5184. MILITIA, Classification.—[further continued] .
Against great land
armies we cannot attempt defence but by
equal armies. For these we must depend on
a classified militia, which will give us the
service of the class from twenty to twenty-six,
in the nature of conscripts, comprising
a body of about 250,000, to be specially
trained. This measure, attempted at a former
session, was pressed at the last, and might,
I think, have been carried by a small majority.
But considering that great innovations
should not be forced on a slender majority,
and seeing that the general opinion
is sensibly rallying to it, it was thought better
to let it lie over to the next session, when,
I trust, it will be passed.—
To General Armstrong. Washington ed. v, 281.
Ford ed., ix, 194.
(W.
May. 1808)
