True Democrat., 1863-01-28

act, and that it has been subjected to harshel criticism than 1t deserves. And here 1 may say that an erroneous impression appears tt prevail in regard to this act. It is no disgrace to be brought into the army by conscrption.- There IS no more reason to expect from tht citizen voluntary service in the army than tt expect voluntary labor on the public roads, ol the voluntary payment of taxes. But these things we-do not expect. We assess the prop erty of the citizen, we appoint tax gathers; why should we not likewise distribute equally the labor and enforce equally the obligation of de- fendinig the country from its enemies? l repeat that 1t is no disgrace to any one to be conscrihtd but it is a glory for those who do not wait fa. the conscription. Thus resulted the couscrip- ton act; and thence arose the necessity for the exemption act. That necessity was met, but when it was found that, under these acts enough men were not drawn into the ranks of the ar my to fulfll the purposes intended 1t became necessary to pass another conscrpiion act. and another exemption act. It Is only of this latter that desire now to speak. Its policy tc leave home those needed to conduct the administration, and those who might be requr- ed to support and maintain the industry of the couutrv-in other words, to exempt from mlli- tary service those whose labor, employed in other avocations, might be more profitable to the country and to the government, than iu the ranks of the army.
 am told that this act has excited some dis- content, and that it has provoked cenSurc. far more severe believe thanit deserves. Ii has been said that it exempts the rich from military ser vice, and forces the poor to- hght the battles of the country. The poor do, indeed, fight the battles of the country. It IS the poor who save nations and IF Ike revolutions. But IL K true that in this war the men of property have shrnnk from the ordeal of the battle field? Look through the army: cast your eyes upon the maimed heroes of the war whom you meet in your streets and in the hospitals; remember the martyrs of the conflict and l am sure you will find among them more than fair propor- ton drawn from the ranks of men of property. The object of that portion of the act which eX- empts those having charge of twenty or more negroes, swas not to draw any distinction of classes, bat simply to provide force, in tke nature of a police force, sufficient to keep our negroes in control. This was the sole object of the clause. Had 1t been otherwise, 1t would never have received my signature. As l have already said, we have no cause to complain ot the rich All of our people have done well; and, while the poor have ncbly discharged heir duties, most of the wealthiest and most distin- guished families of the Sputh have representa- tives in the ranks. take, as an example, the case of one ofyour own representatives in Cons gress who was nominated for Congress and elected; but still did a sentinel sduty until Con- gress met. Nor IS this a solitary instance, for men ofthe largest fortune in Mississippi are ROW serving as privates in the army.
 Permit me now to say that have seen with peculiar pleasure the recommendation of your Governor in his message, to make some pro- 4o, tb 1i.c of ba old of Mississippi. Let this provision be made for the objects of his affection and his soctule, and the soldier engaged in fighting the battles of his country will no longer be disturbed in his sumbct by dreams of an unprotected and ne glected family at home. Let him know that his mother Mississippi has spread her protects ing mantle over those he loves and Ire will be ready to hght-your bttles, to protect yonr hon or, aad, in your cause to die. There Is anoth CT of the governors propositions to 'Thich 1 wish 10 allude. l mean the proposition to call upou those citizens who are not snhjeet to the c Confederate conscri pfion law, aud to form them into reserve corps for the purpose of aiding in the defence of the State. Men who are ex- empted by law from the performance of any du- ty, do not generally feel the obligation to per form that duty unless calel upon by the law. But an conf lent that the men of Mississippi have only to know tlat their soil is invaded, their cities menaced, to rush to meet the enc. my, even if they serve only for thirty days. l see no reason why the State may not, in an exi s on r ts ftse4eeet Rett Yfbbieb na# u up 9a her call service. Such troops could be of material benefit, by serving in entrenchmeHts, and thus relieving the veteran and disciplined soldiers for t.e duties of the field, where discipline Is so much needed. At the end of short term of service they could return to their homes and to tht ir ordinary avocations, resuming those du ties necessary to the poblic prosperity.
 The exemption act passed by the last Con- gres5 will probably be made the subject of re- vision and amendment. It seems 10 me that some provision might be m ede by which those who are exempt from enrolment now might, on becoming subject to conScrl Dtiou, b. lari ed ovsr by the State tO the Confederate authorities But retit never be said that there ia a conflict between the States and the Confederate gov ernment. b7 which a blow may be inflicted on the common cause. Ii sach a page is to be written on the history of any State, l hope that you my friends, will say that that State, shall not be Mississippi. Let me repeat that there is much that the reserved corps can do. They can build bridges, construct fortiications, act as a sort of police to preserve order and pro mote the industrial interests of the State and 70 keep the negroes under control. Being of the people among whom they would act, those mis- understandings would thus be avoided which are apt to arise when strangers are employed in snch a service. In this manner the capacity of the army for active operations against the enc my.wouId be materially increased. l hope l shall not be considered intrusive for having en tered into these details. The measures l have recommended are placed beGore you only in the form of suggestions, and, by you, 1 know shall not be msinterrreted.
 Ia considering the manner in which the war has been conducted by the enemy, nothing ar rests the attention more than the magnitude of the preparations made for our subugatlon.-- Immense naves have been constructed, vast armies have been accumulated, for the purpose of crushing out the rebellion. IL has been lm- possible for us to meet them in equal numbers; nor have we required 1t. We have often whips ped them three to one, and in the eventful bat tie of Antietam Lee whipped them four to one. But do not understand me as saying that this will always be the case. When the troops ot the enemy become disciplined, and accustomed to the obedience of the camp, they will necessa- rilv approach more nearly to an equality with our own men. We have always whipped them in spite of disparity of numbers, ard on any fair field. fighting as man to man, and relying on those natural qualities with which men are endowed, we should not fear to meet them Tn the proportion of one to two. But troops must be disciplined in order to develop their efliclen- cv; and in order to keep them at their posts Above all, 10 assure this result, we need the support of public opinion. We want public