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RIFLE CLUBS. .
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Hariis . Besides resident professors of high eminence , the Principal himself " bestows assiduous attention in proper examinations , and m teaching the Greek andXatin . classics , and communicating instruction jn the . mathematics ; , navigation , fortification , land surveying , botany , and Agricultural chemistry , with Courses of lectures , illustrati « g , by the use of his valuable collection of machinery , the chemical and physical wonders of modern science . " The maternal care of Mrs . H . is not wanting . The soil is dry and gravelly ; the park is beautiful , " adorned by fine groves of walnut and chesimt trees , and pleasant garden groundswith a rookery , fish-pond , and meandering trout-stream . It
, is sheltered from bleak winds by a picturesque range of hills , winch terminate near the Marchioness of Faelowland ' s residence . There is a touch of real genius about this allusion to a Peeress which gives an air of aristocratic romance to the whole establishment . What a blissful thought it must be to the parents of young Beown , or Jones , or Jenkins , to reflect that some / air daughter of the peeriige may catch sight of their lovely boy fishing on the banks of the meandering trout-stream . Who knows what might be the consequence ? We feel that the force of even pedagogal invention can rise to no higher flight , and drop the paper .
This question about schools and schoolmasters must be a very pressing and anxious one to many parents at this time of year . We are afraid the only advice we can give them , is to use the same rules about purchasing tuition as they would about purchasing any other article of trade or luxury ; , to pa } -, in fact , a good price for a good article . ; to distrust puffing instructors , and to look suspiciously at pedagogues who talk about the dignity of their office , and profess to be more than honest traders in honest teaching .
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IN advocating the formation of these clubs , reference is often made to the times when most Englishmen bore arms , and the bowwas a deadly instrument in almost every hand . But befoi * e concluding that the rifle can become in this age what the bow was to our ancestors , a little consideration is needed . When the bow was in general trse , the habits and employments of the people were very different from what they tiow are , Settled occupations were then rather tlie exception than the rule . Warwas what work now is . In hunting or warfare , the bow was to those who bore it but what any necessary tool is to the modern workman . People engaged in the irregular pursuits pertaining to a rude state of society , could devote much of their time to exercises of an irregular kind . Moreover the bow was an inexpensive weapon , and the other accoutrements were not necessarily uniform .
In these days , all this is changed . The employments of the people are more regular , in every respect . The majority are found in shops , factories , warehouses , < &c , toiling day by day , hour by hour , at businesses allowing but little intermission , and np irregularity . Farming is reduced to continuous work , instead of being carried on by fits and starts , " as formerly . Whether this machine-like process of modern life be not carried to excess is a question , but our object now is to remind our readers that it exists , and is unfavourable to the introduction of anything likely to interfere with its existence . Chiefly , no doubt , in consequence of the public being so engaged , whatever pertains to the protection of the nation or the preservation of the peace , either in its domestic or foreign aspects ,
lias become less and less the business of the community , and more especially the business of the Government . The old constabulary has been replaced by a police force , sufficient in itself to form a powerful army on any emergency . This fprce is well disciplined , equipped , and officered ; and , in not too few cases , is under the direct " control of ( he central Government . The army and navy have also been prodigiously developed ; and , leaving the Government absolute authority to keep these great powers in order , the country has kept back no cost , whenever they required supporting . Evidently , then , it is not considered the business of the people to take upon themselves to interfere with the national armaments , or to provide for those , duties which even the distribution of labour has assigned to special management . ¦ ' -
We have not pointed out these things as proof that rifle clubs are not required , but in order to help in elucidating the true duties and difficulties of the cuso , Those who read history , and reflect upon it , or thoso who look carefully into the mechanical lifo of modern society , will generally agveo that the athlutie and military habits of our ancestors , reproduced and modified according 1 to our present circumstances , would boa great national blessing . Military organization and oxerciso would tend to make our population moro vigorous and healthy , and would remove much of the physical deformity which sedentary occupations are inflicting on us , ami entailing on posterity . At the same tirnpi the self-reliance which would ho taught would abolish the epidemical panics that liavo latterly become
go prevalent ; while frequent participation m precautionary inoasnres would keep ua aware tli « t " security is mortals' greatest fop" is equally true , whether applied to nations or individuals , and would make us rtt once watchmen , or , if occasion arise , warriorri . Well may , wo . wish that the horrors of war may novel- bo brought to our own homos ; but while so wishing , it becomes us to ask ourselves why wo should bo spared , when Other inhabitants of the earth are so afflicted . Whether there bb or bo not any pressing 1 danger of invasion , the very wealth , dominion , and resources of this country will bo n standing temptation to an one my ; and it only remains to odd to these luxurious and lethargic hnbits , or olass quarrels , to
