North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-08-05

reserves to each State the right of appoint
ment of the off ;ers to com nan its own mi
| litia. The eighty-fourth section of the con-
scription bill gives the President power to
assign any person drafted under the provis-
ions of the act to d, military du.y in such
corps, regiment, or other branch Of the ser
vice as the exigency of the service may re-
q,ire. The President may under this sec
ton, place every Pennsylvania that is draft
ed in New York or other State regiment, or
companies commanded by New York or 9TH
er State officers. It is plain the object of
this provision in the Constitution was to
keep the militia of each State together, each
company, regiment, battalion brigade, or dI-
vision comman led by an officer appointed
and acting under State authority.
Third. The present Conscri ,,tion Bill is
unconstitution al, inasmuch as it places the
whole military power of the country in the
hands of the General Government, thus d.
feaiing the right of each State to have any
militia at all, and the Constitution declares
that :" we'll regulated militia is necessary
to the security of a free State"
Fourth. We come to the fourth, last and
most important reason why the conscription
bill is unconstitutional, and that is that it
places in the hands of the President power
not contemplated by the powers Of the Con-
stitution, not enumerated in his duties, and
power too dangerous to entrust in the
hands of one man, threatening, as it does
the liberty of a free Republic. The powers
given to the President by the Constitution
are great and plenary. He has the power of
appointment of hosts of officers, both in the
civil and military deolrtm,nts Of the gov
ernment. He appoints ambassadors and
other public ministers, Judges Of the Su
preme Court, and commissions every officer
of the United States. He has the power Of
pardon. lie has the power veto. Ho Is
the supreme executive officer. But although
the powers Of the President are large, our
torefathers wisely seeing that men might be
elevated to that office who, from motives of
ambition, self interest, or political pre- judice,
might be tempted to exceed their authority,
limited the powers Of the President, and
have in the Const so fully and expIic
lily set forth his duties, that it is impossible
for him to exceed his powers without the
know ledge of every American citizen who is
able to read the Constitution Of his country.
Now, let US for a moment look at this con
! scription bill, and see whether the powers
therein given 70 the President are not dan
gprous To the liberty OF the pc pie Of the re-
pubic.
l. II gives the President power to divi le
= the whole cnun'ry ~ into m lHarv strIcl :
l. and To apprint provost Ntrshai IN tnlt DIS
n trict whose y wer ovlP the cit,z ms is unhm
d ited, every man liable T. IN ltary day, be n =,
) under the act, considered as belonging to the
nntiunal forces.
2. 1t gives him power to appoint the en-
= rolling officers, who are removable at hi
: pleasure.
3. 1t & YES him power, whenever he dee m
e IT necessary, to call out any number of citi
o zens. and if those Who are dra(ten do not ap
Il pear within Ger ain tima, they shlIl b. ar
e rested by the Provost Marshal an off ,er ap
e pointed by Lin, and who is removable at hi
D. pleasure, court maFtialed by officers also ap
r pointed by him, (not by State authority t
a be tried for desertion, the punishment o
i which is death, or such other punishment a
,e these officers may direct. thus placing tht
d life and liberty of every citizen in the hand:
r subordinate tffcers.
e 4. 1t gives the President power to sent
le any citizen drafted to do any military ser
l. wee he may desire, thus deprlving that cit
o. zen of his right to be commanded by an eff
es Ger appointed under Stale authority.
J, S. Whenever a call is made by the Pres
h ident, as there is no particular mode emu
il merated in the act as how the draft is
D. take place, it is in the power of the Pres
dedt and his Provost Marshas, during tk
er sitting Of our Legislature. to take every ma
- out of the Hall, to take the judges off tn
at Bench, to take members of Congress from
ne their places, to take every State officer pre-
i'd vided they possess the required qualifca
I'D tions, and place them INTO the military ser
C. uDless they pay the ftteess tteess ae there to romai'
furnish substitute
~ IN short it is in The power Of the nros;
to ue"t 10 override all the rights of tba s,o,o
WHICH were reserved to them w3e, tho r. -
1t S'Nutlon was adopted to break up, femme
i l"'''y OF 4astIn9iy, our State and Municino
y governments and our Conrts, every ono .,
n Jul state authorities, except our Cove, ,o.
0 oe'0g amenable to tbs military power Of n,
: General Government. 'i''
G DOES any sane man believe that the from,
efS OF the Constitution ever intended 49,
'he PRESIDENT should have such un,im;tos
Cnn,o oLc power as that given him by the
oo"Scrlptlon Act? 1t is true tina, tba ca.