Page:The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 Volume 2.djvu/391

 RECORDS OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION ThursJay MADISON as may be employed in the service of the U.S. reserving to the States respectively, the appointment of the officers, and authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed" -- 4 Mr Sherman moved to strike out the last member -- "and authority of training &c. He thought it unnecessary. The States will have this authority of course if not given up. Mr. Elsworth doubted the propriety of striking out the sentence. The reason assigned applies as well to the other reservation of the appointment to offices. He remarked at the same time that the term discipline was of vast extent and might be so expounded as to include all power on the subject. Mr. King, by way of explanation, said that by organizing the Committee meant proportioning the officers & men- by arming, speclfying the kind size and caliber of arms- & by di.wiplining prescribing the manual exercise evolutions &c. Mr. Sherman withdrew his motion Mr Gerry, This power in the U--S. as explained is making the States drill-sergeants. He had as lief let the Citi- zens of Massachusetts be disarmed, as to take the command from the States and subject them to the Genl Legislature. It would be regarded as a system of Despotism. Mr Madison observed that "arming" as explained did not did not extend to furnishing arms; nor the term "disciplin- ing" to penalties & Courts martial for enforcing them. Mr. King added, to his former explanation that arming meant not only to provide for uniformity of arms, but included authorit 7 to regulate the modes of furnishing, either by the militia themselves, the State Governments, or the National Treasury: that laws for disciplining must involve penalties and every thing necessary for enforcing penalties. Mr. Dayton moved to postpone the paragraph in order to take up the following proposition "To establish an uniform & general system of discipline for the Militia of these States and to make laws for organiz- l Upon this question, see above August 8, z, and zz, and below September x4 also Appendix A, CLVIII (52-55), CLXXV, CLXXXIX, CXCI, CCX, CCLXXII, CCCXV.

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