convert the temptation into an invitation and opportunity ; So long as the mastery of the world is considered worth struggling for , so-Ion " will the influence of a nation lead to proportionate attempts to overthrow it , arid that struggle will continue till the . Prince of Peace is himself enthroned . Without reference , then , to any particular pbwei-, it is only fit that when the signs of the times are full of evil auguries ; we should be prepared for the worst . The question before us now is only , how can we be most efficiently prepared in a worldly and warlike respect ? We shall take it for granted that the defence of the country ,, whether the people take it voluntarily upon themselves , or leave it to the usually constituted authorities , is the common cause , the duty , and the privilege Of all bur countrymen . Also it needs no argument to make it evident that the best defence would engage in it the greatest number of effective men who are " free , able , and willing" to serve ; or that , if the greatest number be too great , or if such number could not be equipped , the best plan would be to engage those who were the most > and exclude those who were the least , fit for service . Now , we believe that the present general rifle club movement does not accord with these truths . We have seen that the employments of a majority of people cub them off from any chance of ordinarily bearing arms after the fashion of our fathers . Any artisan or labourer who joins a rifle club volunteers , if not to risk his situation , at least to make sacrifice ^ of great part of his time , and , therefore , of his income . If he give eight days per annum to his volunteer duties , lie gives one-thirtyninth of his all ; and we arc bold to say that few working-men who discharge . their first duties to their families and neighbours , are in -a position to afford this . To many men engaged in business ,, absence would be even more injurious . But it is also required tliafc the volunteer provides his own uniform , at least , at a present outlay of from about £ 2 . and how many of the poorer classes can honestly spare such a sum out of their savings , even if they have it ? Practically , then , these classes , the most numerous amongst us , are excluded from the movement . The answer to this is , that those who can afford to volunteer need not therefore be hindered from doing so . We demur , however , to the proposition ,-that any class because it has money to . buy arms and time to . use . . them has a rightto arrogate to itself the performance of a duty common to the whole country . And , omitting the principle , the plan is equally objectionable as a matter of expediency . It is not to be . expected that some classes will patiently see other classes becoming 'proficient in the use of weapons which are withheld from them ; and such a course will inevitably bring about that mistrust and animosity at home which , is the greatest eiiemy to prosperity and peace . It is objectionable also as being an untrue representation to foreign powers of the . power and patriotism of the British people . After our fears having been trumpeted to the world by alarmist orators and a passionate press , and the eyes of Europe have been brought to see what would be the result of all the agitation which has taken place , shall it bo shown to them that some 30 , 000 or 40 , 000 only of the wealthy care for the : defence of the country ? If they find that in the hour of extremity , or expected extremity , only such a portion of the population cave to prepare themselves , what infereneecan they draw as to . the others , unlessthat either they are indifferent to the fate of their fatherland , or are so disaffected as to desire a change P And what greater encouragement coiild an enemy receive P Fortunately , however , there are less objectionable methods by jwhioh the defence of the country e » m be adequately provided for . Ifc is open to thoso who-desire to defend the country as a matter of grace , to adopt a plan which shall accord with the truths previously stated ; or , if they decline to adopt such plan , to allow the question to revert to tho Government , and let that be done by law which they find themselves unable , to do by grace . We helievo , however , that , volunteering , if necessary , maybe made a truly national movement . Instead of every man who desires to devote his money to the common cause spending it on tho equipment of his own person , let him subscribe to a common fund for the club in his own locality . Lot it be said to nil " good mon and true " who wish to join , " Here is room and a rifle , —if need he , recompense , " Let such a fund be ^ economically administered ,, . and if ifc be not sufficient for all who volunteer , let any preference n the use of it be given to those who are most able and anxious to servo , without regard to whatever class they may belong to . ' Such a course could not fail to bo ample evidence to the most prejudiced , that those who supported the measure were sincere in their purpose to servo their country in common . Party and class motives and numcQuvroB could not bo attributed to them with the least show of plausibility . It would disarm domostio demagogues , and convinceany foreign foo that we are hot yet disunited enough to full an easy prey . And there can ho little doubt but that for the samti expense a moro efficient force would bo forthcoming- than there will be it every volunteer spends his own money on himsolf . At all events , if volunteering cannot bo conducted in a perfectly patriotic spirit , nothing hue mischiof can ensue from private or class movements ; and the defence and dignity of the country will be more fitly left in charge of the Government , which , if it sees fit , can enrol and train IliUo Clubs itself , and apportion in taxes the sum ouch is to contribute to their support . To Rjflo Clubs , as opening 1 fresh sources of pnrado'ttnd pleasure ,, , our aversion is decided . We ontyadVooate their formation as necessary and useful national institutions , undertaken , in all seriousness for the common service of tho country , and to include alike rich and . poor , as tho old militia did . Such national institutions they must bo , or most assuredly , whether wo look at them as Patriots or as Christians , wo must count them worse than nothing .
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49 The Leader and SuturdmjrAnahjst . [ Jam : 14 / 1860 .
Rifle Clubs. .
RIFLE CLUBS .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 14, 1860, page 40, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2329/page/12/
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