[If that can remotely make sence]. Single player games that might last days would just be awsome and strongly contribute to the single player end.(I prefer the campaigns AoK:TC style- World Map Conquest, in my opinion, is best left to games like Rome: Total War- Gaurdian_112)
# I would like to see good scenarios (ES scenarios). I mean, I felt that the AOM ones, quite honestly, ... were pretty bad. The Titans ones definately sucked, of course!!! I'd like scenarios like AOK's. Those were much more challenging and fun IMO. They were also much more numerous. I also like the way there were many storylines, instead of having to have to go in order, in AOK you could do, for example, 2 scenarios of Joan of Arc, a scenario of Saladin, go back to Joan of Arc, etc etc (that was completely random, BTW). In other words, I would like campaigns like AOK.
# I would like to see useful preset hotkeys
I tried many times to change my hotkeys but:
1) It requires lots of time to find something good
2) Not easy to get used to them
3) When I go to a netcafe I have to either play with normal hotkeys or waste my time changing them to my like
Maybe there should be two(or more) hotkey profiles in the game. One profile should focus on having all hotkeys close together on the keyboard, like this (in terms of aoc):
A: champion, paladin, arbalest, onager
S: halberdier, hussar, skirmisher, scorpion
D: Eagle warrior, camel, cavalry archer, ram
etc.
The other hotkey profile could be the aok-style hotkey assignment, which is M for market, B for barracks, A for archery range, C for the camel, M for missionary, A for archer etc.
# One aspect of rts that I have really wanted to see in the Age series is battles in the forests. One should be able to fight among such encumbering moist terrain heavily covered with vegetation in which you could set up ambushes and the like.
I think it would suit this game real well especially for the sake of melee units. Due to all the gunpowder warriors that will surely dominate the open battle field, melee units need sometype of special ability or advantage to shorten the gap a bit. In the forest or terrains like such where the dampness and humidity would hinder movement, dicipline, order and marksmanship, units with smaller, thrusting or slashing weapons would be able to have a greatly increased possibility to take the best out of the fighting. So units that have to run around the battle field alot and who regularly don't do as much damage with their blades will be worth the while if one can take the battle to where trees serve as shields against the shots.
# I'd like someone to thoroughly test the more obvious strats for multiplayer (rush, boom, fast-3rd-age, cav-swarming, age of buildings) so that things are fairly balanced without lots of patching.
# Large Ships:
Ships that are expensive, big, powerful and that take many pop slots. Maybe even units that can be seen on their decks, depending on how many are garrisoned, would be cool.
# A "Select Units In Area" Trigger Command:
With this command one could select units in a certain area and add a new command like "Convert" and voilà; it's "Convert Units in Area". Or "Teleport Units In Area", or "Rename Units in Area" or anything else.
# Let us play the game, not vice versa.
Seriously, I want to build my own units, do my own scouting, personally advance through the ages, and actually have to look after the economy. In AoM:TT, with infinite farms, infinite trade, and auto queue, I felt more or less obsolete.
# When you select a group of military units, you should directly be able to change their formation and combat stances.
# Roll-over help of improvements shows exactly what is improved and how (for example: not: -improves archer attack, but rather: -improves archer attack by 15%).
# A choosable option to have random weather effects in random map games.
# A choosable option to have day/night cycles in random map games.
# Weather and night affect units (for example: archers have -50% accuracy at night)
# Real world maps also included for standard games.
# Like in Age of Kings, one should be able to choose the resource-levels when playing a standard game.
# You should be able to adjust the population limit and the number of houses you can build in standard games (low-end computers can turn this number low, fast computers can turn this number to a higher level).
# Being able to choose from different map types: diamont shaped maps like now; spherical maps were a unit can walk of the edge and pop up at the other side, etcetera.
# Being able to place units on walls.
# Posted this in the Pirates thread, but I'll post it here too. Pirates and privateers would be awesome, and should be included. It would be great if they hanunits. Thus, when you're attacked by a privateer vessel, you dled privateers like they do in Civ 3, where they're represented as "gaia" have no idea which player attacked you. This way, you can be fighting your allies without them even knowing it. Also, whenever a privateer ship of yours sinks another ship, you should get some gold, to simulate their looting and sacking of ships they captured. Privateers would have to cost a large amount of gold though, much like Egyptian mercs.
