[ought-six]

"No I'm not. However I believe the poster I was responding to was of that opinion, wrongly I believe. However, from the National Guard's webpage they do consider themselves their respective state's militia. Before the 16th President called for 75,000 'volunteers' to fight in his tariff war, these men reported to their governor and not to the President. The standing army was much smaller."

Um...the National Guard didn't even exist when the 16th president (Lincoln) called for volunteers. Thus, your example is invalid. The National Guard wasn't created until early in the 20th century.

[GOPcapitalist]

Um...the National Guard didn't even exist when the 16th president (Lincoln) called for volunteers.

They were called state militias back then and they did indeed report to their state's legislatures and governors.