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SlR- At a large and influential public meeting held in this Town, on the I5th inst., relative to the formation of Rifle Associations, Dr. Howitt read an address on the general formation of such Associations with regard to the defence of these Provinces. The meeting approved of his views, and unani- mously passed the following resolutions : Resolved — " That this meeting cordia'ly approve of the general fea- tures of the scheme propounded by Dr. Howitt for the formation of Rifle Associations, and that with the view of carrying it into effiect, a committee comjiosed of the following gentlemen are requested and empowered to com- municate with the Militia Department, and report at a subsequent meeting what are the views of the Department with respect to such organization : — Peter Gow, Esq., Mayor, D. Stirton, Esfj., M. P. P., Geo. Elliott, Esq., ex- Warden, H.W. Peterson, Esq.. Reeve, Messrs. W. S. G. Knowles, John Har- ris, jr., G. B. Fraser, A. A. Baker, E. Newton, James Hazelton, E. Morris, Judge Macdonaid and the mover, with power to add to their number." Resolved — " That the committee circulate the scheme propounded by Dr. Howitt in such a way as may be most advisable, with the view of pro- curing the co-operation of other parts of the Province, to facilitate its de- velopement and general adoption." This Committee met on Tuesday evening last, when D. Stirton, Esq., M. P. P., acting as Chairman, and E. Newton, Esq., as Secretary, the following resolution was proposed and carried unanimously : Resolved—" That 1,000 copies of the address of Dr. Howitf on the formation of Rifle Associations for the defence of the country be print'"d in pamphlet form forthwith, and that copif^s be sent to the Members of both branches^ of the Legislature, the editors of all the leading newspapers in the Province, Captains of volunteer companies, and heads of municipalities, soliciting their co-operation in the movement, and that George Elliott, (ex- Warden), A. A. Baker, J. Gow, Esqs., and the Secretary, bo a sub- committee to see the foregoing carried into effiBCt." We, the undersigned members of the sub-committee, therefore earnestly desire to call your attention to the views embodied ii the following address. The scheme propounded is not regarded, either by its author or by our- selves, as perfect. But we believe that it is only by the adoption of some such plan as is here fore-shadowed, that the country can attain that sense of security which is so desirable. We solicit your co-operation in the mat- ter, and would thankfully receive any suggestions, or modifications, that would lead to its more perfect develo)^)ement, and to its speedy adoption. — We may state that should the public generally give it that approval which it has universally elicited in this County, it will soon be turned to practical account. GEORGE ELLIOTT, A. A. BAKER, JAMES GOW, EDWIN NEWTON. t '.M^:: r v M'-'.' ^Wi ^"Sv' ^ >t .-'*<>;[ ,V> n') .iriifj »;> tilJ ni; ,»»/,'»'r i^fi!) fit f){fir!iv ■ hf]m hhtoH .iff ,f!uoi±fii^)^ik '/WH"! ■rtrT'ifrRin bfr; -vVj, f ... f .1 ! .11. ;■' ; l-i iff.-M j.jj; r, . ■■;ii- . I .() .•iffl •lilt jtiwf <5 ,i<' 'Xtp'}'»Ah III ^ mi' .1 -Hi J ]■ k-MjU !•■(!' ■ i.'i. t;;ui .1 ollot .51 ■•(■! :♦".! '. :"'J. .til* 1 .r I, Air 4®®mi ^ ON THE FORMATION OF RIFLE ASSOCIATIONS FOR DEFENSIVE PURPOSES, DELIVERED IN THE TOWN HALL, GUELPII, ON WEDNESDAY EVENING, THE 15X11 OF AUGUST, 1866, ^■» Mi: Chaitman and Gentlemen. The people of these Proyinces, with few exceptions, are inspired with a profound feeling of love for Great Britain, and for the land which they inhabit. The good and glorious sentiment prevails that we owe a debt of gratitude to the former, and possess privileges in the latter which nei- ther persuasion nor coercion will ever in- duce us to forget or surrender. " England and Canada " is our cry and watchword. Actuated by this feeling, the most earn- est desire pervades all classes to see this country placed in such a position that it not only shall have nothing to fear from the fiUibustering incursions of a few mis- erable Fenians, but that our birthright shall be secure even though we should have to contend against that gigantic pow- er from which alone we have anything to dread. In other words, if in the inscru- table dispensations of Providence war should ever arise with the United States, the most anxious desire is, that our de- fensive arrangements may be so perfected that we may come out of the straggle without losing a jot of our rights or sur- rendering a foot of our territory. There are a few among us who, relying on the strong arm of Fatherland, see o great ne- cessity for extensive defensive pre.