Volume 107, Page 465 View pdf image (33K) |
REPORT. The Minority Committee beg leave to submit the following report to the Bill reported by the Majority Committee, enti- tled, "an Act to repeal an Act for the organization and disci- pline of the Militia," passed March 10th, 1864. Large military organizations in times of peace are dange- rous to liberty, private as well as public morals, and should not be sanctioned by a free and republican government, ex- cept in cases of apprehended foreign or domestic danger. The civil war, which had assumed such gigantic proportions as to need the whole energies and resources of the country to suppress it, has now happily terminated. Those States which were in armed resistance have submitted to their au- thority, renewed their allegiance to the government, repealed their ordinances of secession, adopted the amendment to the Constitution upon the subject of slavery, elected their repre- sentatives to Congress, and now desire a reconstruction of the government on terms of fraternal equality. In view of such facts, and the universal desire of all good men and wise statesmen for the return of her citizens to the arts of peace and to the various pursuits and enterprises, which serve to make a great and happy nation, is it wise, is it good statesmanship, to grant large military appropriations far exceeding the appropriation of 1864, when actual war, then not exceeding ten thousand dollars, when we have the information upon reliable data, that all of our resources are now needed to relieve the State of her present embarrass- ments and to support her public credit? Believing that the Senate is not now prepared to sanction such amendments, and or the further reason that the amendments herein exclude |
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Volume 107, Page 465 View pdf image (33K) |
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