was never issued by Lord Wellington nor Napoleon Bonaparte,
and could not have been conceived of by its author, but for his
unbounded confidence in the officers and men, under his com-
mand." It may be truly said that this, with other numerous
brilliant victories so easily attained by our small army, were never
equalled since the dawn of national strife, and in the language of
an early saying, terminated "in conquering a peace," in a blaze
of glory. In these grand exploits without taking into account
other inestimable testimonies, are developed ample illustrations of
the correctness of a favorite theory long cherished by me, that an
Academy in every State of the Union, like that at West Point,
or collegiate instruction, I would prefer the latter, because more
simple, attended with less outlay, and of its insuring a more ap-
propriate spread of benefits, would be far better suited to the re-
publican system of Government, disposition and habits of our
people, than any other mode of tuition hitherto thought of by
those who direct the affairs of State—in a word, vastly superior
to all our exploded nondescript militia laws, enacted from the
foundation of our Government down to the present time.

The absolute necessity of collegiate instruction being given to
militia officers and men, were beautifully enforced by General
Pierce, late President of the United States; notwithstanding his
early constitutional scruples in reference to the West Point Aca-
demy; on his return from Mexico, at the reception meeting given
him at Concord, New Hampshire, when he declared "that the
city of Mexico, could not have been entered in the way it was,
but for the intelligence and science of the officers of the old army.
Services were rendered by the topographical engineers and or-
dinance, which could not have been rendered, but by men who
had received the most complete military education." Maryland
wants just such officers and militiamen, to be in readiness for any
emergency, and either of the methods suggested, would answer
as an available substitute, for our sickly inoperative bundle of
laws. Does not every one of experience who has bestowed any
reflection upon this vital subject, acknowledge that the original,
and various supplementary provisions for training the militia from
an early date to the present time; amount to nothing more than a
dead letter upon our statute book.

It is to guard against lurking danger that we rely upon, and
are accustomed to talk of the militia in this land of political free-
dom, as a shield for her cherished institutions; and shall we longer
forbear to abandon the old, and refuse to adopt some new system,
characteristic of the age, and in harmony with the spirit of our con-
stitution. All circumstances considered, I cannot conceive a
project, so well calculated every way, for the protection of our
commonwealth, as it would be to round off our civil and military
code, in the enactment of a statute, embracing my favorite plan
of State defensive armor.

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