^arations There are a few, too, who may be desig- nated as the no-danger men ; who ridicule all defensive preparations as absurd, be- cause the chances of war, they consider, are so remote as not to be calculated on in the chapter of accidents. Likewise there are a few who^ though ardently attached to British institutions and to British con- nection, believe it would be futile to con- tend with a tremendous power like that of the American Union. The influence of these parties— insignificant though they be — is prejudicial to our safety. To the first I feel free to state, that no matter how mighty and terrible would be British prow- ess, backed by Britain's vast resources, it is simply preposterous to imagine that Ca- nada would not be wrested from her grasp if Canadians failed in their duty. As re- gards the second, I shall content myself with saying, that if this country is to con- tinue forever in a state of peace, we shall constitute the first example in the history of the world of a people existing in close proximity to a great and ambitious nation, that had not to struggle for its existence. To return an answer to the third party will involve an examination of the very questi- on for the consideration of which we have met this evening, namely, How is this coun- try to be successfully defended ? I think it will be generally conceded by those who have made this question a matter of serious thought and r neotion, that the resources of these proviu/ts are too limited to keep up a sufficient nuiitary organiza- tion to render them secure against any- thing beyond a mere filibustering invasion ; that if war should ever unhappily occur, ou/ only safety would be in the resistance which the masses — the bone and sinew of the country— could ofier to the ag^essive foe. Let it not for a moment be inferred that there is the slightest desire to dis- parage the present volunteer organization, or that under the contingency just men- tioned, that organization would rail to ren- der not only essential but indispensable service. On the contrary, it is abundantly apparent that without some such an organi* zation all effort for defensive purposes would almost inevitablv end in confusion and failure. Our volunteer companies are rapidly becoming well drilled — capable of taking the field and rendering services lU f C 92 equiil to those of soldiers of the line. — And to say that such men upon the field Turould not i trove more elFective than men just taken from the plough or the workshop is too absurd for consideration. But what we contend for is, that no mat- ter how eflective may he our volunteers, they, though aided by such troops as Great Britain may maintain in the provin- ces, or be enabled to dispatch to our as- sistance, must ever prove an inadequate force to contend with a power capable of putting hundreds of thousands in the field. Against such a numerous foe what would be 26,000 or 30,000 volunteers and as many troops of the line ? The odds are so tiemendous as to render the result too paintuUy certain. With this startling and momentous fact constantly forcing itself on the mind, all earnest men who love their country and estimate at their proper value the privileges they possess are inces- santly asking themselves the auestion— How is it possible to prepare these provin- ces so that in the terrible event of war they would bo enabled to come out of the contest with success? And the answer which suggests itself to almost every one is that some scheme must be devised to render the whole force of the country in some measure efiicient and available. But to show how this is to be done as far as I am aware no method has been publicly propounded. The population of the pro- vinces is comparatively small, and conse- quently the greater necessity of having uie inhabitants prepared to resist aggres- sion to the best advantage. On the other hand the resources are extremely limited, consequently the difliculty of maintaining ade()uate preparation. This is the dilem- ma in which we are placed. We want to be defended, and we want to avoid expense as far* as is consistent with our satety. Not only do wo want to avoid direct put- lay, but we require to economise time, and hence the impossibility of pushing the volunteer movement beyond a lim- ited extent, since the necessary drill to which volunteer companies are subjected consumes more time than is at the aispos- al of the bulk of the inhabitants. We know that the preparations, to be of ser- vice, must be extensive, and we likewise know that our pecuniary resources arc small. We want to develope the greatest amount of resisting force at the least pos- sible outlay. In a word, we want to be safe without becoming bankrupt. Can this be elFected ? I, for my part, think it can. It is an acknowledged fact, that in pro- portion as the inhabitants of a country are accustomed to the use of arms the dif- ficulty of conquest is increased : and it would not be hard to prove that the most eflective weapon for purposes of defence, especially in a country like ours (possessing many natural advantages, which woula afford cover and protection for the defen- der,) is the rifle. During the American revolution this was fully exemplified, as well as during the war of 1812. Secreted in the