847 Sheet – American State Trials 1918 Volume X Leo Frank Document

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Reading Time: 3 minutes [356 words]

Here is the translated text as follows:

THOMAS COOPER

France—neither of these can, with any propriety, be called a standing army. In fact, we cannot have a standing army in this country, as the Constitution has expressly declared that no appropriation shall be made for the support of an army longer than two years. Therefore, since Congress may appropriate money for the support of the army annually and are obliged to do it only for two years, there can be no standing army in this country until the Constitution is first destroyed.

There is no subject on which the people of America feel more alarm than the establishment of a standing army. Once persuade them that the government is attempting to promote such a measure, and you destroy their confidence in the government. Therefore, to say that under the auspices of the President, we were saddled with a standing army, was directly calculated to bring him into contempt with the people and excite their hatred against him.

It is too much to press this point on the traverser. But he deserves it. This publication is evidently intended to mislead the ignorant and inflame their minds against the President, influencing their votes in the next election.

The traverser says he has proved that the President has advocated a standing army—how has he proved it? There is no standing army; as I have stated before, the army is only raised for five years and during the existing differences. He tells you Mr. Adams is a friend to the establishment of a navy; I wonder who is not a friend to a navy that is to protect the commerce and power of this country.

The traverser has, to prove these points, read to you many extracts from the addresses and answers to the President. He has selected a number of passages, which he asserts prove the President's approval of the creation of a navy and the formation of a standing army. But we are to recollect, gentlemen, that when, in consequence of the unjust proceedings of France, the great mass of the people thought it proper to address the President, expressing in those addresses sentiments...

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