The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-01-22

nrinci pal reason of the refusal probably was
the hope that the old regiments might thus De
filled.
The Draft.
Prior to the execution of the draft, it became
necessary to enrol the militia. Inc ehroi'hent
required to be made by the assessors unoer the
State laws. had never beet properly mace anu
could not be relied upon for the purposes OF the
draft Hence | called an enrolment TO be made
,nder orders from the War Department, by ap-
VENTING the sheriffs enrolling officers, requir-
inc the lists to be publicly exposed for correc-
ton for three days'in every town or ward of a
CITY or village. l have thus secured a reasonably
accurate enrolment; and in those towns and
wards where only the people did not take suf-
hcient interest in the matter to examine and
see to the correctness of the rolls when exposed
or in a few localities where the deputies ap-
pointed by the sheriff did not do their duty and
omitted to expose the rolls for examir alton, is
the enrolment very defective.
-, This enrolment shows 1917 94 men liable
to military duty, Of when 38,0l2 were exempt
ed by order of the commissioners, for disability
and other causes, under existing laws and reg
~uIations. Judging however fromthe experience
in the late draft, it is safe to presume that one
fourth part Of those left on the rolls are entl"
tied to exemption, they having allied to apply
10 the commissioner IN proper time. Inc mum
Der above given does not include the Volun-
teers now in the army, except a few thousand
who have since volunteered. As soon as the
late enrolment was completed, the draft was
ordered in all the counties that had failed to MI
their qnotas by volunteers, and was executed
on or Immediately after the 10th day ofNcveu
Der, except in the county of Manitowoc, where
the commissioner for drafting was absent, and
where upon being satisfied that gross injustice
would be done to the people Of that county by
the improper action of,the examining physician,
| caused a REORGANIZATION of the enrolled mills
tia to be made. This is NOW completed, and
the draft will soon be perfected in that county.
"s Excluding Manitowoc county, there have
been drafted 4,455 men.
Of these were discharged on account OF err
rors in the quotas 299
Reported in camps of rendezvous 234l
Subsequently discharged for disability and 9th,
or causes Of exemntion abont 1000
Leaving 1886
OF which 491 have volunteered for ouFlregi-
ments and in q and 3lst. The balance have
been organized in companies and assigned tC
the "a regiment: Those who have not repoc
ted are considered as deserters, and their names
have been furnished to the Us special provost
marshal on whom devolves the duty of arrets'
ing them as well as other d~eserters from the
army,
This result shows that there are intrinsic
errors in the regulations under which this draft
was made. Conscription is in my judgment
the best, the true and proper manner of calling
into the field the military power of a country
but in order to be effective, it should be gov
erned by just, wise and proper regulations. I'm
der the present law and orders Of the war de-
partment the man who is already beyond the
prime of his life, whose constitution has been
impaired by the privations and hard labor, whC
has a large family depending upon him for then
daily bread, who by his industry and daily la
Dor adds to the material wealth of the country,
is IS liable to be called out as the young man
in the vigor of life, with no one depending on
him for support. We should profit by the laws
of other nations and let history teach US by the
example il furnishes Napoleon's famous arr
mics, raised by conscription, were made up Of
Young men. At the extra session in Septem,
Der last, l called the attention of the legislature
TO the necessity of making state laws and reg
~ulations upon the subject of drafting. They
were not then acted upon but experience must
have since convinced many how necessary such
laws will become should we be required to furn.
ISL more troops.
then recommended that at least two classes
should be made, the first to consist of those be.
tween I8 and 50 years of age, the second OF
those between 80 and 45 years old, the second
not to be called upon until the first should have
been exhausted Perhaps even three classes
might properly be made, in order to insure frs
the services Of those in the field whose labor
at home might be most easily spared. Proper
rules for exemption in cases of great hardship
should also exist. Had such regulations been
in force at the last draft, much of its apparent
harshness, much Of the suffering it now creates
and much OF the opposition to it would not have
| aDrnaraH- The p1nOpAr Of lapiiiDC JtnOD ~
emptions from military service should also be
changed. Commissioners might be appointed
to 90 from county to county to execute the draft
consisting OF surgeons to examine the persons
after they are drafted, and one or more cons
missiouers to pass upon the claims OF exemp-
ton. If a person drafted should be rejected,
another might be drawn in his stead inn
mediately. This would insure the required
number, while it would probably obviate many
of the complaints made on the ground that diff
fsrent rules of exemption had been adopted by
the many different commissioners and surgeons.
Strict re equations should also be made to pres
vent an evasion of the draft by persons liable
10 it leaving the state Immediately prior or sub
sequently to the draft. A system of passports
for q short time would seem to be necessary
All such regulations, enacted by the represen4
tatives Of the people Of their state legislature,
would command more ready obedience and ac-
quiesence.
most urgently Recommend that you take
this matter under your consideration and enact
such laws upon the subject as in your wisdom
may be Just, effective and as little oppressive
as circum stances will permit. [ hope and tr ust
that he army now CALAMITY facing the enemy,
or ready 10 leave for the field of conflict may
be sufficient to end the war, but tho past has
taught us that we ere often deceived in our
hopes, and that we should be prepared for emer
g~encies.
1t becomes my painful duty here to mention
that serious disturbances took place in one of
the counties in this state at the time of the ex.
ecu.ion Of the draft therein. The proceedings
of the draft were Interrupted by "a large and
murderous body of armed men, who destroyed
the militia rolls and ballot boxes, drove away
and maltyeated the commissioner of drafting,
demolished his house, injured many other
peaceable and law abiding citizens anddestroyed
the property of many persons who were obnox-
ious to them. On being advised of these dis
graceful proceedings, which bore the character
of open rebellion, l took prompt measures to re-
store peace and enforce the draft. 4 large nuns
Der of persons, most of them with arms in their
hands, were arrested by and turned over to the
United States military authorities that they
might be dealt with as ordered by the procla-
nation of the President of the United States of
Sept. 25th, ordering that all persons resisting
militia drafts should be tried by court martial
or military commission and 1 urged immedi-
ately and repeatedly upon the President the
necessity of giving them a speedy trial, as
provided by his proclamation. l have enters
tanned no doubt ofth power of the President to
subjec to rial by court martial men who, as in
this case, are charged with openly resisting the
proceedings of the draft. They were actually in
reballion against the government of the United
States; they were forcibly resisting regulations
lawfully and constitutionally made by the
President as commandments of the army,
and Of the militia {, the United States, called
into active service to suppress the instruction
and their proceedings were ipsurrectionary in
their character. Should I have erred in this, it
has been in common with many wiser and true
men, and under circumstance of necessity de-
m~aBding prompt and immediate action on nv
part, 10 restore quiet, and a V greater calamis
ties and disturbances By bad and designing