Reprinted from the New Hampshire Gazette, July 5, 1771

As no nation or people can be secure from their enemies and preserve their independency without the military art, it must give great pleasure to every friend to his country, and the British nation, to see the present revival of military discipline in this and the neighboring colonies.  The only way to have peace, is to be always ready for war.  If the inhabitants of this country should always have virtue and wisdom enough to follow the noble example of their illustrious ancestors in training up every man to the use of arms, and keeping good stores of ammunition, they never need fear the united force of all their enemies.  According to the best computation there are about half a million of men fit to bear arms in these colonies;  and the number increasing so fast that it is supposed within twenty or thirty years, British America will be able to raise a million of men fit to march into the field of battle!

If this vast number shoud be properly trained to arms, what nation or nations under the sun would dare enter the list with America, or lift a hand against her potent sons!

As a well disciplined militia is of such vast importance to the welfare of this country, it is the indeispensable duty, and we hope it wil be the constant endeavour of every one to encourage and promite it.

Military skill being a great accomplishment for a  gentleman, as well as the safeguard and glory of a nation, it is hoped that gentlemen of character and fortune will lead the way in this useful knowledge and practice, and the lower classes of people will be ambitious to follow their noble example.  In this way a foundation may be laid for peace and tranquility in America to the end of time.  To make the militia still more respectable, there should be a major general and a brigadier general in each province — and as music adds greatly to the beauty and pleasure of military exercise, there should be other instruments besides drum, such as are in the regular regiments.

Standing armies are a poor defence against a foreign enemy; they are more often the destruction, than the defense of a nation.  And it is a certain evidence of a bad government where a standing army is kept up, either to support the laws, or for a defense against enemies, for a wise government will always make such laws as are for the public good, and good laws want no armies to support them.  A good militia is the best security against all enemies, and the only way for a nation to become formidable and rise to eminence and glory.

–ALEXANDER