# Troop formations that give the units within the formation certain bonuses (like: Testudo-formation: gives units within the formation +25% pierce armor, but -20% attack rate)
# Being able to undermine walls, and to tunnel under them
# Capturable buildings and siege weapons
# Stone (no further explanation needed )
# I've a request for ES, please don't call the Dutch civ Holland, but call it The Netherlands, or at least United Provinces, but NOT Holland.
# Life-sized buildings and ships (it is really stupid to see 10 Collosi go into a transport that is as big as the sword of one of them)
# Roads that can be build from stone
# Replace HPs with death by inuries. I saw a pic where a guy had a pike stuck right through him and it got me thinking, wouldn't it be better and more realistic to have units being injured by the position that he got hit in and become weaker or slower and eventually die if medication isnt received. Or when an arrow goes straight in a critical area (like the brain or the nuts ) the unit dies instantly.
Armor upgrades can help rejuce the chances of being injured and some units (like heroes) when an arrow is about to hit them will put their shield up to block it.
This would be alot more interesting than using hitpoints again.
# More lifelike units (for example: villies that get better at farming if they farm long enough; units get stronger after surviving n number of battles, etcetera)
Editor Suggestions
# Custom skins for the editor.
# Ability to place upgraded units in editor instead of having to use triggers in-game.
# The things that you get rid of during development - save them as options or in the map editor.
# Add a kills ratio condition!
# BRING AoK'S EDITOR BACK!
# Apart from that, the only thing I want is a good scenario Editor, since ES has already proved time and time again that they can make great games to play.
^ Not really a suggestion but, meh
1) Multiplayer Designing: Imagine if you will, the ability to host a game, but instead of playing the game you got together with your buddies and designed a scenario online. Scenario design teams would probably find this the most useful as it would make it much easier to get together with other team members to work on joint projects. However, I think the average player would enjoy it as well. A group, for instance, could make a map and then play against each other on it. A good descriptive name for this would be cooperative designing.
2) Effects that can write/read from/to text files: Visualizing the effectiveness of these effects is a no brainier. This would make it possible to keep track of various things outside of a scenario. The implications for such triggers for both multiplayer scenarios and single player scenarios are monumental if you can conceive of a few of the possibilities such effects could have.
3) Graphic Scaling: Most games already have this as a feature of their editor. However, it would be useful if you could scale objects by individual axis.
4) Graphical Effects That are Laid as Terrains: With this idea you could draw on the map where you want to see smoke, mist, fog, rain etc... However, for this idea to actually be something creative you should also be able to manipulate the elevation level in which the terrain is placed. These effects shouldn't just be objects that have been incorporated into terrains as that defeats the purpose of such an idea.
5) A Water Fill Tool: For this tool to work properly the editor would have to function under a system of numerical denotation for elevations. Basically this tool would allow you to fill a certain elevation level up with water. The water level would be adjustable so both shallows and deep oceans can be created. The tool would only you to fill an area with water if that area is constrained by a higher elevation. This tool would allow water to placed at any elevation level without the hassle of non-elevation water based systems.
6) Surfaces and Colour Overlays That Can be Applied to Terrains: Basically this would allow you to change the tint of terrains by placing colour overlays on top of them. Coupled with this would the ability to choose from maybe four surfaces that can be placed with the terrain. These surfaces would fairly simple; you could have a jagged, flat, bumpy and blocky surface. These surfaces would not act as elevations, they would act simply as if they were normal terrains.
7) A Physics System that can be Modified: The designer would able to change a series of constant values (i.e. gravitational force, coefficient of static and kinetic friction). The designer would also have the ability to distort simple equations in order to create surreal effects.
8) A Component Based Trigger Systems: Several games already possess such a system as they dwarf non component based trigger systems by providing greater power and flexibility. A component based trigger system basically allows you to construct the components of triggers before you actually construct the trigger itself. In turn these components can be used in multiple triggers. The next step up from a component based trigger system would be one that operates in a similar fashion to windows.
9) Numerical Elevations: Elevation levels are denoted with a numerical value.
