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THE MILITIA.

'l‘lII‘: passage of a Militia law by the Legislature of the State of Kentucky having
attracted considerable attention to the subject, a few words relative to the workings of the
Militia system in other countries may not be inappropriate.

The Militia, according to “Vebster, are bodies of soldiers enrolled for discipline, but,
not engaged in actual service except in case of emergency; being thus distinguished from
regular government soldiers, whose sole occupation is \ 'ar or constant military duty. The
Militia of a country are the able-bodied men organized into companies, regiments, and
brigades, with oflicers of all grades, and required by law to attend n'iilitary exercises on
certain days only, but at other times being left at liberty to pursue their usual occupations
as civilians.

in “merrie l‘lngland" during the days of the Saxons, the only military force was a
sort of Militia: certain 'given t‘aets of land being required to contribute for the general
protection a given number of men. Subsequent to the Norman conquest, land—holders
were compelled to provide men and arms for the, detense of the realm in case of invasion
being made, or threatened, in proportion to the 'alue of their estates. The men thus
obtained by levy were obliged to march to any part of the country that might be threatened
by danger. This continued until the reign of Edvard Ill, when it 1 'as decreed by law,
that no man thus forch to service should be compelled to go out of the county in which
he resided, except in 'times of great and actual public danger. Hne of the greatest
calamities that ever betell England had its chief origin in the niustering ot' the Militia:
Viz: In 1641 the British Parliament got under its control the entire military force of
England, and in 1642 the two houses passed a bill deereeing that all control of the Militia,

and of all forts, garrisons, and castles, should be vested in commissioners. King