The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-01-23
For the Richmond Dispatch |
The Militia-WhS are Exemptc

As ths Legislature is now employed In de-.
vising plan to furnish Virginia's quota of
the QGnfedsrate Army for another cam paign,
and, as that plan will most probably render
necessary heavy draft ON the militia of the
State, the question "Who are exemp ~" or
rather who ought to be exempted beco mes
q very important one.
That the Legislature should determine this
question clearly and definitely, as an act of
justice to the whole body Of ths militia. IL. IL
seems to me, highly essential, and that it
should make the subjects Of exemption as
few as possible Is also very important. The
Adjutant General, in late report. makes
the number of militiamen some lSO, 900 or
10000. This, l presume, includes all the
male citizens OF the State between eigh teen
and forty -nve years OF age, except those
whose physical disability Is 80 plain rs to
have prevented them from being enrolled.
Now, Of this number, If am to Judge from
what hear and see, large proportion will
claim exemption on the score physical disa-
bility. In the community in which the
writer resides, there are numerous persons
who have suddenly become afflicted with
blindness, deafness, '-lameness, and many
other complaints disquaiifytng them for
military service and such, presume, is the
case all over the State.
Again, the ranks Of the militia are uxsly
TO be very much thinned by persons profess.
Ing to be working for the 0overnme ent
That II, men who manage to got q job once a
months wagon, . set Of harness, or some.
thing OF the kind-but whose regular EN- pIoy.
ment is working for other, perhaps better,
customers. ID -.
Another class Of would .be exsmpts is over.
seers, by far the hsalthiest, hardest class OF
men among us
: Now, would have the Legislature to
look : t this matter closely and exempt only
such a. are In truth physically unfit to be
soidiefs-or whose services at home are like.
~ to be productive OF moro benefit to the
public than they would b In the army.
What justice 10 there in making Q slrtpling
Of twenty years whose face has never been
exposed to Iha sun for IN hour At tins, and
VINO has never done any harder work In his
life than measure tape and calico, do service
- soldier, while the robust man Of thirty
years, i've feet ten In HE stockings, romans
et home, merely because ~ Il. en- 0verseeY :
What justice In making b, who doAm'tco ;
plain Of i'll heath. but who weighs only 1l6
poundA and isnot Abls 70 !lft hi.ova weight.
pounds and can ysll IN OK vitA hia hst, is
exempted because he iIA little hard Of hsar-
tnE, or has some trt0ing complaint which
uoVGr yet IL any cas-, produced deA3hf Why
take one man from his business, cloae his
doors, and leave his family with no one 10
support and provide Tor them, and lsave an
ofisr sthons 70 g eloo vosse q work tOr
ooysrame.t and es.ooo worth Sor hia regular
II ts u n,c,aaitisa Of ne ssuntsy rsa.ir,
tho saryicee OF the militia, lat al b On.
yoaled-ao NAT every man may haNo ~ eqaal
chsncs. II the 0oveInQaot rec ltEoe work.
men. lst II employ tAem regularly and coa-
stentl4 -snt ssss - = 3, 4 n.sess.teaAa job
Yrapc1t, ~ ne Leaislaturs look closely
into Ills uiattsr Of sxsm mptione, ~ they viii
Aovo Ron0 lor' eonNnnal eenplatAt - 1is.
saafatAotlen, Deoanetivs of srsat trouels.
ss4FGs sssseE ~. 1sss FAN xA13s