10) Saving your triggers/conditions/effects/objects/areas: the ability to copy all of your triggers/conditions/effects/objects/areas into a .txt file so that you can "load" them into a new scenario that you are designing without having to remake everything.
11) Multiplayer scenario testing: The ability to be able to test the multiplayer scenario as any player without going online.
12 A campaign editor: An editor which allows you choose what scenarios you would like in a campaign and the media you like in the campaign. (I know this sounds like an odd request, as this is fairly standard for editors now, but I certain game that came out recently completely forgot to put one in.)
13) Text editing system: Empires has a really nice system that allows you to change the colour, alignment and size of the text in areas where text is displayed. They also use a system that allows you to implant any numerical condition within a text section. This is great for things like kill counters, death counters, etc.
14) Unit Pathways This function would be similar to tasking units to an area only you would be able to define a path that the unit can walk along.
15) A Manual
# Trigger, that lets you turn one walkable land-skin into the other (for example: in my scenario it starts to snow, and I can turn the grass-skin off the landscape into a snow-skin).
# Trigger, that lets you turn any unit into a campaign hero (a unit that’s reborn after dieing).
# Extensive guide which explains how to use the editor, make campaigns, tips and tricks with triggers, etcetera.
# An easy to use campaign editor.
# Beta-versions of certain buildings available as eye-candy in the editor (like this building).
# Objects cannot only turned left/right in the editor, but also up/down (so you get upside-down buildings).
# Bridges, where both water-units can pass under, and land-units can go over.
# Being able to give different wonder or Titan skins in the editor to a particular civilization (for example: a Poseidon player has a Isis wonder; wonder skins are not bound to a particular civilization -at least not in the editor).
# Sea walls, like in The Conquerors
# An animation editor
Random map scripting features
# Extensive guide which explains how to create and use your own random map scripts.
AI scripting features
# Extensive guide which explains how to create and use your own AI scripts.
Other Suggestions
# One should be able to choose backgrounds and/or skins for the main menu and ESO.
# An in-game music selecter.
# Being able to set your own player colour that only you can see (so you can make your civilization have a radioactive green colour, without the other players getting annoyed ).
# Be able to edit your original created name on ESO, so one can still keep his ratings after joining a clan.
# User-friendly reporting of error messages, to make it easier for people to fix problems: a list of possible causes and solutions for errors should be standard, and the game should give a direct hyperlink to the relevant online support community at the Microsoft website.
# An editor for the rollover help.
# More menu backgrounds, and being able to choose between them.
# More music tracks for different civs.
___________________________________________________________
Updated
!!!!!
( o o )
----oOO----(_)----OOo----
++ My Scenarios-Total Designer++
Favorite AoMH Forumer, Most Improved AoMH Forumer, Forumer Achievment Award AoMH AND AoE3H 2005, Best Scenario Designer Award 2004
KoTM Series 4.4 || Heroes Chronicles 4.6 || Birthright-The Adventure 4.4[This message has been edited by Gaurdian_112 (edited 02-02-2005 @ 09:47 AM).]
AuthorReplies:
Ducati
Colonistposted 08-24-05 01:52 AM EDT (US) 501 / 506 Ducati's Profile Edit This Message Sorry if this has already been suggested, but this thread is too huge.The ablity to ban a CD key from your games, not just a user id. I have had too many problems in the zone with players that I have booted from games for being rude, racist, vulger, etc, return on a different user ID. I would love the ablity to deal with problem players.
Thanks in advance
Vuredel
Colonistposted 08-24-05 03:25 PM EDT (US) 502 / 506 Vuredel's Profile Edit This Message You can only have one account per CD key.
My hope is that (and this may be suggested already) there will be an option to disable the AI's ability to resign. Sometimes it's fun to eliminate the remainder of his forces, even if you're sure to win. Not a big deal, but I would enjoy it.
Fight the zombie horde!