forest and behind such barricades as a wooded country always supplies, the men who from their childhood had, through necessity, become habituated to the use of the rifle, proved in many in- stances more than a match for the thor- oughly trained regular soldier. And when these provinces were invaded in 1812 it was owing to the same circumstances that the Canadian back - woodsman rendered such essential service. These two instances show that for defen- sive i)urposes the rifle has proved a most effective weapon, and a thorough ac(iuaint- ance with its use has made even untrained men— while simply acting on the defen- sive, in some respects as effective as those who have been subjected to all the minu- tiae of drill. Now, if a knowledge of the use of the old-fashioned muzzle loading rifle has proved so advantageous to the defender, may we not safely predict that such knowledge of the present improved breech-loading weapon will secure to him at least equal advantages. Indeed^ it re- quires but a moment's consideration to convince us that ho would be rendered three-fold more effective against the in- vader, even though that invader were armed with the same weapon. Acting on the defensive, partial protection at least against the bullets of the foe can generally be secured, and one man thus protected, with a rifle cajjable of firing six or seven shots in a minute, would be equal to three or four men though similarly armed, who had to expose themselves to dislodge him from his position. I think it may be laid down as a principle, that the more perfect the rifle is rendered, the greater will be the difficulty of conquering a people who know how to handle it. When I first read of that terrible weapon known as " Gale's patent," and the equally terrible Snider gun, capable of discharging 15 or IG shots a minute, it became clear to me that this country might look with confid- ence to the future, and be rendered safe 3 were against all " comers," provided the people would make an earnest endeavor to se- cure the means of defence which Provid- ence has placed within their reach. With a hundred and fifty thousand such rifles in the hands of a hundred and fifty thousand men who knew how to handle them, with such trained forces as are now organized or beingorganized, together with the assist- ance Fatherland would be able and willing to send us, we could hold our own against any power in the world. If this be a fact, and I think it is, surely it ou^ht to stimu- late every patriotic mind to inquire whe- ther steps cannot be taken to attain its realization. I stand before you this even- ing at the request of some of my towns- men to propose a scheme which has for its object this consummation. The plan which I am about to psop|Ose I do not claim to be original. Had it only occurred to my- self, I should doubt its feasibility, but as it has suggested itself, at least in part, to many others, for whose judgment and sound common sense I have the greatest respect, I am led to believe it possesses the elements of success. Although in the de- velopment of the scheme which is about to be proposed the aid of the Government will, to a certain extent, be required, the patriotic si)irit which animates the people will be mainly relied on to carry it out. — It is indeed on the general prevalence and strength of this spirit that I found my hopes for its adoption and development. Before introducing the scheme let me first reiterate its object. The object sim- ply is to arm for defensive purposes a great part of the effective inhabitants of the country, with the most approved breech- loading rifle, and accustom them to its use without incurring any serious outlay on the part of the Government, or without n>aking such a demand on the time of the people that would materially interfere with those industrial pursuit8,upon which the prosper- ity of the countrjf so much depends. It is proposed to attain this object by a joint action on the part of the diflerent munici- palities and the Government. It is upon the assumption that this co-operation can be secured that the plan is based. With- out such co-operation the whole scheme falls to the ground. There is something which the municipalities mustdo,and there is something which the Government must do. 1. The different municipalities must ap- propriate annually a certain reasonable sum to be distributed as prizes. The prizes to bo awarded to the best " rifle shots " ia the different municipalities. 2. The Government must supply the rifle to the different municipalities at something below cost price, and cartridges at cost- price ; and at the same time appropriate annually a certain rcaconable sum for priz- es to be cor peted for by the best " marks- men " in the Provinces. 