The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-08-19
THE CoNsCRIrTioS

laCle- 10 tNet gentle uAl opttloii5 Ol p1OAc
questions
TIE CoNsCRIrTIoS.
None OF the numerous provisions Of the Con
scrption Act have beer assaiied with such vehe
mence and pertinactv as that IN regard 70 the
commufaton of $500 in place OF a substitute
Ii has been Denounced a. unequal and unjust
and as discriminating oppressvely against those
who are without property aud the mesus 10 fur
nish the Communication money. II this be true,
the law should not be enforced The War De-
partment should instantly suspend is operation
Until Congress eau assemble aud correct is OBJ
jcctonable features, for it is better thas the pub
lie service should suffer some detrmelt than
that an unjust ard oppressive law should be en-
forced against the popular will But this clause.
50 far from being unjust and oppre. sive to per
SONS with limited means, liable to the ait II i
TO them eminently considerate aud beneficial
Such, We think, l. the purpose OF those who in
serted the three hundred dollar clause in the
act And such, We entertain no doubt, VIII be
its practical effects when put in operation. Let
u state an limine few elementary principles
so evidently true that they are not open to any
dispute
l. Every citizea-whatever may be his c0nd
ton in respect 10 property, aud wherever may
have been his place of births bound. by the
most solemn obligations which man can take
upon himself to defend and support he Gov
ernment under which he lives. Ii protects and
defends him in bis person. his family, his proper
ty, and in the free exercise and enjoyment of his
religion; and he Is equally bound, by sanctions
which men Of every land. every cline, respect
and revere, to protect and defend 1t when as
sailed or exposed to peril and danger These
sactions and obligations are not peculiar to
A - Ill
are recognized by all nations, savage as well as
civilized. The instinct OF self defence-deience
Of our homes and our country-is an attribute
Of man everywhere. And he who is Indifferent
or nsensible TO the high duties which flow from
it, is a recreant and coward, and a reprosch 20
bis race.
. This support aud defence the citizen can
only render, and must render, in two forms
First Ia the form Of contributions of his prop.
erty and substance. Second: In the form of
servces- military services-if he has the phvsi.
Cal ability to render them. There is no limitation
to this support. If the country be driven TO an
extremity, the Government has claim-a legal
constitutional right-to demand the last dollar
of his property, and the last drop Of his blood.
TO preserve its life and being against destruction
This is the universal law of every political or.
ganization amongst men. We must look at these
grave realities with the calmuess and c0mposure
Of brave people, and prepare our minds 10
withhold no property and no service which NAV
be needed TO defend our country from impend-
ing danger.
3. Any Law which takes property for the sup
port Of the Government, or personal services for
its defense, must operate equally. Ii must fall
upon all alike. Rich and poor, high and low,
old and young, must submit themselves freely
10 its operations. Persons without distinction OF
sex must contribute Of their property in proper
ton 10 what they have; and Of personal servi-
ces all men must contribute equally The aged
and infrm are exempt from sheer nabil tv, but
/ for other reason. The distinction between
contributions of property and contributions
/ OF personal services, is materaland vital ;
and the neglect to notice it. and bear il
continually in mind, has produced much OF
the confusion and Misrepresentation in regard to
the $500 clause. A cOnscriptiOn law which re-
quires all men, rich and poor-citizens of native
as well as OF foreign birth-to stand up in the
ranks side by side with one another, and submit
to draft of five TO every one hundred, or OF
a levy and enrolment en- nasse, is Just in prin-
ciple, because, it is fair and equal, and recogni
Zes no distinction between them, and does not
discriminate in favor OF one class against the
other.
4. The law provides for accepting a substi.
tute in place of the conscript. Is that provision
unjust? Does it in effect oppress any man or
set of men, 1t is found in the conscriptou
laws OF every other country Ii prevailed
amongst ourselves in the war OF 1872 and il
oppressive and unjust in principle, abundan,
opportunities have been afforded to prove it, No
such proof can be produced. Here is man
with family and large business, drawn to
serve in the ranks Without the privilege OF
procuring a substitute, his business must be
closed and perhaps fifty others thrown out Of
employment. Here is another man, without
family or business or employment, who ID willing
20 take his place. No one is injured if the ex-
change is made, but many are benefited Here
is another man drawn 10 serve who has two sons
who are not drawn. hey all subsist by their
labor Ii suits the interest and the feelings OF the
family that one of the Sons shall take the place O
the father, and who will gainsay the wisdom anc
proprety Of the change. Without the provis.
ion in regard to substitutes the cOnscriptior
would fall with mercess severity where nO~
it will be encountered with comparative eass
and without complaint
3. Let Us bear in mind, as we proceed, tha
military service Is personal service, and nothing
/ else. We think we have shown that the pro
vision TO accept a substitute 10 place OF th,
person drawn is wise and humane, and If thu
be conceded, IL carries with il the wisdom aue
humanity of the three hundred dollar clause
because when the law, In addition TO scceptin.
a substitute, agrees that the conscript NAV hav,
the choice between that and the payment Of th,
three hundred dollars, il makes a further con
cess:On, beneficial to him, which be NAV accept O
reject at bis pleasure. The presence, therefore
of the cOmmutatiOn clause in the act cannot b,
prejudeial or offensive to him, because he is a
liberty 10 deal with the law precisely the sam,
as if it had been omitted from its provisions.
Two men are drawn TO serve 10 the army
one Of them has the ability to furnish a subsii
tute-the other has not his means are insult
cient, and he fails from that cause alone Ha
the law done him an injury. Has il taken anv
thing from him which be desired to retain
Il certainly has not, for it has dealt With hin
as it deals with every one else, aud what car
he ask more: The want OF money 20 precur
substitute may be a great privation in hi
particular case, but it does not result from ID,
Injustice or yiciossness Of the law, but from
conditions which t did not create, and over EscF
it has 10 control Suppose neither are able u
procure a substitute, because the price Of sub
stitutes has risen to SIX hundred dollars.
The lav DoE intervenes, through the medium
Of the Communication clause aud says: Civ
me three hundred dollars, and ( will fnd
substitute for you" One or both msy be bene
fitted neither can be injured The clause va
put in the bill TO keep down the price Of substi
tutes, and can have 10 other effect II one O
them can furnish the three hundred dollars an
the law. Il results from the unequal disgribu
- q II Il