Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-08-06
WEDNESDAY. AUGUST o, 1862.


from the enrolled militia. The people take 1t
as sion that the war against the rebels is to
be made vigorous and overwhelming, and are
ready for any measure that promises to make
thewarshort unsuccessful. The fruitless cam
paign against Richmond, and the necessity
created by its movements for giving up the
march from western Virginia to east Ten
mes nsss see, mad given rise to considerable
discouragement, and to an uncomtorta-
Bile feeling of uncertainty. The promise
of a more vigorous policy, and the call for a
vast increase of the army, tend to revive hope
and resolution. Let the president and those
under him do their part of the work thorough
ly, and they will never lack enthusiastic sup
port from the people. With 100000 volun-
teers to fill up the old regiments now in the
field and add to them new ones, and 100000
militia in reserve, the rebels cannot hope to
succeed. The knowledge of such force in the
field will battle their hopes and settle the ques-
ton speedily, provided we have also that new
policy for conducting the war which has been
ordered by act of congress and promised by the
executive.
We have not yet been told by what regula-
tons the draft will be conducted. The late
act of congress directs the president to take
measures for enrolling the militia and provide
regulations for the draft, in any state where
the laws on the subject are defective; but
there is nothing yet to indicate what condition
of the state laws the war department may
deem defective. Should the order require of
Massachusetts that the given number of men
constituting her quota is drafted in ac-
cordance with the existing laws of the state,
no other rules or regulations for drafting will
be regarded. But this is not certain, and we
must wait for the order from the war depart
ment, which will give us the definite informa-
ton desired.
The following are such portions of the law
passed at the late session of congress, entitled
SAN act to amend an act calling forth the mil
tia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress
instructions and repel invasions," &C., APP
proved by the president, July II, 1862, as re-
fer to manner of drafting =
That whenever the president of the United
States shall call forth the militia of the
United States, he may specify in his call the
period for which such service will be required, |
not exceeding nine months and the militia so |
called shall be mustered in and continue to |
serve for and during the term so specified, |
unless sooner discharged by command of the |
president
If by reason of defects in existing laws, or |
in the execution of them in the several states, |
or any of them, it shall be found necessary to |
provide for enrolling the militia, and other
wise putting this act into execution, the presi-
dent is authorized in such cases to make all
necessary rules and regulations; and the en-
rollment of the militia shall in all cases in
clude all able-bodied male citizens between
the ages of eighteen and forty-five, and shall
be apportioned among the states according to
representative population.
Section 2. And be it further enacted, that
the militia when so called into service, shall
be organized in the mode prescribed by law
for volunteers.
The third section allows the president to
accept not over one hundred thousand volun-
teers for nine months. Under this section
the volunteers now raising in Pennsylvania
are accepted.
By section 4, volunteers for one year are
authorized, with bounty from government of
$50 only.
Section - is as follows:
And be it further enacted, that the presi-
dent be and he is hereby authorized to receive
into the service of the United States for the
purpose of constructing entertainments. or
performing camp service, or any other labor.
or any military or naval service for which
they may be found competent, persons of
African descent, and such persons shall be
enrolled and organized under such regulations
not inconsistent with the constitution and
laws the president may prescribe.
By section 10, it is enacted that persons of
African descent, who under this law shall be
employed, shall receive ten dollars per month,
and one ration, three dollars of which month
,ly pay may be in clothing.
The following are the laws of Massachu-
sets in regard to a draft:
Section l. Every able-bodied white male
citizen, resident within this state of the age
of eighteen years, and under the age of forty
five years, excepting persons enlisted into vol
unteer companies, persons exempted by the
following sections, idiots, lunatcs, common
drunkards, vagabonds, paupers, and persons
convicted of any infamous crime, shall be en-
rolled in the militia. Persons so convicted
after enrolment shall forthwith be dsenrolled ;
and in all cases of doubt respecting the age
of person enrolled, the burden of proof
shall be upon him.
Section. 2. Assessors shall annually in May
or June make list of persons living within
their respective limits liable to enrolment,
and place certified copy thereof in the
bands of the clerks Of their respective places,
who shall record it in the records of their
city or town, and annually in May, June, or
July, transmit returns of the militia thus en-
rolled to the adiutant general.
Section 3. Keepers of taverns or boarding
houses, and masters and mistresses of dwell
ing houses shall, upon application of the as
SCISSORS within whose bounds their houses are
situated, or of persons acting under them, give
information of the names of persons residing
in their houses liable to enrolment or to do
military duty; and every such person shall,
upon like application give his name and age !;
and if such keeper, master, mistress, or per-
son, refuses TO give such information, or gives
false information, such keeper, master, or
mistress shall forfeit and pay twenty dollars,
and such person shall forfeit and pay twelve
dollars, to be recovered on complaint of either
of the assessors.
Section 4. The enrolled militia shall be sub
Ject to no active duty except in case of war;
invasion, the prevention of invasion, the sup
preston Of riots and to aid civil officers in
the execution of the laws of the common
wealth; in which cases the commander-in-
cmet shall order out for actual service, by
orah or otherwise, as many of the militia rs
necessity demands
oecuon D. The order of commander-in