When its firft beams the eaftern hills adorn ; So fweetly blooming once that lovely boy, His father's hope, his mother's only joy, Nor charms nor innocence prevail to fave, From the grim monarch of the gloomy grave! Two moons revolve when lo! among the dead The beauteous infant lays his weary head: For long he firove the tyrant to withfland, And the dread terrors of his iron hand; Vain was his ftrife, with the relentles power, His efforts weak; and this his mortal hour; He Jinks he dies...celeftial mufe, relate, His fpirit's entrance at the facred gate. Methinks I hear the heav'nly courts refound, The recent theme inipires the choirs around. His guardian angel with delight unknown, Hails his blefs'd charge on his immortal "Too quickly Bed, ah? never to re turn." Thee, the vain vifions of the night reftore, Illufive fancy paints the phantom o'er; -Fain would we clasp him, but he wings his fight; Deceives our arms, and mixes with the night; But oh! fupprefs the clouds of grief that roll, Invading peace, and dark'ning all the foul. Should heaven reflore him to your arms again, Opprefs'd with woes, a painful endless train, How would your prayers, your ardent wishes, rife, Safe to repofe him in his native fkies. State lishment,that before any plan can with propriety be adopted, it is neceffary to enquire, what powers exift for that purpose in the confederation, By the 5th claufe of the 9th article, the United States in Congress affembled are empowered generally (and without mention of peace or war) "to build and equip a navy--to agree upon the number of land forces, and to make requisitions from each State for its quota,in proportion to the num ber of white inhabitants in each State; which requifition fhall be binding, and thereupon the legislature of each State hall appoint the regimental officers, raise the men, and cloath, arm, and equip them in a foldier-like manner, at the expence of the United States; and the officers and men fo cloathed, armed, and equiped, fhall march to the place appointed, and within the time agreed on by the United States in Congrefs affembled." By the 4th claufe of the fame article, the United States are empowered "to appoint all officers of the land forces, except regimental officers--to appoint all officers of the naval forces, and to commiffion all officers whatever in the fervice of the United States, making rules for the government and regulation of the faid land and naval forces, and directing their operations." By the 4th claufe of the 6th article, it is declared that "po veffels of war fhall be kept up by any State in time of peace, except fuch number only, as thall be deemed neceffary by the United States in Congrefs allembled, for the defence of fuch State, or its trade; nor fhall any body of forces be kept up by any State, in time of peace, except fuch number only, as in the judgment of the United States in Congress affembled, fhall be deemed. requifite to garrifon the forts neceffary for the defence of fuch State." It appears to the Committee, that the terms of the fourth clause are rather reftri&ive on the particular States, than directory to the United States, intended to prevent any State from keeping up any force, land or naval, without the approbation and fanation of the union, which might endanger its tranquility and harmony, and not to contravene the pofitive power vefted in the United States by the fubfequent claufes, or to deprive them of the right of taking fuch precautions as fhould appear to them effential to the general fecurity. A diftin&ion that this is to be provided for in time of war, by the forces of the union, in time of peace, by those of each State, would involve, befides other inconveniences, this capital one, that when the forces of the union fhould become neceffary to defend its rights, and repel any attacks upon them, the United States would be obliged to begin to create, at the very moment they would have occafion to employ, a fleet and army. They muft wait for an a&ual commencement of hoftilities, before they would be authorifed to prepare for defence, to raise a single regiment, or build a fingle fhip. When it is confidered what a length of time is requifite to levy and form an army, and ftill more to build and equip a navy, which is evidently a work of leifure and of peace, requiring a gradual preparation of the means, there cannot be prefumed fo improvident an intention in the confederation, as that of obliging the United States to fufpend all provifion for the common defence, till a declaration of war, or an invafion. If this is admitted it will follow that they are at liberty to make fuch eftablishments in time of peace, as they fhall judge requifite to the common fafety. This is a principle of fo much importance, ia the apprehenfion of the committee, to the welfare of the union, that if any. doubt fhould exift as to the meaning of the first mentioned clause, it will, in their opinion, be proper to admit, fuch a conftruction, as will leave the general power, vefted in the United States. States by the other claufes, in full force; unless the States refpe&ively, or a majority of them, fhall declare a different interpretation. The committee however fubmit to Congreís (in conformity to that fpirit of candour, and to that refpe& for the fenfe of their confituents, which ought ever to characterife their proceed ings) the propriety of tranfmitting the plan which they may adopt to the feveral States, to afford an opportu nity of fignifying their fentiments, previous to its final execution. The committee are of opinion, if there is a conftitutional power in the United States for that purpose, that there are conclufive reafons in favour of fodral, in preference to State efta blishments. Firft, There are objects for which feparate provifion cannot conveniently be made pofts within certain diftri&s,the jurifdiction and property of which are not yet conflitutionally afcertained, territory appertaining to the United States, not within the original claim of any of the States-the navigation of the Miffifippi and of the lakes the rights of the fisheries, and of foreign commerce; all which belonging to the United States, depending on the laws of nations, and on treaty, demand the joint protection of the union, and cannot, with propriety, be trufed to feperate eRabliments. Secondly, The fortifications proper to be eftablished, ought to be confructed with retution to each other, on a general and well digefted fyftem; and then, defence fhould be calculated on the fame principles. This is equal ly important in the double view of fafety and economy. If this is not done under the direction of the United States, each State following a partial and disjointed plan, it will be found that the pots will have