Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-12-24

the COMMITTEES on Military Afairs 70 amend the u9su'
tute law was taken up 49, L
Mr.. GAR fRELL, of Ga said the NJ sitv Of prompt
legislation increase the ARM, should be rcf I'D.
The II under consideration did not meet the question.
1t presented grave question of corst onal ght =
He thought the same object mgnt be attained ~ re-
commit ing the BILL with instructions to Increase the
military age from 45. to 30 60 years. those from 40
I, 90 to constitute reserve corps and eli between IL
and As re put Immediately Ia tie field.
Mr.. GARFIELD accordingly introduced bill TO au-
thorize the President TO call into the litsry servcs
for the war; all white male persons between the ages OF
Is and IS years those beseen the ages OF As and 90,
to constitute corps and to do garrison du v,
&c and all between Is aud As to be put Immediately
in he field also, all able bodied in tie Quarter
master and Comnisary Departments Ntre Bureau, &c,
and the places be supplied by diabled foldiers and
over the conscript age He moved TO recomniI the
bill and smendments
MrSrAPLES, OF Va opposed the motion and advo-
Gated hs substitute Of the gentleman frcm Louisiana.
He wanted to strike at the roo of the evil, aid place
all on equal footing Every effort TO create distinc
tions would produce dissatisfaction. He sustained the
substitute ofthe gentemin from Louisiana the prin
cipe Of necessity. Every in the army had the
righ TO demand that every other abe-hoded m,n
should be pot in also Congress may grant exemptions
matter Of public policy, but could claim il
q, rght He worid break up the sysem oil details as
enormous swindle and mod fy the exemption law
This reform With the COO who have substitutes
would enable 70 strike blow thai would re ound
throughout ChrItendon. Ualess the privilege OF ex-
em2ion by substitution was abrogated he had been in
formed and feared the army would mutiny when IL re-
organized. Few anticipated the msgoiuds of the pes.
ent contest, but wisdom has been gsned 10 the hard
school OF experience Evils must be corrected By tho
indications OF experience As all would erjoy the be-
ngnsnt blessings Of the government when pace was
attained s tecomes each to bear hs share Of the
war.
Mr.. SIMPSON, of s. G., said the issue of the tue
cess or destruction Of the Southern psople would &C.
pend on the coming Sp.irg and Summer c,mragn. In
the sense i which subjugation understood be did
no. believe the South could be subugaed Blu. the North
will bring on; all its poser and it becomes to de-
velope ours.s Tnere but two which we
should rely. We must bring iuto TIE field all those
between the ages of Is and As those over the latter
age We mus; do this or be overran. Disasters had
already 0vertsken u.s. but il could not be attributed 10
the want Of saor in soldiers the want oil fk in
Generals though in some degree it might be owls to
the latter The cause OF these disasters the want
OF was idle to conceal the fact that the South
was numerically weaker than the North. We reedid
gterng bayonets and cleaning sabres and Co. gress
would prove recreaat to its duty II IL ournsd With
out strengthening the army He unwilling
TO call those As; the agricultural element
must not be weakened, the army must be fed
and clothed, IS well As 6ght. Hundreds and thou
saDds bad been left at home hscIuse il
believed the interests Of III, country required
il. This had proved err oneous. Necessity de-
handed they should be sent forward to the field Why
the field alsoi Il may be answered there was con-
trlc. Did the Government yree that said contrac',
if there one should be ct. rnal, The Government
has perfect right 70 brsak up this arrangement Il
may be necessary that there should be remune-
raion Let the Government pay Just proportion and
it will be su5rogated TO the rights OF the substitutes.
Mr.. SIMPSON then offered an amendment providing
that wien any principal shall be called upon 10 serve in
the army, ons-lhrd Of the amount paid TO bis sti
tue shalt be refunded aud both principal and subsi
tute be retair Ell in the service
Mr.. FUNSTEN, Of Va, opposed the amendment, and
argued at ength against the employment. Of substitutes.
bus admitted there honOTabe exceptions in beth
classes Those who lad employed substitutes
mostly fpeculators who had Blened the msiortunes
of the country. They were not entitled TO any remit
neraon. 500 900 900 had been paid that they might
eijoy the privilege OF skuki0g their duty and striking
at he vi ais Of the county He denied thst there
any cont act in the case. We called upon new to
corscrbe toe power Of the county, and every principle
Of duly required US to use IT, He not prepared to
say 10 what extent the strength of the country should
be cCd out but he prepared 10 say that should
exempt only such as absolutely necessary 70 feed
those in the field
Mr.. HARTRIDGE called the question, which Was sus-
tanned
Mr.. GARrRELLS motion was lost.
The gu sion recurring On the amendment Of Mr..
CLARK, OF Ga,
Mr. GATHER said he bad difficulty in saying there
contract The implied faith of the Government
nohrg than that they should be exempt until
necessity required the Eervices Of incpas This i'm
piled fsrh Nai stronger when Twelve months men
we're eonscrDed. IL stronger when we propose to
reconscbe the three years for the war Who eoud
hesitate to put principal in the army, who has been
on. all the tine, when The pretent condition Of the
country required il. He did want another conscrp-
tol until could be ascertaned how many men could
b. obtained by modification of the exemption av, and
bringing into the field those engaged in the various de-
pariments Of the Government q trades aud pro.essors
There de ed tran had been exc mpted.
Ituoud be astounding TO whsta large number ad
be n detailed for dulies that could be performed by
negroes, and diabled soldiers. He wanted Corgcess
ID declare by law that should act in the
MASTER Commisssry aud other apartments when men
the couscrpt age could perform the duiss Thsse
details bad been given favo TO the Individual and
not for the benefit OF the count y. Il dsgacsful
to perm individuals of the consciipt aye. tkulk
the duty. Congress had the power AID should use t
Ike men, and at once. Toe government bad right TO
the ces, ard if need be, tho blood Of citizens Of
every age. He hoped that before adjournment. bill
you'll b. brought forward TO cut eff de ais aud brig
into the army all able. bodied in the Q1artern aster
C,mmissary and otter departments before recon
scrb.ng the army. II this Is done the army would re-
main saiisSed but not otherHise. .
Mr. HILTON moved to amend the substitute Of Mr..
CONRAD by providing that nothing !herein should be
construed as TO rel eve the substitute from cny liza
tilty assumed by him such substitute. Aiop:ed.
RUSSELL moved to add to bis substitute for the
first section of The committees bill the words this act
shall entitle substitutes to be discharged Lost
Toe question recurring on the stituts of Mr. CON.
RAD for the whole bill, Mr. CHILT0N moved 10 amend
that the ac. should not aft persons who .vs
lisble conscrptoD but al nevertheless furnished
Institutes Adopted.
NJ. nuRpIN --s-sd 10 strike out tho word .here-
alter" in u subsut'. Carried
TIE bill of hr. CONRAD, as amended, was then read
the third time and pissed. y
The yeas and mas being ordered, The loving gen.
tlemen voted In the sffirma i've;
Messrs. Atkins, Bell, Boteler, II. W. Bruce, Cham
blii', Oh OF. Cbisman, Cobrad, Ono Currn curry,
d jsrncite Fa-row, Foster, Freeman Faoso Gather,
q ,rdenhi T. q ,rlane, Goode, Graham. Gay, Hanly,
Hart.idse, Hsiske, Ii ton, johnson, ,ensn, Of Ga,
Keenan, Of North O.roliua, Lander, Lewis Lyoa, Ma
er, kcLsau, henee', Miller, Moore, Perkins, Preston,