In 1898, a group of white vigilantes carried out the only coup d'état in the history of the United States when they violently overthrew the newly elected bi-racial local government. Joining forces with local militias, they terrorized the city of Wilmington, North Carolina removing more than 100 Black government officials and murdering somewhere between 60 and 250 Black citizens. Fear of violent uprisings cause some in America to question our constitutional right to own and carry a gun. Imagine, today if the government were to provide most every able body man with a gun. This was not hard to imagine at the founding of our nation because colonial Americans feared a large standing army, much more than local militias. Today, the United States is one of only three countries that protect the right to bear arms in their constitutions (US, Mexico, and Guatemala). In 1835, President Andrew Jackson recognized this unique trait of having an armed citizenry. "In many countries it is considered unsafe to put arms into the hands of the people and to instruct them in the elements of military knowledge", wrote Jackson. So, what makes America different? Jackson had an answer for that. He continued, "That fear can have no place here when it is recollected that the people are the sovereign power. Our Government was instituted and is supported by the ballot box, not by the musket." Aye, there is the rub. In America, the power is in the hands of the people, not the government and almost 200 years later, we continue to use the ballot box, not our muskets to invoke change.
Despite being a well-respected General in the regular army, Jackson did not want to see the country replace the militia system with a large standing army. Unfortunately, by 1835, Jackson saw the State Militia system that served alongside the regular army in the War of 1812 was in collapse. The War of 1812 exposed inefficiencies and an overall ineffectiveness of the militia system as the irregulars were often routed in battle by British regulars. After the war, President Monroe urged Congress to address the lack of uniformity in the organization. Despite prior bills passed by Congress in 1820 that requiring the militia to be regulated under the same system of tactics as the Regular Army, about 2/3 of the volunteers in the Militia had not been provided any arms by the U.S. government. As America expanded westward, many states allowed their militias to become replaced by volunteer units, often armed by their own or private interests. In the American spirit, these militias represented the freedom of the states and the people and their fear of a standing army, but the lack of organization and uniformity was bringing the militia system to ruins.
Jackson was not ready to give up on the militia. He argued that a large standing army was not only dangerous to our freedoms, but an enormous expense. Yes, there was a need for a regular army to defend our nation in times of war, but Jackson urged Congress to consider a "small military force" augmented in times of danger by a volunteer militia organization. Jackson suggested the creation of a classification system of identifying individuals who could be called into action when needed either voluntarily or through other encouragements or inducements. Such a system would preserve the spirit of America, where we the people are sovereign. Other nations might consider the notion of arming and training it’s people "unsafe", but America is different. Freedom is in our fabric ("social institutions") and much change would be needed before "our political system can yield to physical force".
Here is Jackson's words from his 1835 State of the Union Address on the need to better organize the Militia System.
"Occurrences to which we as well as all other nations are liable, both in our internal and external relations, point to the necessity of an efficient organization of the militia. I am again induced by the importance of the subject to bring it to your attention. To suppress domestic violence and to repel foreign invasion, should these calamities overtake us, we must rely in the first instance upon the great body of the community whose will has instituted and whose power must support the Government. A large standing military force is not consonant to the spirit of our institutions nor to the feelings of our countrymen, and the lessons of former days and those also of our own times shew the danger as well as the enormous expense of these permanent and extensive military organizations. That just medium which avoids an inadequate preparation on one hand and the danger and expense of a large force on the other is what our constituents have a right to expect from their Government. This object can be attained only by the maintenance of a small military force and by such an organization of the physical strength of the country as may bring this power into operation whenever its services are required. A classification of the population offers the most obvious means of effecting this organization. Such a division may be made as will be just to all by transferring each at a proper period of life from one class to another and by calling first for the services of that class, whether for instruction or action, which from age is qualified for the duty and may be called to perform it with least injury to themselves or to the public. Should the danger ever become so imminent as to require additional force, the other classes in succession would be ready for the call. And if in addition to this organization voluntary associations were encouraged and inducements held out for their formation, our militia would be in a state of efficient service. Now, when we are at peace, is the proper time to digest and establish a practicable system. The object is certainly worth the experiment and worth the expense. No one appreciating the blessings of a republican government can object to his share of the burden which such a plan may impose. Indeed, a moderate portion of the national funds could scarcely be better applied than in carrying into effect and continuing such an arrangement, and in giving the necessary elementary instruction. We are happily at peace with all the world. A sincere desire to continue so and a fixed determination to give no just cause of offense to other nations furnish, unfortunately, no certain grounds of expectation that this relation will be uninterrupted. With this determination to give no offense is associated a resolution, equally decided, tamely to submit to none. The armor and the attitude of defense afford the best security against those collisions which the ambition, or interest, or some other passion of nations not more justifiable is liable to produce. In many countries it is considered unsafe to put arms into the hands of the people and to instruct them in the elements of military knowledge. That fear can have no place here when it is recollected that the people are the sovereign power. Our Government was instituted and is supported by the ballot box, not by the musket. Whatever changes await it, still greater changes must be made in our social institutions before our political system can yield to physical force. In every aspect, therefore, in which I can view the subject I am impressed with the importance of a prompt and efficient organization of the militia."
References
Presidency.ucsb.edu. 2020. Seventh Annual Message | The American Presidency Project. [online] Available at: <https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/seventh-annual-message-2> [Accessed 26 November 2020].
HISTORY. 2020. America’S Only Successful Coup D’Etat Overthrew A Biracial Government In 1898. [online] Available at: <https://www.history.com/news/wilmington-massacre-1898-coup> [Accessed 26 November 2020].
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