Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-04-01
I00rtester 4allg Spy,
THE DAILY spy.
THE ACTOR ENROLLING THE NATIONAL FORCE

the brain, the heart the soul, the philosopher
and guide OF the Mozart Hall democratic fac
ton Of the city Of New York. Your restless
brain inspires its utterances; your plastic
hand molds and fashions its action. Surely,
then, 1t is lit that you should be held respon-
sible for the utterances and the acts of your
iege clansmen who are wont to assemble in
Mozart Hall and do your bidding.
Inspired by your councils Mozart Hall
pronounces against the ''act for enrolling and
calling out the national forces" to preserve
the unity Of the republic and the life of the
nation. Mozart Hall, ilumined by your pre-
sence, proclaims that this act for the preserv-
alton OF our periled country ''makeS an nfa-
nous distinction between the rich and the
poorw Sir, this accusation is false-wicked-
ly, wantonly, and UNANIMOUSLY talse-a foul,
shameless, and damnable libel upon the law
and its trainers. The oft-repeated avowals of
red-handed traitors, whose souls are stained
with the blood of our murdered countrymen,
that this accursed rebellion now upon us was
forced upon them by the aggressions of the
hberty-lOving, law-ablding, God-fearing peo-
pie Of the loyal states, are not more shame
lessly, wantonly, and wickedly false than is
this declaration Of Mozart Hall, that the con-
scription act makes distinctions in favor of the
rich and against the poor.
Pray, sir, do not misunderstood me. OF
course | cannot mean to accuse Mozart Hall
OF intentional falsehOod. Oh, mol Surely no
one would suspect Mozart Hall of intentional
falsehood misrepresentation! Its consider
ate moderation, its lively sense of justice, its
admitted patriotism, its stainless purity of
character, will rescue Mozart Hall from the
suspicion Of intentional misrepresentation or
talsehOOd!
OF course, sir, this shameless accusation
against the provisions of the conscription act
was inspired by ignorance, not by falsehood.
This exhibition of sheer ignorance concerning
the provisions of this prescribed law of the
nation will, perhaps, be excused and pardon
ed in view of the manifestations of that in
tense, passionate, outSpoken loyalty Mozart
Hall is wont to put forth in behalf of the
government. 1t is nevertheless not an agree
able spectacle to see you, sir, and your Mo-
Fart Hail patriots, whose exquisite regard for
human rights is only equaled by that deep
concern for the country which impelS you to
delve into the mysteries of negotiations with
the Richmond traitors, cropping along in utter
ignorance of the provisions OF Il law framed
expressly to more effectually defend the en-
dangered nation, tighten the burden of the
treasury and the people, equalze the duties,
and relieve as far as possible the toiling, de-
pendant poor from the hard, if not harsh, pro-
visions of existing militia laws.
But, sir, it matters not whether this accu-
sation of Mozart Hall against the conscrip-
ton act was born of ignorance or of talsehood.
1t is equally malicious, deceptive, mischiev-
Gus. 1t is an accusation flung before the
people by the reckless hand of malignant
demagOgism, to poison the heart and mslead
the reason. Surely the heart, conscience,
and reason of loyal people will mark and
brand the brain that conceived, the hand that
penned, and the tongue that proclaimed this
foul, wicked, and shameless calumny against
an act which bears the amplest evidence in
every line that its trainers intended its bur
dens should fall as lightly as possible on the
toling masses.
Sir, this tact for enrolling and calling out
the national forces" was framed to be more
efficient for war purposes than were the ex-
listing militia laws, less burdensome upon the
treasury and the people than were the existing
laws, and more humane to the poor who have
the aged, the nfrm, and the helpless depend
ent upon their labor for support, than were
the existing statutes. These objects, sane
toned by patriotism, economy, justice and
humanity, were ever kept steadily in view,
and they have been attained as nearly as the
unequal lot of humanity will permit, in this
law, so tiercely denounced by the Mozart hall
democracy, at your bidding Yes, sir, this
law, enthusiastically welcomed by the armies
of the republic, referred to by other nations
as the highest evidence of the determined pur-
pose of the American government, dreaded by
armed traitors, and denounced by rebel SYM
pathzers, bears in every section and in every
line, evidence of the patriotism, justice and
humanity of the thirty-seventh congress- Its
just and humane provisions perpetually give
the lie to the accusations of Mozart Hall, that
it makes an infamous distinction between the
rich and the poor.
Contrast, sir, the provisions of this de-
nounced act with the provisions of the exist
ing militia laws OF the United States, and of
your own state of New York. By the provis-
ions Of existing militia laws the president is
authorized to call into the service of the
United States the militia of the states BY the
laws of the United States and by the laws of
New FORK, certain classes of persons are ex-
cepted and exempted from military duty, from
being drafted into the service of the United
States. Are these eXempts the poor who
have widowed mothers, aged and infrm pa
rents, motherless infant children, or father
less and motherless young brothers and sis
tiers dependent on their labor for support?
No, not these. Neither the laws of the coun-
try nor the laws of New York exempt the poor
who have the aged the intirm, the helpless,
dependent upon them. At the call of the
government they must leave widowed moth
ers, aged and lnf1rm parents, tatheress and
motherless sisters and brothers, and mother
less infant children, all dependent on their
daily toll for support, and HE away to the
camp and battle field.
Who then are exempted by the militia laws
Of the United States, or of the state of New
York ? The eXempts are not the poor. the
dependent sons of toll, but the most fortunate
and favored OF the people-the members of
congress, the custom house officers and
clerks, the postmasters and clerks, professors
and students of colleges, and ministers of the
gospel the judicial officers and other officials.
This 'act for enrolling and calling out the
national forces" denounced by your Mozart
Hall followers, for making distinctions be-
tween the rich and the poor, excerpts and ex-
empts not members of congress, not custom
house officers, not postmaSters, not govern
ment clerks, not the state judiciaries, not
ministers of the gospel, and professors and
students in coleges-no! not these fortunate
and favored classes of men, for it enrolls
them, and requires them either to fight, fur
nish substitutes, or pay for substitutes. Who
then does this law, SO fippantly denounced
by Mozart Hall democracy, except and ex-
empt?
This law, branded by you, sir, and your
clansmen, excerpts and exempts, first, the vice
president Of the United States, the judges of
the various courts of the United States, the
heads of the various executive departments of
the government, and the governors of the
several states. Second, the only son liable