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THE MISSING LINK FOR THE OPERATION OF THE MILITIA
(under the U.S.CONstitution)

On the reverse side of this sheet you will find a photographic 
copy of the first two pages of the March 22, 1850 militia roll 
book from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Acquisition of a number 
of these militia roll books which were used in the 1800's 
provided us with proof positive of the operation and control 
of the male inhabitants who were held responsible for civilian 
soldier training.

When the responsibility fell on the shoulders of George 
Washington to plan how the citizen militia was to operate, he 
worked with the Secretary for the Department of War, H. Knox, 
to institute a well-regulated militia. They came up with what 
is now known as the 1790 Militia Plan, followed by the 1792 Law. 
In it, all able-bodied men were to be classified into on of 
three corps which were as follows:

18-20 year olds fell under the classification of Advanced Corps
21-45 year olds fell under the classification of Main Corps
46-65 year olds fell under the classification of Reserved Corps.

The militia roll book that you see on the reverse side was kept 
on those who fell under the classification of the Main Corps of 
New Hope Borough, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Those listed were 
required to give time away from their civilian life each year to 
train so that they could spring in and become an army of civilian 
soldiers overnight. They were charged fifty cents a year as their 
financial obligation.

Note that the County Commissioners (they are called County 
Supervisors in some states) charged the County Assessor with 
the duty and the responsibility of keeping a list of the names 
of all men from 21 to 45 which was the Main Corps. The Assessor, 
in turn, was to turn the names over to the Brigage Inspector of 
the proper Brigade. No one was dismissed from militia training 
unless he had a certificate from a sworn surgeon of a regiment, 
or from two practicing physicians, stating under oath, that such 
a person was not capable of performing military duty.

All of the lists from all of the counties were turned over to 
the governor of the state. This, then, is how the militia was 
first put into action and controlled - very definitely, it was 
an integral part of the American system of government. The United 
States was meant to be an armed nation, the same as Switzerland 
is today.