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I'm not talking about size versus the Europeans. I am talking about the attitude of the founders towards a standing Army and a Navy. Just buying the original

I'm not talking about size versus the Europeans. I am talking about the attitude of the founders towards a standing Army and a Navy. Just buying the original 6 frigates was an total change in attitude. The war before the Civil War, the Mexican–American War, is a perfect example of the change. It was also the training ground for the Civil War generals.

pdonis 9y ago
> the attitude of the founders towards a standing Army and a Navy. Just buying the original 6 frigates was an total change in attitude. I don't think the attitude was the same regarding a standing Navy. Standing Army, yes; the founders were clearly against that. But a major reason for having a standing Navy is to keep conflicts elsewhere from getting to the point where you need an Army--for example, protecting American merchant ships sailing abroad (since the British Navy would no longer protect them), which was what buying the original 6 frigates was for.
- protomyth 9y ago
  The attitude was the same towards the Navy. They were seriously opposed to the Navy, and just buying those frigates was a major change. Keeping those frigates was a back and forth as they were laid up multiple times. Your rationalization was well after the fact and the protecting of the American merchant fleet from the pirates (and both the French and British navies later) was the last resort. Just a study of conscription by the British Navy and American flagged merchants would show how much dragging of feet there was until the purchase of Navy ships.
  - pdonis 9y ago
    > The attitude was the same towards the Navy. Can you give any specifics to support this? From my reading of the writings of the founders, I see them talking about the dangers of a standing army all over the place, but I never see them talking about similar dangers of a navy. > Your rationalization was well after the fact No, it was the reason given at the time. The reason it wasn't done first thing when the Constitution was adopted is that navies cost money and the early Federal government didn't have a lot of it, so they only agreed to finance a navy when the losses to American merchant shipping became large enough to make it a worthwhile expense.
    - protomyth 9y ago
      Six Frigates by Ian W. Toll 1812: The Navy's War by George C. Daughan and the history of the Naval Act of 1794
- Spooky23 9y ago
  Those attitudes were complex and reflected the Jefferson republican positions that faded as well as the tension between the cash rich north and land/slave rich south.

pdonis 9y ago

> the attitude of the founders towards a standing Army and a Navy. Just buying the original 6 frigates was an total change in attitude. I don't think the attitude was the same regarding a standing Navy. Standing Army, yes; the founders were clearly against that. But a major reason for having a standing Navy is to keep conflicts elsewhere from getting to the point where you need an Army--for example, protecting American merchant ships sailing abroad (since the British Navy would no longer protect them), which was what buying the original 6 frigates was for.

protomyth 9y ago
The attitude was the same towards the Navy. They were seriously opposed to the Navy, and just buying those frigates was a major change. Keeping those frigates was a back and forth as they were laid up multiple times. Your rationalization was well after the fact and the protecting of the American merchant fleet from the pirates (and both the French and British navies later) was the last resort. Just a study of conscription by the British Navy and American flagged merchants would show how much dragging of feet there was until the purchase of Navy ships.
- pdonis 9y ago
  > The attitude was the same towards the Navy. Can you give any specifics to support this? From my reading of the writings of the founders, I see them talking about the dangers of a standing army all over the place, but I never see them talking about similar dangers of a navy. > Your rationalization was well after the fact No, it was the reason given at the time. The reason it wasn't done first thing when the Constitution was adopted is that navies cost money and the early Federal government didn't have a lot of it, so they only agreed to finance a navy when the losses to American merchant shipping became large enough to make it a worthwhile expense.
  - protomyth 9y ago
    Six Frigates by Ian W. Toll 1812: The Navy's War by George C. Daughan and the history of the Naval Act of 1794
Spooky23 9y ago
Those attitudes were complex and reflected the Jefferson republican positions that faded as well as the tension between the cash rich north and land/slave rich south.