The two real advantages are: first, habits acquired in early life, which
give an appreciation of discipline as to its essentials, the importance
of its minutiae, a faith in its effects, and an acquaintance with the
word MUST; second, the study of those parts of the science of arms which
constitute its ABC a like early period. This study resembles the ABC of
the primer. A revolting drudgery to many minds, it is best gone through
with before life is fairly entered upon. When begun later, it will
likely be more or less shirked, and the want of a thorough basis will
give a superficial character to after-practice. Were the cadets to enter
at twenty-five, their military education would lose one half its
value."--_Essay on "The Discipline and Care of Troops," from "Army and
Navy Journal," Oct. 22, 1864._

[H] "If a militia is indispensable, service should be required