Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-28
TIE NEW MILITIA LAW.
CAMP MAR YORKTOWN,
nscamhar is 1851

49, December IS, 1861.
To Tie EAtOr of The Wig:
Being an humble private in the ranks OF the Confed
crate army, and as such, being much entitled TO the
benefit aud protection CT law and justice as the highest
officer in the land whether civil judicial or military, the
writer respectfully requests small space IN the columns
of your valuable JOURNAL his only OF bringing
to the notice of present Legislature an egregons
blunder which he, in common with every one of our
gallant volunteers with whom he has converscd honestly
believes the Sia.e Convention in It's last session commit
tel 10 lis ordinance concerning the reorganization OF the
militia OF the State. Among the alterations proposed
In said Convention We observe that all men capable Of
bearing arms between the ages Of twentyons and thr
ty.one years. put in the active Glass; subj ct to be
called fs into service, whilst those between the ages
OF eighteen AID twenty one, and thiryone and forty
ve have been put in the reserved class-toialy gnOr
ing the claims to b, pat in the reserved class of those
volunteers who the fret to ent whose ages may
be between twenty and thirtyone and whOse term
cf service will expire at tie end Of the twelve months
for which they enlisted. 1t Is fact generally admitted
that OF present volunteers between the ages
OF twenty thiry,one years, and tha. their pre-.
sent term OF enlistment will expire some time daring
next spring but why there should have been this dis
elimination made by our Convention against certain
class Of cur citizens and in favor Of another class Of
certain age, when a. have ial intereSt 10 the
cess of common cause which Is that Of our country
the same ability TO WELD the sword in It's defence, the
benefit of The same laws and last ougb not least the
same taxes to pay, it IS the comprehension Of most
men to COZ scture.
We think it nothing more than right and fair towards
the community, to let every man capable Of bearing
arms between the ages Of eighteen and fory-6ve, Who
has not previously been in service during the war; take
an equal chance to be drafted not drafted into SER
vice. provided that method should have to be esorted
to, in order to keep efficient army il the field.
It's moreover, understood that bill Ia about to be
introduced into the Legislature for the purpose OF
forcing into service again those volunteers whose term
o. service will expire at the end Of twelve mcnths un
less they re.ehst Immediately. When Lincoln issued
his notorious exclamation Of April last threatening to
sutjlgate the South, and saw the imminent danger
with which country threatened, and, with pa
riotc FIRE and zsf, rushed forward to its deencs and
endured all the hardshps and privations the dangers
and exposures Ct the present campaign, lLls did We
imagine that because We were the frst TO obey Our
countrys call in the tim, Of s greatest need, IL would
subject US to the ban OF being Immediately pressed into
service at the expiration of present term Of enlist,
ment. As a consideration for the nobl, chivalry Of
those who the frs. to obey tho call Of duty and
patriotism in volunteering their services and exposing
their lives in defence Of their country, think it moth
ing more than just that those volunteers whose term Of
enlistment expires at the end Of twelve months should
be put in the reserved clss" without respect age,
with the privilege Of remainirs in the reserved cass
Of reorganzing themselves into companies battons or
regiments after being mustered out Of service, and
listing again they may elect II left to the free will
of the volunteers there ia but little doubt that the most
of them will readily re-erst Immediately at the expa
ton Of their present term, should their services be
needed; but they have an invincible horror Of any
measures being taken them into service again,
whilst so large portion Of cz have remained oil
time their quiet homes attending to their busntss
matters having pended their first dollar in T.
cause Of the Southern Confsderacy, with their HON
and Effects protected from invasion and spoation by
the enemy, by the bravery and sefsacrfcing spirit of
those volunteers who have left home effects business
matters aud friends that near and dear to them.
to meet tne mercenary foe and turn back the tide Of
invasion from our SOIL 1t is TO be hoped that pres
eu Legislature will take this matter in hand and dvest
l. of is most obnoxious features otherwise there will
be vast deal of dissatisfaction IL not commoon and
insuboriinaton 10 of troops at the expiration
ton of their Of service Hoping that this appeal
may fad place in your valuable and influential newspa.
per, am, &C., SOLDIER.