Thoughts on Government
197
removed from their offices, and subjected to such other punishment as
shall be proper.
A militia law, requiring all men, or with very few exceptions besides
cases of conscience, to be provided with arms and ammunition, to be
trained at certain seasons; and requiring counties, towns, or other small
districts, to be provided with public stocks of ammunition and entrenching utensils, and with some settled plans for transporting provisions after the militia, when marched to defend their country against sudden invasions; and requiring certain districts to be provided with field-pieces,
companies of matrosses, and perhaps some regiments of light-horse, is
always a wise institution, and, in the present circumstances of our country, indispensable.
Laws for liberal education of youth, especially of the lower class of
people, are so extremely wise and useful, that, to a humane and generous
mind, no expense for this purpose would be thought extravagant.
The very mention of sumptuary laws will excite a smile. Whether our
countrymen have wisdom and virtue enough to submit to them, I know
not; but the happiness of the people might be greatly promoted by them,
and a revenue saved sufficient to carry on this war forever. Frugality is a
great revenue, besides curing us of vanities, levities, and fopperies, which
are real antidotes to all great, manly, and warlike virtues.
But must not all commissions run in the name of a king? No. Why may
they not as well r ո