280 The Winning of the West 



articles grown or manufactured by the farmers 

 themselves. This particular move was taken because 

 of the alarming scarcity of money, and was aimed 

 particularly at the inhabitants of the Atlantic 

 States. It was of course utterly ineffective. 46 A 

 much less wise and less honest course was that some- 

 times followed of refusing to pay debts when the 

 latter became inconvenient and pressing. 47 



The frontier virtue of independence and of im- 

 patience of outside direction found a particularly 

 vicious expression in the frontier abhorrence of 

 regular troops, and advocacy of a hopelessly feeble 

 militia system. The people were foolishly con- 

 vinced of the efficacy of their militia system, which 

 they loudly proclaimed to be the only proper mode 

 of National defence, 48 while in the actual presence 

 of the Indians the stern necessities of border war- 

 fare forced the frontiersmen into a certain sem- 

 blance of discipline. As soon as the immediate pres- 

 sure was relieved, however, the whole militia system 

 sank into a mere farce. At certain stated occa- 

 sions there were musters for company or regimental 

 drill. These training days were treated as occasions 

 for frolic and merry-making. There were pony 

 races and wrestling matches, with unlimited fight- 

 ing, drunkenness, and general uproar. Such mus- 



46 Marshall, II. p. 325. 



41 The inhabitants of Natchez, in the last days of the Span- 

 ish dominion, became inflamed with hostility to their credi- 

 tors, the merchants, and insisted upon what were practically 

 stay laws being enacted in their favor. Gayarre and Claiborne. 



48 Marshall, II, p. 279. 