Ferdinand Gwonch
Colonist
Location: recife, pe, brazilposted 08-24-05 06:37 PM EDT (US) 503 / 506 Ferdinand Gwonch's Profile Edit This Message My suggestions:
- Bandeirantes as Portuguese UU! (http://aoe3.heavengames.com/cgi-bin/forums/display.cgi?action=ct&f=1,22645,,all
- Auto Explore (the same as RON) function (available at least to explorers only) (http://aoe3.heavengames.com/cgi-bin/forums/display.cgi?action=ct&f=1,22752,,all
- Let ranged cavalry fire while moving (at least after research) (http://aoe3.heavengames.com/cgi-bin/forums/display.cgi?action=ct&f=1,22682,0,365
- Let units come out the door instead of popping out (http://aoe3.heavengames.com/cgi-bin/forums/display.cgi?action=ct&f=1,22781,,all
- Give causeways to buildings (to avoid the ease of blocking unit production by blocking the front door with a wall) (http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/2445/causeway8xt.gif
OWN GOAL
BoloBouncer
Colonist
Location: Nacogdoches, TXposted 08-25-05 01:47 PM EDT (US) 504 / 506 BoloBouncer's Profile Edit This Message One idea--a static, open-ended campaign map of the Americas in which your single-player skirmishes contribute to colonization. This way you could change history and feel the effect (like the campaigns of R:TW or even Starfleet Command III's galactic takeover map)
October 25
The new Christmas
Age of Empires: The Musical Partake of my Ness Obsession Penny Arcade Does 'Age of Kings'
Very Important
Colonistposted 08-26-05 03:13 PM EDT (US) 505 / 506 Very Important's Profile Edit This Message
Law Library of Congress A Century of Lawmaking
Law Library of Congress | Global Legal Information Network | Library of Congress
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Texts, Commentaries, Historical Texts and Judicial Decisions
table of contents
Text/
Commentaries
Historical Texts
Influences
Judicial Decisions
Legal Guides
TEXT AND COMMENTARIES
* Constitution of the United States of America as Amended: Unratified Amendments, Analytical Index (U.S. House of Representatives, via GPO Access) June 20, 2003; H.Doc. 108-95
* Constitution of the United States, Analysis and Interpretation: Annotations of Cases Decided by the Supreme Court of the United States (Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service, via GPO Access) 1992 edition (S.Doc. 103-6) with June 28, 2000 supplement (S.Doc. 106-27); offers download, browsing, and search options.
* U.S. Constitution (Library of Congress, National Digital Library Program) from Annals of Congress, volume 1
* U.S. Constitution (National Archives and Records Administration) links to amendments which amend the Constitution; provides images of the original document
* U.S. Constitution (U.S. House of Representatives) 1787 full text; HTML; with footnotes and links to documents
* U.S. Constitution (Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute) HTML; without annotations
* U.S. Constitution (Emory University School of Law, Founding Documents)
* U.S. Constitution (FindLaw) offers the CRS text (above) HTML; divided files; with case annotations to June 29, 2002
* United States Index (University of Wuerzburg, International Constitutional Law project) HTML, with background notes, and a key number system to located parts; links to other editions
* Constitution du 17 septembre 1787 (Juristisches Internetprojeket Saarbruken) in French
* United States of America: Constitutions / Constituciones (Georgetown University's Center for Latin American Studies, Political Database of the Americas) in English, French, and Spanish
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HISTORICALThe Federalist (1788), and various other historical documents such as Magna Carta (1215), are sometimes credited with having influenced the content of the Constitution of the United States or its initial Amendments (the Bill or Rights), or, in the case of the Constitution of the Confederate States of America, with having been influenced by the U.S. Constitution although it radically attempted to change its effect.
Articles of Confederation (1781) (The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy)
Documents of the Confederate States of America (1861) (The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy) Includes the Constitution of Confederate States of America, and other Confederate legal documents.
Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention (U.S. Library of Congress, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress)
CONTINENTAL CONGRESS: Journals of the Continental Congress; Eliot's The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution; and Farrand's The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 (U.S. Library of Congress, National Digital Law Library Program)
Declaration of Independence, including Jefferson's draft (Emory University School of Law's U.S. Founding Documents) Provides the text of the Declaration of Independence of 1776 along with a scanned images of the original document as well as of the four pages of a Thomas Jefferson's draft of the document.
