The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-02-27
SAINT PAUL. FRIDAY FEBRU Ky q 1863


The New Draft Law.
The bill for enrolling and calling out
the National Forces, and other purposes, u
which was reported in the Senate by Mr..
WILSON Of Massachusetts, and passed that
body, has been published. AS it has yet
to undergo the ordeal of the House, its
provisions may be changed essentially.
We therefore shall not publish the bill COM
plete until it becomes law. The second
section of the bill tells who are exempted,
and as it varies essentially from the old
militia law, we publish it:
SEC. 2. And be 1t further enacted That the
following persons be, and they are hereby, ex-
cepted and exempt from the provisions of this
act, and shall not be liable to military duty I'M
der the same-to wit: such as are rejected as
physically or mentally unfit for the service /;
also, first, the Vice President of the United
States, the Judges of the various Courts of the
United States, the heads of the various execu-
tive departments of the Government, and the
Governors of the several States and second,
the only son liable to military duty of a widow
dependent upon his labor for support third,
the only son of aged and infirm parent or pa
rents dependent upon his labor for support !;
fourth, where there are two or more sons of
aged or infirm parents subject to draft, the
father, or if he be dead, the mother may elect
which son may be exempt; fifth, the only
brother OF children not twelve years old, hav-
ing neither father nor mother, dependent upon
his labor for support; sixth, the father of mo-
therleSs Children under twelve years of age, de-
pendent upon his labor for support; seventh,
where there are a father and sons in the same
family and household, and two Of them are in
the military service of the United States rs nom
commissioned officers, musicians or privates,
the residue of such family and household, not
exceeding two, shall be exempt; and no per-
sons but such as are herein exempted shall be
exempt: Prorided, hOweUer, That no person
who has been convicted of felony shall be en-
rolled or permitted to serve in said forces.
The following is synopsis of the other
sections:
All the able-bodied male citizens, and
those who have declared their intentions
to become such, or have exercised the right
OF suffrage, between twenty and forty-five
years of age, constitute the national forces
of the United States, and are liable to per-
form military duty when called out by the
President. The national force not now in
service is to be divided into two classes,
the first class embracing all between twen-
ty and thirty years of age, and all I'M
marred men between thirty-tive and forty
five years of age. The second class en-
braces all the others, and will not be call
ed into service until after the first class.
For convenience of enrolment, districts
are made corresponding with the Congress
sional districts in each of which the Pres
ident appoints Provost Marshal with rank
and pay of Captain of Cavalry, or he may
detail an officer of similar rank who shall
have bureau in the War Department,
and shall make the needful rules and regu-
lations for carrying out the provisions of
this act. These Marshals are to arrest de-
serters, report reasonable practice, and
detect spies, &c. In each district there is
to be Board of enrolment, consisting of
the Provost Marshal and two other per-
sons, appointed by the President, one of
whom is to be physician and surgeon.
This Board shall divide the district into
convenient sub. districts and perfect an en-
rollment once in each year, each class to
be enrolled separately.
Persons thus enrolled are subject for two
years to be called into service to serve for
three years or during the war. on the same
footing with the present volunteers, adj
vance pay, bounty money, &c. included.
When necessary to make draft, the Pres
ident shall indicate the number from each
district, taking into consideration the
number already furnished since the begin
ming of the war, SO as to fairly equalize the
burden; the enrolling officers shall then
make the draft with fifty per cent. addi-
ton, and within ten days serve notices
upon the drafted men. Substitutes may
be furnished, or communication made not to
exceed $500, at the discretion Of the Sc
cretary of War. Any person drafted and
failing to report, Or furnish substitute, OR
pay his communication, shall be deemed a
deserter, and subject to immediate arrest.
The bill provides for the proper surgical
examination of drafted men, and the pun
ishment of surgeons who receive brides.
When the draft is finished, all those not
taken are allowed travelling pay to their
homes. Those who furnish substitutes are
exempt for the entire time Of the draft,
and the substitute has the same pay, &C.,
as though originally drafted.
The bill also provides that volunteers
now in service who re-enlist for one year,
shall receive bounty of fifty dollars, one
half paid down those who re-enlist for
two years receive twenty-five dollars OF
the regular one hundred dollars bounty.
There are also provisions for the consoli-
dation of skeleton regiments also that
Generals in the field may execute court
martial sentence against spies, deserters,
mutineers or marauders, without refer
ence to the President E; courts martial NAV
reduce absentee officers to the ranks :
clothing, arms, ETC., shall not be sold,
pledged, or given away, and may be taken
wherever found in illegal hands persons
who entice soldiers to desert, or harbor
them, or buy their arms or uniforms, and
ship captains or railroad conductors, who