3. For every two or throe municipalities some one must be appointed with a fixed salary, to be paid either by the Govern- ment or by the municipalities, who shall combine within himself the double function of Rifle Inspector and Rifle Instructor. Assuming that this joint action on the part of the Government and the Munici- palities can be secured we will proceed to the consideration of some of the details of the scheme. The prize money contributed by each County or Riding would have to be divid- ed into two portions. One portion to be appropriated for Township prizes, the other for County prizes. The successful competitors at the Township matches alone being allowed to compete at the County matches. This division might be so ordered that a County prize would be double that of a Township prize. Again the successful competitors at the County matches only should be allowed to compete for Provincial prizes. For illustration let us assume that the South Riding of Wel- lington, which is composed of four Town- ships, would vote the sum of 81200 annual- ly,ana that our Government would be liber- al enough to come down with, we will say, 14,000. Of the 01200 I would make two sums,— one of 0800 and the other of $400. I would divide the $800 into four equal parts. This would §ive us $200 for each Township of the Riding. Out of each f20(K twelve prizes might be formed rang- ing from $4 up to $50. Of the remaining $400 twelve County prizes likewise might be made, these would clearly range from $8 up to $100. And of the $4,000 appro- priated by Government there could be twelve prizes formed just ten times as large as the County prizes. The highest prize being $1,000 and the lowest $80. By this arrangement-every competitor at a Town- ship match would have a chance of carry- ing off one of twelve prizes, varying from $4 to $50, and every one who was success- ful would have a second chance of one of twelve prizes at the County match, varying from $8 to $100, and every fortunate com- petitor there would have the still further chance of carrying off one of twelve Pro- vincial prizes, varying from 080 to $1,000.* Now I am convinced that the desire of competing for these prizes, coupled with the more laudable desire of possessing a weapon for the purpose of defending the land they so dearly love, would furnish a motive sufliciently powerful to induce most of our young men, especially in the more rural districts, and many of our older men too, to purchase that weapon at their own cost, and habituate themselves to its use, provided it could be obtained at a reason- able price, say for about ten dollars. It is very clear that if Government could be induced to supply breech-loading rer^uircd in their resi)ective districts, so as to insure themselves from loss when they make a purchase of the government ? It is clear that they cannot make a separate Surohase for each individual applicant, 'o obviate this difficulty, it will be neces- sary for the different municipalities or counties to promote the formation of Rifle Clubs, and make it one of the conditions of purchase that the purchaser shall be- long to a Club. Indeed, to render the scheme at all effec:;ive, the formation of these Clubs will be indis^nsible. Now^ the school sections into which the different townships are divided will afford great facilities for forming Rifle Clubs. In rifles at this figure we should obtain them every school section there would be, I ap prebend, at least twenty and upwards who would desire to possess the weapon ; these must form themselves into a Club, and choose their captain. The application for rifles to the County Councils or heads of under cost price, ho that each rifle would in reality be a joint purchase of the Gov- ernment and the individual. By this a two-fold advantage would be secured. 1. It would give the Government aeon trol over the weapon, which would enable the municipalities, should come from the them to prevent its falling into improper captains of the different Clubs ; and when or incompetent hands. This would be a captain of a club makes an application, insured, at least in almost every instance it should be understood that he renders by making it a condition of purchase that himself res][ionsible for the purchase. B^ the purchaser, whoever he be, should take adopting this course the county or munici- the oath of allegiance, and likewise possess pallty would always know beforehand the a certificate from the head of his Town- exact number of rifles that would be re- ship or Municipality that in other respects quired. he IS a fit and proper person. I have said that, to render the scheme 2. It would §ive the individual a more capable of effecting the object for which direct interest In the weapon, and conse quently he would be more likely to take proper care of it. Moreover, few or none would possess themselves of it except those who were anxious to learn how to handle it effectively. Provision should of course be made that persons possessing lifles should not be allowed to take them out of the country, it would be instituted, the formation of Rifle Clubs would be indispensible. Be- cause without them — 1. There would be a total want of order and organization. 