Declaration of Independence in text and images images (National Archives and Records Administration) Includes the text and scanned images of the original and the initial stone engraving of the documents as well as useful commentaries. See also Declaration of Independence: Right to Institute New Government (Library of Congress)
U.S. Founding Documents: The Federalist Papers (Emory University School of Law) The Federalist (also known as "The Federalist Papers") issued as a series of highly influential essays in support of the proposed United States Constitution, most of which appeared initially in New York newspapers under the pen name "Publius" during 1787 and 1788. The actual authors were Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison. See also the copies at University of Oklahoma Law Center's The Federalist Papers and Yale's Avalon Project
Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776 (National Archives and Records Administration) The immensely influential Virginia Declaration of Rights, written by George Mason, was adopted by the colonial convention June 12, 1776. The opening of the Declaration of Independence (adopted a few weeks) borrowed from this document, and the U.S. Bill of Rights was adopted directly from this version of the natural rights of man as previously proclaimed in the English Bill of Rights of 1689 (see below) and philosophers such as John Locke. See also the Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776 (Avalon Project)
[return to top]INFLUENCES
FRANCE: Declaration of the Rights of Man, 1789 in English (The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy) French counterpart to the American "Bill of Rights" drafted by Lafayette with the assistance of Thomas Jefferson, and approved by the National Assembly of France August 26, 1789. See also Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen de 1789 (Assemblée Nationale) - in French
ENGLAND: [English] Bill of Rights of 1689: An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown (The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy) Provided specific inspiration for American "Bill of Rights" made into law almost a century later.ENGLAND: Exhibit: Magna Carta (National Archives and Records Administration) The "Great Charter" version of 1297, which despite its original limited application has long been regarded as a foundation for the development of English liberties and political rights. Although King John of England was pressured into signing the first version, in 1215, (see below), and he violated its terms almost immediately, later kings repeatedly were compelled to confirm the limits Magna Carta set on royal powers, and the document proved immensely important hundreds of years after it was initially ignored. Portions are even reflected closely in the U.S. Bill of Rights. A translation of the text of the version of 1297, used to confirm its continuing effect at the coronation of Edward I, is offered at this site along with images of this original document, and commentaries.
ENGLAND: Magna Carta, 1215 (The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy) Translated from Latin to English of what is believed to be the first version (from 1215) of the "Great Charter." Includes glossary.
GREECE: Athenian Constitution by Aristotle (in English) Sir Frederic G. Kenyon's translation of Aristotle on the political structure (or constitution) of the ancient city-state of Athens, which is usually considered a prime inspiration for the form of government chosen for the United States.
IROQUOIS: Iroquois Constitution / The Great Binding Law Gayanshagowa (University of Oklahoma Law Center) The English version of the historic Great Binding Law ("Gayanshagowa") of the Iroqouis' Five Nations Confederacy, which is as much a social document as a legal document.
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JUDICIAL DECISIONSRECENT DECISIONS: Supreme Court Syllabi Search (Cornell LII, Supreme Court Collection) Elsewhere, topics are listed by amendment topic and number; i.e. First Amendment; see Decisions by Topic, 1990 to Present
SUPREME COURT DECISIONS: Guide to Law Online: U.S. Federal Courts and Decisions (Law Library of Congress) Includes other links to Supreme Court cases.
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OTHER LEGAL GUIDES* The American Constitution - A Documentary Record (The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy)
* A Century of Lawmaking: American History as Seen in Congressional Documents, 1774-1873 (U.S. Law Library of Congress, National Digital Law Library Program)
* Cornell Legal Information Institute: Supreme Court Collection
* Cornell Legal Information Institute: Constitutional Law: An Overview
* FindLaw: Constitutional Law Center (FindLaw)
* JURIST Subject Guide: Constitutional Law (JURIST, the Law Professors' Network)
* University of Oklahoma Law Center: A Chronology of Historical Documents (University of Oklahoma Law Center)
* Yahoo - U.S. Constitution
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Very Important
Colonistposted 08-26-05 03:15 PM EDT (US) 506 / 506 Very Important's Profile Edit This Message
The Federalist No. 25
ALEXANDER HAMILTON1
December 21, 1787
To the People of the State of New York:
IT MAY perhaps be urged that the objects enumerated in the preceding number ought to be provided for by the State governments, under the direction of the Union. But this would be, in reality, an inversion of the primary principle of our political association, as it would in practice transfer the care of the common defense from the federal head to the individual members: a project oppressive to some States, dangerous to all, and baneful to the Confederacy.
