July 11, 1798: Marine Corps Becomes Independent Branch of U.S. Military

http://camppendleton.patch.com/articles/july-11-1798-marine-corps-becomes-independent-branch-of-us-military

On this day in Marine Corps history, 1798, President John Adams signed into law a bill that would make the Marine Corps an independent branch of the U.S. military. 

• By Jared Morgan
• Email the author
• July 11, 2011

Nov. 10, 1775, may be the commonly celebrated birthday of the Marine Corps, but it wasn't actually established as its own branch until about 23 years later.

On July 11, 1798, U.S. President John Adams signed "An Act for Establishing and Organizing a Marine Corps," effectively creating a new branch of the military.

"The act further stipulated that when at sea the Marines would be under the command of the Navy, and on shore, the Army," wrote military historian Chester Hearn in an email to Camp Pendleton Patch. "This peculiar compromise plagued the Corps for years to come."

Hearn has written some 37 military and government history books, almost half of them about the Navy or Marine Corps. 

The end of the American Revolution was marked by the signing of the Treaty of Paris on April 11, 1783. With that, the Continental Congress dissolved the Marines and Continental Navy.

"The government auctioned off warships, and the Continental Marines ceased to exist," Hearn wrote. "Major Samuel Nicholas, the first Marine officer, returned to his former occupation as owner of Tun Tavern in Philadelphia."

In 1794, the first Continental Congress began to address the issue of pirate attacks on American merchant ships sailing near the North African coast. With no Navy or Marines to protect them, and a Congress unable to pay pirate ransoms, the merchants were at the mercy of the pirates.

"Congress reactivated the navy and authorized the construction of five ships, each to carry a compliment of Marines," Hearn wrote. "For four years a legislative battle ensued over the organization of the Marines Corps."

WorldStage News | NGOs say disability is not witchcraft

WorldStage News | NGOs say disability is not witchcraft

Stepping Stones Nigeria

The Child Rights Non-Governmental-Organisations - Stepping Stones Nigeria and Stepping Stones Nigeria Child Empowerment Foundation - have called upon the Nigerian government to take action to demystify the common ailments that are associated with witchcraft and prevent the labelling of children with disabilities as ‘witches’.

In a statement released in Lagos and signed by Stepping Stones Nigeria’s Advocacy Officer, Dr Emilie Secker, the groups said there was an urgent need for the Nigerian Federal and State governments to raise awareness about the nature of physical and mental disabilities and to combat the belief that these are evidence of witchcraft in children.

Utibe Ikot, Acting Director of Stepping Stones Nigeria Child Empowerment Foundation said “Around the world, thousands of people are celebrating the Day of the African Child on 16th June. This year, the theme of the Day is the rights of children with disabilities. I am very sad to report that we have seen many cases where a child with a disability, for example autism, epilepsy, or Down’s syndrome is automatically considered to be a witch due to their condition. The behaviour traits that children with disabilities may have, such as stubbornness and poor school performance, or simply looking different to other children, mean that people looking for an explanation often label them as witches. Instead of the child getting the support and care they so richly deserve, they are often hidden from view, prevented from attending school, or in the worst cases beaten, tortured and abandoned to survive on the streets. It is vital that the belief that physical or mental disability is a sign of witchcraft is challenged now so that no more children suffer these abuses”.

Dr Secker further explained that “in many countries around the world there is a huge lack of understanding of disability and as a result disabled children do not get the understanding and support that they need. It is vital that the Nigerian government acts now to educate the public about the nature of disability and to make sure that people understand it properly. The government should set up public awareness campaigns across the country and should also train police and social welfare teams to look out for cases of abuse involving disabled children who have been accused of witchcraft. As a party to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Nigeria has a legal and moral responsibility to uphold the rights of children with disabilities and to protect them from harm”.