, 1863-08-01
Washington the Father Of Uonacr1p-
t10N.

IFIom the Albany Evening journal, July e9th.l
Washington was IL favor Of draft; indeed
h. tra~ the Jath7- 9 sHe doetri1s Of CONSUMPTION
il 1nsrriea. While President IT the United
izing m army By this means. The Plan Con.
temp1nted The drifting Of nearly the entire
arms bearing portion Of the popuiatlon, The
following synopsis will giva the reader an ide.
Of the sweeping Manner In which the s%Father
Of his County" proposed to "yiolate tue
Constitution:
I. Lta1Ie 70 .Serrice.-An persons between tho
BY the several States, &c and ali actaa1 marines,
(Which arc divided iuo classes for marine service
the first ciats; men from Il TO IS 70. the second
c1aes; those from q to GO for the third class.
8 ReQtl>itio1s{ for Ksn:-Ali psseons, exceptas
years, to be formed into 5csions, Frl,iulents com
psniea, and sections Of II persons each. When
men are wanted 70 form a army, they shall b
e. s Il &. ynss m to .
raander inChfcf Of the militia Of each State, shall
aEersr the number required ! ard from each eeS.
tieG T. ths ds%saa b. 70 Seat pstsGn shan
crs in the section Rtail compensate htm In money
DC Tic men. thus drafted to be a. regulars for
It s Id s1 ba aan @ g
often aH occasion lrquifcs, The powor to obtain
substitutes rcgu!:ted and confined to certain
years to those who while minors had not served in
The militia, DC. 49,
I: ksemp'ttea*:-Pessons above tho ages Of: IS
fu1nieh their quota OF men in like manner al the
oth.r c'akses.
Gep. Washington, referring to the rigor of
his scheme for raisinF an army, observed:
1tis conceded that people, eolicitons 10 be ezoa-
Grated rom their proportion Of public duty. may
intolerable hardship; but It ought to be strongly
Impressed, that while eoe1ety has Its charms, It
also Ese It's Indispensable obligations, That to at-
the members Of the community from all personal
seryIct IL to render them incapable Of the a1ercisc
and unworthy of the character Of 1reenien-
Every State Possesses, not only the right Of per-
sonal service from its members. bnt tie right to
regulate tile service On principles OF equality for
the general defence. All lcing bound, none can
his equal proportion. Therefore Ii ought to be
permanent !nlc that those who n youth dec1luc OF
refuse 10 sb}cet to the course Of mill
considered Us unworthy Of public trust or public
horrors, and be excluded theTefrom accordingly.
ii the majesty OF the laws Should DO preserved
poaed plan would foster glorious public spirit,
tbe body pslitfs' ana sivea hlgh degree q aplen.
do: to the national character.
Tho "plan" did not 60 into effect, because,
happily, there was no occasion for u large
amy,
It Will be seen that the conscriptfon here
proposed Was vastly more rigorous tnan that
ut present in operation. Every male citizen
between the ages Of IS and. 60 MAS iiab,e.
There we're no exempt classcs; It bore with
rcmorseless weight upon the high and the
low, heyoung and the old.
The ''pIan S.sss, Of course, denounced as
"arbitraTy" aEd "pEose.iptive The Ness
ard New York HoTAls Of That period stigma
1ieed its author ns tttgrant" and " "usurpcr."
They charged him With "trampling constitu-
tiorn1 rights under foot,'' and with aiming to
"subyeIt The liberties Of the people," But
Washington survived the attacks, and refute1
the ca!umnies. The very names Of Ills assail-
ants are forgotten, while lis fame grows
b1igl,terand brighter with tue revolving yeare.