Mr Elseworth & Mr Sherman moved to postpone the 2d clause in favor of the following
"To establish an uniformity of arms, exercise & organization for the militia, and to provide for the Government of them when called into the service of the U. States."
The object of this proposition was to refer the plan for the Militia to the General Govt but to leave the execution of it to the State Govts.
Mr. Langdon said he could not understand the jealousy expressed by some Gentlemen. The General & State Govts were not enemies to each other, but different institutions for the good of the people of America. As one of the people he could say, the National Govt is mine, the State Govt is mine. In transferring power from one to the other, I only take out of my left hand what it cannot so well use, and put it into my right hand where it can be better used.
Mr Gerry thought it was rather taking out of the right hand & putting it into the left. Will any man say that liberty will be as safe in the hands of eighty or a hundred men taken from the whole continent, as in the hands of two or three hundred taken from a single State.
Mr Dayton was against so absolute a uniformity. In some States there ought to be a greater proportion of cavalry than in others. In some places rifles would be most proper, in others muskets &c.
Genl Pinkney preferred the clause reported by the Committee, extending the meaning of it to the case of fines &c.
Mr Madison. The primary object is to secure an effectual discipline of the Militia. This will no more be done if left to the States separately than the requisitions have been hitherto paid by them. The States neglect their Militia now, and the more they are consolidated into one nation, the less each will rely on its own interior provisions for its safety & the less prepare its Militia for that purpose; in like manner as the militia of a State would have been still more neglected than it has been if each county had been independently charged with the care of its Militia. The Discipline of the Militia is evidently a National concern, and ought to be provided for in the National Constitution.
Mr L. Martin was confident that the States would never give up the power over the Militia; and that, if they were to do so, the militia would be less attended to by the Genl than by the State Governments.
Mr Randolph asked what danger there Could be that the Militia could be brought into the field and made to commit suicide on themselves. This is a power that cannot from its nature be abused, unless indeed the whole mass should be corrupted. He was for trammelling the Genl Govt whenever there was danger, but here there could be none. He urged this as an essential point; observing that the Militia were every where neglected by the State Legislatures, the members of which courted popularity too much to enforce a proper discipline. Leaving the appointment of officers to the States protects the people agst every apprehension that could produce murmur.