2. It would be impossible to instruct the men in the use of the weapon. 3. It would be impossible to practice certain orders of firing which are some- or in any way dispose of them without the times requisite on the field, sanction of their respective municipalities. ''' ~ '" ' ' * ' Provision should likewise be made to se- cure individual purchasers from loss, who were about to emigrate. This might be done by arranging it so that when a person Yoti will remember that I before stated^ to carry out the scheme, one salaried per- sonage would be required lor every coun- ty, or every two or three counties, who must combine within himself the double was about to leave the country, he should function of Rifle Inspector and Rifle In- be allowed to return his weapon to his structor. Amongst his other acquirements municipality, receiving back the purchase this person must possess a thorough money, with deduction pro^rtionate to the knowledge of the mechanism of the rifle — injury it had sustained while in his hands, of the principles upon which good shoot- To carry out the plan it will be neces- ing depends, and of all the different meth- sary for the municipalities or counties to ods of firing which may be available in purchase the rifle from the government, actual service. His duties would consist — and the individuals to purchase it from 1. In inspecting the rifles possessed by them. But how are the municipalities or the members of the clubs, at least twice a counties to know how many rifles will be }'ear. These semi-annual inspections might » It is of course understood that Voluutcer CoDii>aiiiei of the different UunloliwlUics will not b« excluded from those comi>«UtioiM. :it take place at some stated place in each township, to which every member should be compelled to repair on certain days, named by the Insi>ector himself. The object of this inspection would, of course, be to see that the rifles were kept in a proper condition. Should any member of a club present his wea^n in a state cul* ottlated to prove prejudicial to its efficien- cy, a fine should be imposed, the amount of Buoh fine depnding on the degree of injury sustained by the weapon : for a se- cond offence, it might be so ordered that he should forfeit it altogether. 2. It would be his duty to show the captains of the different clubs how the rifles are to be properly cleaned and kept clean, and, generally, how to keep them in an efficient condition. Upon the captains would devolve the^duty of convening the information thus obtained to the individ- ual members of their respective clubs. 3. It would be his duty to instruct the captains in the general principles of rifle practice— expound to them the laws which must be observed to insure good shooting — acquaint them with the diflerent meth- ods of firing, and give them all such infor- mation on the subject as might, when im- parted to the men, be of service to them on the field. 4. It would be his duty to visit every school section that had organized a club, and select a proper spot for practicing, and mark the different distances at which the shooting should take place. 5. It would be his duty to instruct the captains of the different clubs in digging nne pits, constructing barricades of fences and of such materials, which are ever at hand in a wooded country; and generally in all such matters and things as might prove of advantage to them if suddenly called out on outpost duty. 6. It would be his duty, as far as in his power, to be present at and superintend the more general practicings in the differ- ent sections. 7. And, finally, it would be his duty to attend on all field days, when there were competitions for prizes, and act as general manager and umpire on those occasions. This, then gentlemen is, in a few plain words, a brief general outline of the scheme which I came nere to-night to propose. I am aware it is imperfect and open to many objections, still I cannot but flatter myself that it possesses elements whioh,if wrought out ana adopted, would prove of essential service to the country in the event of war. It will be seen that it could in no wise in- terfere with the present volunteer move- ment. On the contrary, it would rather five an impetus to that movement, by ren- ering the people familiar with the use of arms, and tnus, to a certain extent, inspir- ing them with a martial spirit. Men who have made tiiumselves proficient in the use of an^ weapon are ever prone to seek those positions where such proficiency^ is more likely to be called into requisition. It would indeed be fatal to the scheme if in anvway it would tend to damp that laud- able ardor which now impels many of our young men to join Volunteer Companies, and subject themselves to all the laborious minutia) of drill, and stand ready at the call of duty to sacrifice their interests and imperil their lives for the safety of their country. This ardor we must stimulate by every means which lies in our power, for we cannot over estimate the value of the thoroughly trained, disciplined