The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-08-16
NEWS FROM THE REBEL STATES.
Rcmonstrance Against the Rebel Con.
script Law.

Rcmon STRANGE Against the Rebel Com
script Law.
TEE PETITION OF CERTAIN NoN-C0EscRIPrs, RE.
SpgcTrVLLY PRESENTED TO THE CONFEDERATE
STATES CONGRESS-.
To THs SPEIkEg AND MEMpERs or CONGRESS TIE Con-
TzrEEAfE Sf4IEs Or A1ERicA.
Your Petitioners respectfully represent that they
all The sge Of thirty Eve years Under the age
eighteen years. They al .enoled In the military
sey tbs Confederate Staes previous TO the Iath
day vi April 1862, the date Of the Conscrpt act some
of your pc ,ioners being to companies mustered and re.
ceivei into service for twelve months, OF whom
enlisted For the previous TO the 10th day OF April
1862, and others who have not reenisted; who
have resolved the bounty money and others who have
received IT, Most or your petitioners had under the
call Of their respective states and the President OF the
Confederate States enlisted fer three years or she
war; previous to the 10Th Of April 1852.
Your petitioners are from tho different States OF the
Confcieracysoe OF them over Atty years old, sthers
under seventeen years Of age A tho drent periods
e ,hcr enlistment he rssspe1;s Of be cl he Con-
icS9F53? were darkened and being SVsfshsdowsd 81
series . mhap essasEs and mssy
20 all outward Appearances WANING ana leeded renewed
energies and unmisakable popular o. per-
eora bravery and individual sacrifices.
The call for fresh troops increased energies and
doubled exerons, was promptly responded 10 by your
petitioners volunteers in the army of the Confederate
States. At that critical inctrre Of the affairs the
country, neither your petitioners the public had any
idea OF the passage Of the Conscrpt act. IL then
believed that It was the settled policy OF the Confederate
to rest its sustaining reliance tho untram
melted free viii and high spirit Of the Southern people
be called FORTH organized and put into action under thor
not have anticipated the passage Of the Conscrpt act
the adoption sanction OF any system OF military or.
by the Confederate States government which
would claim TO basis the abncgaton Of the
cherished principle Of State sovereignty and individual
freedom Of VIII They as di their States regarded tho
cardinal principle OF individual, personal liberty and
questioned State sovereignty to the keynote TO the exist
isting revolution.
Under impulses Of no ordinary character your peti.
TONERS in the hour Of their countrys danger left home
family all, 10 fight treemen in tie army rsemsr.
To sSsd ,s hs per
asy Rssa sss s. sssaya ss
ma every M to That the aS Ss s sss .S % .as
AID sanctioned by The responsive legislation o. he .on
rsderate government. Had that ascertained pocy an
accrcditc system OF Itary organzsion oeen n
and carried out not one o. sour petitioners woud nave
..,,at,ag - -
Under The conviction that no such change would or
could be made your petitioners volunteered freely and
enlisted willingly They ID entered into contract with
the Confederate which they had right suspect
would ever be violated by that high contracting party
In this they over confident. On the 10th day OF
Aprl 1861 tho conscrpt act became law. The win Of
your honorable body, ms mode known IN That law, by
terms too plain be Mistaken and too mpcrious be
lightly dsregarded annullod all previous contracts made
by volunteers and by explicit terms o. sgtsld
t,on made men under the Of thrty-vc years and
over eighteen years soldiers for The mar until they at
tanned the age Of thrtyhye yearshus drawing a. with
hoos q, seo every male citizen hin the pre- scribed
ages with excepted casey Immediately and entire
y from the control OF state action and placed them ut
the disposal Of the President during ne oar
b. reciproca.ing return TO the body OF society, and
under the control Of the different States chat cass then
in tho army, represented by -FOUR PETE oners.) could
have been sanctioned by he states. As bonus
TO society and concurrent guarantee 20 the States,
your honorable body inserted certain Qualifications,
strctions aud conditions precedent 10 the body Of
the act. They were in the following words
Provided further That all persons under the age Of
IS years the age Of 50 years, who are now
rolled 10 the military service Of the Confederate States
In the regiments, squadrons bat aons aud companies
hereafter be reorganized shall be required 70 remain
In their respective companies, squadrons baaiions and
ninety days, unless their places shall be
sooner supplied by other recruits, Lot In the SER
vice. who are between the ages OF Is and 35 And
ali laws and parts OF laws providing for the rcorganiza
,ion OF volunteers and the organization thereof into
compan squairvns batsions aud regiments snail ne,
And the same are hsreny, repealed.
On the PRONUNCIATION Of the law, with TINS qusincaton
without which your petitioners aver the law could never
have been passed there but one construction pacei
on IN the army and throughout the country 20 lar as
yonr petitioners are advised and believe and that was,
that an persons over the age Of thrtyvc years or under
eighteen years, who were, on me date " the aw en-,
roo IA the military service Of the Confederate Sates
o,d b. dicaorgs on ~ fsh day yatg, 1862 and this
,tout RESTRICTION qualification peradyenture Ttese
,gye ne ,e,ms Of ne lam They were plain, unequivccal
and mandatory Common scnse-univcrsal pubic OPT
nloa concurring military, popular ana onciai sentiment,
thus understood accepted and adopted the law nor WIS
it anywhere By any ono, under any circumstances
otherwise SPOKEN Of considered or regarded 20 FAR as
your petitioners advised, IN or OIL Of ne aray mill
General Order No. %, rescindng General Order NO i
was issued by tho Asntant Gcneralyunder and by aubo
ritv or the Secretary NJ War.
Tsnforffy toc1 ne sostry and Ms army BY stTTt~ W
fell as death kns upon ue assured expctatsoHs@ voar