Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-10-02
F,om The Atlanta fGa ! Copfederacy


Consumption and Exemptien.
Since Conscription is adopted the means OF rals-
ing soldiers to repenish increase army we think
the government ought to conscribe every able to
bear arms unless his services at home should happen
be worth to the countrys cause to the people,
than in the army. If such should be the case with any
man. be ought not to be conscrbed, in our judgment,
but kept at home to follow bis occupation, which is
consider ed indispensable to the well being OF the people
The last session of Congress enacted that certain per-
sons should be exempt from CONSUMPTION. That hst,
in opinion, not fair and worked Injustice to
several parties. 1t exempted Railroad and Express
men, teachers, mlers, ferrymen. &c Now our opin-
onis that these exemptions too broad The rail-
roads must be kept going Their running is absolutely
Indispensable and whoeveris necessary to keep them
going should be exempt. We do not think all classes
Of men employed on roads essential to their run
Ming but what their places readily be filled by men
over conscript age. Among these clerks, conduc
tors, messengers aborers, Sc 1t requires no partlcu
lar skill to ill these places such to make 1t necessary
to exempt able bodied of conscrlp age to 90 so
with. Plenty OF men who physically unable to IN
dergo the tolls Of the field or who are over 40 years
old, be found to fill these posts The case IS diner
ent with engineers and machnists They are not to De
had in abundance presume s0d for this reason hey
should be exempt.
We see reason for exempting everybody connected
with the Express Company The President and Su-
perintende1ts divisions aud perhaps some Others
would be proper to exempt The Express Is necessity
the people, and moss not be stopped but we DO not
believe its large numbers of clerks messengers aoorers
&c. who are OF conocrpt age of such vital lmpor-
lance that their places cannot be filed and that readi
ly by men who not tit Tor military service or over
| 45 years old.
Teachers are exempt and under this provision Of the
law schools have sprung up in abundance-gotten up,
IN many instances by men who are no more nj lor
teachers than they for Generals The ladies can
teach and will do It, if they thereby relieve able bod
led and let them go into the army. Soldiers VINO
have BEEN discharged fJr inability, and men who are
unable 10 perform military GUY, as we'll as men over
45 can be found to take charge of all the children WHO
be spared to go to school Schools are snarlDg by
| the ar, and will suf r. matter how many teachers
exempt The children will, III great measure be
kept at hone till the is over.
Several other classes of eXempt5, nl9ut enumer-
ate have the same objection to III N.
At the present session, both houses OF Congress have
been trkerDg at exemption law, and though 1t has
not yet been passed. think they committing the
bunders before. Take for instance the follow
ing concerning editors, printers &C. from the proceed
| ings of the Senate:
MIR. Davis, of n. Carolina, moved to amend the bill
so to exempt all editors OF newspapers.
MIR. Brown, OF Mississippi objected to the amend
ment. He knew Of some papers which had thirty or
forty editors and he doubted not that of the pa
pers in this city had least half dozen If everybody
is TO be exempted we might we'll dsband the army.
MIR. Yancey of Ala, moved to amend so as to exempt
one editor for each paper.
MIR. Davis accepted the amendment, and the question
being put, it was decided in the negative viz:
Yeas Messrs. Baker, Clarke, Clay, Davis, Lewis, Pey
ton, Sparrow and Yancey-8.
Nays--aessls broWn burHett l'orfch, Haynes Henry
Hill, Hunter Maxwell, Mitchell, Orr, Phe'an, Preston,
Sen mes, and Wigfall--!l.
Ga motion of Mr.. Yancey, the clause exempting all
oremen, PR ssuen and ouneymen printers employed in
printing newspapers, was amended by adding having
at least 500 bona fde subscribers
This action on the part CT the Senate has excited
deal OF animadverson the part of the press. Some
urge that it is nsdious blow at the freedom OF the
press and therefore violation OF the Constitution -
We shall not make this objection far as are per-
sonaly concerned, lest some one might think inter
esed We are, however of the opinion that the press
ought not to be stopped Newspapers are among the
necessities of e aid the people more do with
out them than they dispense with teachers, tanners
shoemakers express men, preachers, doctors, mers,
&c. We don't think the Government ought indirectly
to suppress them, any more than it would directly.
But 1t nonsense to exempt printers, pTessnen, &c
ard not ed tors. The Congress might we'll suppress
newspapers by direct Editors cannot always be
furnished from among the feeble and those
script age The Senae's action, if approved, by the
House, denies papers a single editor; and Mr..
Yancoy's proposition but little better. One editor
cannot conduct daily paper as 1t should be. 1t is
impossible. MIR. Browns objection that some papers
had forty editors may be extravagant to numbers
for should hardly think there paper in America
with such numerous editorial cOrps-but it is, in its
spirit, valid objection to exemption of all editors
for doubt many would be placed on the list OF edl-
work of editors, but solely to save them ou 1Dscrp-
ton. The true and only correct plan would be to
empt on each paper, just tie number OF editors that
absolutely necessary to carry it well 10 order
to arrive at this let the editor propretorinchcf be
put apoD bis oath and if the enrolling officer has rea-
to believe such person swearing falsely trying
to exempt too many persons let it be made matter oil
reference to authority tribunal to be deermn-
ed by eu1dtce. This would be sensible and just to all
In short, the true criterion is this Every
70 ,1chN1 no oIof
where he be most beneficial to the country If he
can do good editor, teacher Physician shoe
maker, &C. than soldier, if bis services at home
are indispensable to the well being of the community,
aud cannot be supplied if be is taken Off, then he should
be kept at home
There is another class exempted by the Senate bill
which think altogether wrong which is Quaker8
and Dunka1ds These religious sects who con-
sceDciousy opposed to the war, and the shedding OF
blood under any circumstances 1t is part OF their
creed, to shed blood for any cause, matter
what They carry this foolish notion to such extent
to oppose the hanging of murderers, matter how
enormous their crimes
Now, would be the last persons on earth to ad-
vocae any interference with any bodys religious opin-
ions but do hold that no one has any right to
terrain religious notions detrimental to the interests
the dignity and honor of the nation, that would
conflict with the nations policy laid down in its
laws, when vital question is involved or at issue
Every sensible knows natonss must resort to
when war is made On them. When assailed with the
armies of another the assault must be repealed in the
same way. The shedding of blood which, under some
circumstances s of the highest types of crime be-
comes the highest civic virtue in the holy cause of a
nations defense. When people assailed by the
armies of another people who would deprive them of
their liberty or their nationality it then becoes every
mans sacred duty to SIZED bOodto spill the blood OF
the enemies of his country if he can, and to spill his
own blood bravely in SO doing, If such be the fortunes
of The man who will shrink from this, upon the