The territories of Britain, Spain, and of the Indian nations in our neighborhood do not border on particular States, but encircle the Union from Maine to Georgia. The danger, though in different degrees, is therefore common. And the means of guarding against it ought, in like manner, to be the objects of common councils and of a common treasury. It happens that some States, from local situation, are more directly exposed. New York is of this class. Upon the plan of separate provisions, New York would have to sustain the whole weight of the establishments requisite to her immediate safety, and to the mediate or ultimate protection of her neighbors. This would neither be equitable as it respected New York nor safe as it respected the other States. Various inconveniences would attend such a system. The States, to whose lot it might fall to support the necessary establishments, would be as little able as willing, for a considerable time to come, to bear the burden of competent provisions. The security of all would thus be subjected to the parsimony, improvidence, or inability of a part. If the resources of such part becoming more abundant and extensive, its provisions should be proportionally enlarged, the other States would quickly take the alarm at seeing the whole military force of the Union in the hands of two or three of its members, and those probably amongst the most powerful. They would each choose to have some counterpoise, and pretenses could easily be contrived. In this situation, military establishments, nourished by mutual jealousy, would be apt to swell beyond their natural or proper size; and being at the separate disposal of the members, they would be engines for the abridgment or demolition of the national authority.
Reasons have been already given to induce a supposition that the State governments will too naturally be prone to a rivalship with that of the Union, the foundation of which will be the love of power; and that in any contest between the federal head and one of its members the people will be most apt to unite with their local government. If, in addition to this immense advantage, the ambition of the members should be stimulated by the separate and independent possession of military forces, it would afford too strong a temptation and too great a facility to them to make enterprises upon, and finally to subvert, the constitutional authority of the Union. On the other hand, the liberty of the people would be less safe in this state of things than in that which left the national forces in the hands of the national government. As far as an army may be considered as a dangerous weapon of power, it had better be in those hands of which the people are most likely to be jealous than in those of which they are least likely to be jealous. For it is a truth, which the experience of ages has attested, that the people are always most in danger when the means of injuring their rights are in the possession of those of whom they entertain the least suspicion.
The framers of the existing Confederation, fully aware of the danger to the Union from the separate possession of military forces by the States, have, in express terms, prohibited them from having either ships or troops, unless with the consent of Congress. The truth is, that the existence of a federal government and military establishments under State authority are not less at variance with each other than a due supply of the federal treasury and the system of quotas and requisitions.
There are other lights besides those already taken notice of, in which the impropriety of restraints on the discretion of the national legislature will be equally manifest. The design of the objection, which has been mentioned, is to preclude standing armies in time of peace, though we have never been informed how far it is designed the prohibition should extend; whether to raising armies as well as to KEEPING THEM UP in a season of tranquillity or not. If it be confined to the latter it will have no precise signification, and it will be ineffectual for the purpose intended. When armies are once raised what shall be denominated ``keeping them up,'' contrary to the sense of the Constitution? What time shall be requisite to ascertain the violation? Shall it be a week, a month, a year? Or shall we say they may be continued as long as the danger which occasioned their being raised continues? This would be to admit that they might be kept up IN TIME OF PEACE, against threatening or impending danger, which would be at once to deviate from the literal meaning of the prohibition, and to introduce an extensive latitude of construction. Who shall judge of the continuance of the danger? This must undoubtedly be submitted to the national government, and the matter would then be brought to this issue, that the national government, to provide against apprehended danger, might in the first instance raise troops, and might afterwards keep them on foot as long as they supposed the peace or safety of the community was in any degree of jeopardy. It is easy to perceive that a discretion so latitudinary as this would afford ample room for eluding the force of the provision.
The supposed utility of a provision of this kind can only be founded on the supposed probability, or at least possibility, of a combination between the executive and the legislative, in some scheme of usurpation. Should this at any time happen, how easy would it be to fabricate pretenses of approaching danger! Indian hostilities, instigated by Spain or Britain, would always be at hand. Provocations to produce the desired appearances might even be given to some foreign power, and appeased again by timely concessions. If we can reasonably presume such a combination to have been formed, and that the enterprise is warranted by a sufficient prospect of success, the army, when once raised, from whatever cause, or on whatever pretext, may be applied to the execution of the project.