soldier. On the other hand, if the services which he is capable of rendering cannot be over- rated, I think it is very easy to uuder-rate those which, on an emergency, might be rendered by men who had simply made themselves proficient in the use of the rifle. Moreover, if our Volunteer Companies are to be effective this proficiency must be at- tained by the individulas of those compa- nies. Men may spend half a life-time in drilling and in performing evolutions on the field, still if they cannot handle the rifle skillfully,cannot send with something like the certainty of fate the bullet on its deadly mission, they will cut but a sorry figure even before a ragged Fenian rabble, who have acquired this art. We have had one example of this already, and I trust in God that it will be the last.— The disasters which attended the late skirmish at Ridgeway resulted, I verily believe, neither from incompetency of the officers, nor fromwantofi)luckin the men, but simply from a consciousness on the part of most of them, that they did not know how to handle eft'ectively the weapon they had in their hands. On the investiga- tion of their commander's conduct on that occasion, it came out in evidence that numbers of those engaged had never be- fore fired anything but blank cartridge, while others had not even so much as snapped a cap 1 Under such circumstances what could be expected but want of con- fidence, wavering, and ultimately confusion and retreat. Depend upon it, gentlemen, had the men, by previous practice been 6 able to make the best use of their weap- ons, that day would have proved far more disastrous to the rascally invader. To me it appears little short of murder to bring men unacquainted with the art of food shooting into the field where they ave to face an enemy possessing this ter- rible advantage. Pluck and daring will avail nothing against thesKilled use of the deadly repeater or the equally effective breech-loader. Men who have not acquir- ed this skill can, when brought in presence of a foe that has, do little more than die manfully at their posts. In conclusion, permit me to enumerate some of the ad- vantages which would be derived from the general adoption and development of the scheme which has been proposed. 1. The country would possess many thousands of the most approved rifles, which could be called into requisition in case of any sudden emergency. 2. These rifles would be in the hands of men competent to use them effectively, 3. These men, when drafted or when en- tering the Volunteer service, would only have to learn the drill to be rendered efii- cient soldiers, so that in case of any sud- den call to arms, the country could, (with the regular troops maintained in the Pro- vinces, together with our trained volun- teers as a centre or nucleus of perfect or- ganization,) by a few days drilling put in the field a vast, and most terribly effective army, for all purposes of defence. 4. The general rifle practice which would prevail throughout tne country, with the avowed object of defending the coun- try in case of necessity, would create a martial spirit which, if such necessity should ever unfortunately arise, would prove of the greatest advantage. 5. This general arming of the people would create a sense of security which we do not now feel. 6. This general and spontaneous arming of the people for the purpose of defending their rights and privileges, would show to Great Britain that we value our birthright, and would consequently strengthen the bonds which unite us to her* Moreover, it would increase our credit abroad by showing to the foreign capitalist that Ca- nada presented a field for secure and safe investments* 7. It would completely eradicate that egregious idea still entertained by many Americans that there is m these Provinces a lar^e minority, if not a majority, who are favorable to annexation. It would show the American people should the de- sire of conquest, ever prompt them to in- vade us, that they would meet with the most determined, terrible, and effective re- sistance by the whole bulk of the inhabi- tants. Moreover, a war made upon us under these circumstances bv themi with that object would be reprobated by the whole civilized world, for no greater na- tionrl crime can be committed than the invasion of a prosperous and united peo- ple who only desire to enjoy their political privileges and civil rights in peace. 8. It would create a great national pas- time that would go far to blend in harm- onious unity the diverse and in some re- spects antagonistic elements of which the society of these Provinces is composed. 9. And finally it would still further strengthen that love of country which so generally prevails among us, and would inspire the rising generationwith a stronger sense of patriotism by educating them in the idea that the land in which they live is worth fighting for, and if need be dying for. t ' GUELPH: PRINTED AT THE MERCURY CHEAP BOOK AND JOB OFFICE, DAT!s BLOCK. 1866.