Memoirs of John Adams Dix; comp. by his son, Morgan Dix.

1830-1842.] EXPOSED SITUATION OF NEW YORK.

127

garded the militia of the United States, provided for by the
Constitution, as a strictly military institution, peculiar in its
character to the civil order of which it was designed to be
the protection and support; the aim being to arm and discipline every citizen, so as to be prepared to sustain, in all
emergencies, by the united force of the whole community, a
system established for the benefit of the whole. He did not
deny that there were defects in the militia system; his training as a soldier made him competent to discover them and
to suggest improvements; but his dread of a large standing
army is evident, and he considered that the true source of
national order and safety is the intelligence and patriotism
of the citizens. As to remedies, he thought that they must
be sought from Congress, and not from the State Legislatures; the general government had cognizance of the subject,
and the duty of the State organizations was to carry out
constitutional provisions, not to reverse or nullify them. In
this view of the paramount powers of Congress, and the propriety of looking to them for the necessary remedies for existing defects, the Legislatures of Massachusetts and Virginia
appear to have concurred.*
Referring to the peculiar local situation of the city of New
York, he speaks of the importance and value of that uniformed volunteer force which has now grown to our splendid " First Division:"
" Looking to external dangers," he observes, " the city, from
its exposed situation, should be covered by a more numerous
and better-trained force than would be required if its position
were more central. But the danger from abroad is not the
only one. Wherever great wealth is accumulated are sure to
be found those vices which seek an unlawful sustenance by
preying upon it. Great numbers of persons without visible

* The reader may refer, in this connection, to the report of General
Townsend and that of the Military Committee of the New York Legislature, in 1881.