no mutual dependence or fupport, that they will be improperly diftributed, and more numerous than is neceffary, as well as leis efficacious--of courfe more easily reduced, and more expensive both in the conftruction and defence. Thirdly, It happens, that from loal circumftancés, particular States, if left to take care of themfelves, would be in poffeffion of the chief part of the ftanding forces, and of the principal fortified places of the union a circumftance inconvenient to them, and to the United States; to them, because it would impofe a heavy exclusive burthen in a matter, the be nefit of which will be immediately flared by their neighbours, and altimately by the States at large--to the United States, because it confides the care of fafety of the whole to a part which will naturally be unwilling as well as unable to make fuchTM effectual provifion at its particular expence, as the common welfare res quires because a Apgle State from the peculiarity of its fituation, will in a manner keep the keys of the United States becaufe in fine, a confiderable force in the hands of a few States,may have an unfriendly alpect on the confidence and harmony which ought carefully to be maintained between the whole. Fourthly, It is probable that a pro vifion by the United States of the forces neceffary to be kept up, will he made upon a more fyftematic and @conomical plan, than a provifion by the States feperately, efpecially as it will be of importance as foon as the fituation of affairs will permit, to ef tablish founderies, manufactories of arms, powder, &c. by means of which the labour of a part of the troops applied to this purpofe, will furnish the United States with thofe effential articles on eafy terms, and contribute to their own fupport. Fifthly, There must be a corps of artillery and engineers kept on foot in time of peace as the officers of this corps require fcience and long preliminary fudy, and cannot be formed on an emergency and as the neglect of this inftitution would always oblige the United States to have recourfe to foreigners in time of war, for a fupply of officers in this effential branch, an inconvenience which it ought to be the object of every nation to avoid...nor indeed is it poffible to difpenfe with the fervice of fuch a corps in time of peace, as it will be indifpenfible, not only to have pofts on the frontiers, but to have fortified harbours for the reception and protection of the fleet of the United States. This corps requiring quiring particular inftitutions for the inftruction and formation of the offf: cers, cannot exift upon feperate eftablifhments, without a great increase of expence. Sixthly, It appears from the annexed papers, No. 1 to 4, to be the concurrent opinion of the Commander in Chief, the Secretary at War, the Infpector General and the Chief Engineer, not only that fome military eftablifiment is indifpenfable, buť that it ought in all refpects to be under the authority of the United States, as well for military as political reafons. The plan hereafter fubmit red on confideration of economy is fefs extenfive than propofed by ei ther of them. The Committee upon thefe principles fubmit the following plan: The military Peace Eftablishment of the United States to confift of four regiments of infantry, and one of artillery, incorporated in a corps of engineers, with the denomination of the Corps of Engineers. Each regiment of Infantry fo conft of two battalions, each battalion of tour companies, each company of fixty-four rank and file; with the following commiflioned and non commiffioned officers, pay, rations, and cloathing to be however recruited to one' hundred and twenty eight rank and file in time of war, preferving the pro portion of corporals to privates. STATE of a REGIMENT of INFANTRY. કંપ Cloathing to noncommiffioned officers and privates, once in two years, I cloth coat I do. jacket, 1 pair cloth overalls; yearly, linnen frock, 1 pair of linnen overalls, A. The pay of thefe three ranks te high in proportion, for thefe reafons: it makes the increase of pay does not add much to the aggregate expence ; and in its confequences, conduces to œconomy; for the hope of attaining to thofe ranks induces thofe ininferior grades to be content with fmall pay and those being numeTous, there is a faving upon the whole. It ought alfo to be obferved that in the pay is included fubfiftence--that is the value of the extra rations heretofore allowed to officers, which makes the difference not fo great between the prefent and former pay, as it at first appears. B. The pay of the fubalterns is confiderably lower than formerly---inftead of Enfigns, fecond Lieutenants are propofed, because the enfign is properly (peaking,the ftandard bearer, and one ftanderd bearer or enfign to each battalion is fufficient, who may be taken out of the fecond lieutenants; the regimental ftaff are alfo to be tak en out of this clafs, because its pay is the loweft; and becaufe the having ferved in thefe offices will better qualify officers for the fuperior ftations. It is neceffary to have an extra number of officers for these purposes, be caufe three officers to a company fol large as is here proposed are not more than fufficient, and none can be taken away without injury to the fervice: And there is befides, an obvious propriety that whatever number of officers may be deemed neceffary to command a company, fhould ferve in it, and none be detached for any other purpofe. It may be remarked here. that the companies are large, which will have two good effc&s--it will promote economy by having a frmaller proportion of officers to a given number of men, and it will render their commands more refpectable. C. It is to be defired that each battalion fhould be as complete in itself as poffible, in cafe of one being detached from the other; and as the battalions are large, one of each of thefe inferior flaff to a ¡Attalion will find full employment. D. The proportion of corporals will be as one to feven; this will be found beneficial in several ways-the number of corporals, who, from the circumftance of being diftinguished from the others, having a better opinion of themselves, will of course be better foldiers, and being mixed with the others, will render the whole better; every feven men alfo being put conftantly under the direction of a particular corporal, to be answerable for the good behaviour of his fquad, will have a happy influence on difċipline and good order. The corps of engineers to confift of one regiment, or two battalions of artillery; each battalion confifting of four companies; each company of fixty-four rank and file; and of a corps of artificers, with the following commiffioned and non-commiffioned officers, pay and other emoluments. |