The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-08-05

by the city Of Keokuk of fifty thousand
dollars to purchase the exemption of all
citizens who may be drafted, and who are
unwilling" to respond to the call of our
country, or who may be unwilling to
pay for such exemption out OF their own
private MEANS" dc, respectfully report !:
We fully concur 10 the spirit OF the
leading declaration of the communication 8
TO wit ''ln times of war. either for the
rspelling Of foreign invaders of our coun-
try. or for the suppression of domestic
insnrrections, it is the manifest duty of all
citizens alike, WHO are capable Of bearing
arms, to perform military duty in defence
Of their country, their liberties, their
lives and their property"
Following this patriotic and truthful
declaration, the eommunicstion urges n
favor Of IN appropriation Of fifty thou
sand dollars for the purposes above named,
that the late CONSUMPTION law of Con-
gress operates uneqaslly on the rich and
poor, enabling the rich property holder
to shift from his own shoulders the hard
ships and trials of actual service in the
army to those of Deighbors who have the
misfortune Of being poor" &c. This il
not true. The law requires no man to
fssdef military service for another. Tn
der the impending draft every tub must
stand on its own bottom. Ii A. 10 not
drafted. he may rest assured the Govern
ment will not compel him to serve instead
of another, to defend his country, it mat
ters not how many of his rich neiphbors
may have purchased their exemption
Clearly. it works no hardship to him, and
the only shifting" there seems to be in
the case, is the rich mans three hundred
dollars 10 the treasury Of the United
States, whereby the Government is en-.
sbled to secure the services of such as
may be found willing to do battle for the
preservation Of our national existence.
1t would ill become us to criticise the
wisdom and justice OF law made for the
protection Of our country, and upon which
has been employed the best talent of the
nation. Rather let US inquire how the
case would stand if the three hundred
dollar clause was stricken oute As the
Law now stands none are required to pay
over three hundred dollars for exemption;
but strike this provision from the law
and you at once force the "poor" into
.eompetition with the frich.' All must
see that In that case the highest bidder
Will obtain the substitute, and it is not
unreasonable TO infer. that in a war of the
magnitude of the present rebellion, the
competition would be such as to place the
price Of substitutes quite beyond the
reach of men Of ordinary means. thereby
creating an absolute monopoly in favor
of the rich.
1t Is further urged that the law works
special hardship on the poor by drag.
glng to the army the guardians and sup
| per.ers Of poor, dependent, helpless fam
lilies. Such is not the case, and the ides
could only have originated by design, or
In gross ignorance OF the provisions Of the
law
Congress seems to have had this very
class Of persons specially in view, aud
has thrown around them sll the protec
ton IN ITS power, even to a perfec, i'm.
nunlty from the draft Of him on whou
such families are dependent for protection
and support.
This much your committee have though
proper to say concerning the Conscrip
ton law, ~hich just now most deepl,
concerns the public, and which, in to,
many inatancss, is simperfsetly understood
owing chiefly, Is We believe, to the per
sistent misrepresentation of that mis,ra
bio class of political sympathizers who
busiiy sssk to create prejudies 10 tn,
minds Of the ignorant, and in every DOS
sibls way thwart the Government ia he
plans and operations for the supprsssio,
Of the rebellion. We believe that tn
Conscript law, when rightly understood
will commend itself 10 justice and oquit.
to the approval of all good and loyal ci.i
zens.
Permit rs now briefly to call your at
tention to the true purport and meaniuI
OF this communication. 1t invokes tn,
example Of "other incorporated cities
as our guide, and asks for the adoption o
measures. the object of which is ID de
feat law Of the Government, made for
and on the faithful enforcement of which
} depends the very existence Of the natio,
and all we hold sacred. 1t asks you t
adopt like measures, and follow the pre-
cedent and example Of such as recent,
held high carnival in the lanes and street
of New York city, over the piHaging @
private residences, nocturnal assassina
: tions, highway robbcries, burning Of or
phan asylums, aud the discriminate mur
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