Why did the public fear the army

Americans feared the army as a threat to the liberty of the new republic.

Explanation:

Part of the difficulty in raising a large and permanent fighting force was that many Americans feared the army as a threat to the liberty of the new republic. The ideals of the Revolution suggested that the militia, made up of local patriotic volunteers, should be enough to win in a good case against a corrupt enemy. Beyond this idealistic opposition to the army, there were also more pragmatic difficulties. If a wartime army camped near private homes, they often seized food and personal property. Exacerbating the situation was Congress's inability to pay, feed, and equip the army.