The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-07-31
The Poor nnd the Rich.
[FrOm the indianapolis Sentinel. ]

INC kOOE anu NAS ASACus
Prom the indianapolis Sentinel,1
Among the persons drafted in the 3rd
District, in Massachusetts, were Robert
| G. Winthrop, Jr., Albert Lawrence and
Joseph P. Cabot, all members of the
first families. s.-JournaL
Will one of these members Of the first
families" of Boston shoulder musket
and go to the war? They are wealthy.
They can serve in the army without in
conveniencing their families, if they have
any. And if they shonld happen to stop
a bullet and fall martyrs to the cause,
their wives and children, or friends,
would be left comfortable, and not be
thrown on their own labor for subsist.
ance or become the subjects of charity.
But they will not 60. They turn up
their aristocratic noses at the drudgery,
the tolls and the dangers of the camp.
They will fork over the three hundred
dollars exemption, and let Others fight
for the preservation of theirproperty and
their rights, and to maintain o common
Government. Theplowman, with fam.
lily or friends dependent upon his labor
for support, cannot pay the price of ex-
emption, hence he must go, no matter
what may be the privations or SufferingS
it may occasion.
How is it in this city? The bankers,
the merchants and the professional men,
who are fierce for the prosecution of the
war to the bitter end, do not go them.
selves or send their sons, unless it be in
some lucrative or honorable position
If draftad, none will shoulder the musket
aud fight as privateS for the reason that
they have the money to purchase ex.
emption from such service, But how is
it with Tie laboring man? His wife, his
children, perhaps mother or younger
sisters and brothers, are dependent in q
great measure upon his daily toll for
even the necessaries of life. He cannot
pay the price of exemption, hence he
must go, and 60 into the ranks.
We allude to these inequalities of the
conscrpt law to illustrate the reason why
it is so odious to the laboriug classes
They feel that they owe no more obliga.
tion to the Government and should not
be called to bear any more of the bur
dens it imposes than those who happen
to have more of this worlds goods -
And they know that the men who are
most clamorouS for the vigorous prosecu.
tion of the war are not found fighting.
They inquire, where are the Summers,
the Philipses, the Garrisons, the Beech.
erS, the GiddingSeS, the Mortons, the
Yateses, the TodS. the Chambers, the
Wrights, and host of Others that we
could name, when the life of the nation
is trembling in the balance? They see
Sumner in elegant attire, with his deli
cate hands encased in kids Of the most
fashionable hue, at some watering place!
Beecher and Wright across the water en-
joying the comforts Of the Old World, far
from the din and scenes and sanguinary
strife; Chandler enjoying little brandy
letting; and the Tods, and the Yateses,
and the Mortons playing the demagogue
to crafty their vanity and love of ap.
plauSe, and to secure political advance
ment Among all the leaders who are
camorous for the war, they can find none
who are making personal sacrifices, or
who are willing tc shoulder musket,
to aid in bringing the terrible strife in
which the country is engaged to speedy
and honorable termination. Yet these
men are eloquent in enunciating that
"all men are created free and equal"
and that the negro is entitled to politi.
cal equality with the white man, but
ncne are willing to illustrate their beau
tiful theories of equality by placing up
on level with the citizens who happen
to he poor when the Government makes
a requisition to fill up or increase the
ranks of her armies. 1t is the exemp
tion feature of the ronscript act which
makes it odous to the )aboring classes.
But however odious it may be in that
respect, OF in any other, it is the law of
the land, and while it remains upon the
statute, and when enforced, it must be
obeyed. The people have a remedy in
the ballot-box for the redress of their
grievances. Violence only begets vio-
lence and it leads to the greatest of all
evils, anarchy. The laws must be obey.
ed, no matter how unjust; but when the
time comes apply the remedy by holding
the authors responsible and let verdict
of the ballot.box speak the condemna-
tion of the people,