If, to obviate this consequence, it should be resolved to extend the prohibition to the RAISING of armies in time of peace, the United States would then exhibit the most extraordinary spectacle which the world has yet seen, that of a nation incapacitated by its Constitution to prepare for defense, before it was actually invaded. As the ceremony of a formal denunciation of war has of late fallen into disuse, the presence of an enemy within our territories must be waited for, as the legal warrant to the government to begin its levies of men for the protection of the State. We must receive the blow, before we could even prepare to return it. All that kind of policy by which nations anticipate distant danger, and meet the gathering storm, must be abstained from, as contrary to the genuine maxims of a free government. We must expose our property and liberty to the mercy of foreign invaders, and invite them by our weakness to seize the naked and defenseless prey, because we are afraid that rulers, created by our choice, dependent on our will, might endanger that liberty, by an abuse of the means necessary to its preservation.
Here I expect we shall be told that the militia of the country is its natural bulwark, and would be at all times equal to the national defense. This doctrine, in substance, had like to have lost us our independence. It cost millions to the United States that might have been saved. The facts which, from our own experience, forbid a reliance of this kind, are too recent to permit us to be the dupes of such a suggestion. The steady operations of war against a regular and disciplined army can only be successfully conducted by a force of the same kind. Considerations of economy, not less than of stability and vigor, confirm this position. The American militia, in the course of the late war, have, by their valor on numerous occasions, erected eternal monuments to their fame; but the bravest of them feel and know that the liberty of their country could not have been established by their efforts alone, however great and valuable they were. War, like most other things, is a science to be acquired and perfected by diligence, by perseverance, by time, and by practice.
All violent policy, as it is contrary to the natural and experienced course of human affairs, defeats itself. Pennsylvania, at this instant, affords an example of the truth of this remark. The Bill of Rights of that State declares that standing armies are dangerous to liberty, and ought not to be kept up in time of peace. Pennsylvania, nevertheless, in a time of profound peace, from the existence of partial disorders in one or two of her counties, has resolved to raise a body of troops; and in all probability will keep them up as long as there is any appearance of danger to the public peace.2 The conduct of Massachusetts affords a lesson on the same subject, though on different ground. That State (without waiting for the sanction of Congress, as the articles of the Confederation require) was compelled to raise troops to quell a domestic insurrection,3 and still keeps a corps in pay to prevent a revival of the spirit of revolt. The particular constitution of Massachusetts opposed no obstacle to the measure; but the instance is still of use to instruct us that cases are likely to occur under our government, as well as under those of other nations, which will sometimes render a military force in time of peace essential to the security of the society, and that it is therefore improper in this respect to control the legislative discretion. It also teaches us, in its application to the United States, how little the rights of a feeble government are likely to be respected, even by its own constituents. And it teaches us, in addition to the rest, how unequal parchment provisions are to a struggle with public necessity
It was a fundamental maxim with the Lacedemonian commonwealth, that the post of admiral should not be conferred twice on the same person. The Peloponnesian confederates, having suffered a severe defeat at sea from the Athenians, demanded Lysander, who had before served with success in the capacity, to command the combined fleets. The Lacedemonians, to gratify their allies, and yet preserve the semblance of an adherence to their ancient institutions, had recourse to the flimsy subterfuge of investing Lysander with the real power of admiral, under the nominal title of vice-admiral. This instance is selected from among a multitude that might be cited, to confirm the truth already advanced and illustrated by domestic examples; which is, that nations pay little regard to rules and maxims, calculated in their very nature to run counter to the necessities of society. Wise politicians will be cautios about fettering the government with restrictions that cannot be observed; because they know, that every breach of the fundamental laws, though dictated by necessity, impairs that sacred reverence, which ought to be maintained in the breast of rulers towards the constitution of a country, and forms a precedent for other breaches, where the same plea of necessity does not exist at all, or is less urgent and palpable.
PUBLIUS
1 Essay concerning other defects of the present constitution from The New-York Packet, December 21, 1787. Also appeared in The New-York Journal The Daily Advertiser, December 21, and The Independent Journal, December 22.
2 See Federalist 6. (Editor)
3 Shays' Rebellion. See Federalist 6. (Editor)
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