The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-09-08

's"o'S"t us Sitouiu De required to per
torn duty Of some sort, il they are with
m the military age Ii they arc nnwil
ling to bear arms, there are various othe
duties connected with the army and tn
general defence which they can perform
and which they should be required {,
perform. They are citizens, propert,
holders to a large extent, interestes
therefore III all that concerns other citi
zens, and should be required to perform
their part. In some countries this clas,
Oh persons are required to aid in the con
struction Of Notifications, and see n,
just reason why they should not be re
quired to do 50 here This branch of de
tcnce must be maintained by somebody
anu il their religious convictions will no
allow them to 60 into the ranks for Tia,
defence and maintenance of the commo,
cause, why cannot they do this?
1t will not do to say that they are op
posed to war, and can do nothing ths
viii tend to its prosecution The Law
is based upon the principle that they
are bound to do something otherwis,
they would not be taxed the sum Of $500
each. That money goes into the Treas
ury, andis drawn therefrom to deiray tn,
expenses Of the war, and TO this extent
at least, they are aiding and supportin,
it. Ii they can aid to the extent of fiy,
hundred dollart in money, can they no
aid by labor or other service?
A state of war imposes personal oh
asf, 4
militaryage, and he should be require,
to discharge it. When the country i:
invaded, our dwellings burned, our land,
laid waste, our property destroyed o.
carried away, our citizens imprisoned, i
is their duty to step forward prompt,
and aid in repeiling the invader Minis
ters and members of other religious dc
nominations, equally as conscientious
are in the field. recommend, therefore
that this law be repealed
Besides these provisions, stringent
regulations should be adopted to preven
desertion or struggling from service with
out leave. 1t ought to be made the dut,
of the local militia to arrest any Officer
or soldier found abroad from his corp,
without furlongh, and cause him to b,
forthwith returned to his position or de
livercd to the nearest Provost Marshal
The officers in command in any city OF
county through which such person:
might be passing or sojourning might be
invested with like authority, and bt
clothed with power to detail Il suffieiep
number of men to make the arrest cf
fectiye, and to compel the parties in de
fault to render the service to which they
are liable 1t might also with prophet,
be made the duty of company officers
at regnlar intervals, to report all person:
who have not been exempted and wht
are liable to conscription, that our armie,
may be kept full and efficient, and at all
times be prepared to meet and repel thu
enemy. Any act you may pass SHOULD
provide for The speedy and certain pun
ishlnent of all who fail or refuse to obey
lawful orders, and prescribe some mod,
for the removal of incompetent or un
faithful officers. The experience Of tn,
last two years renders legislation upol
this subject necessary.
The time has come when it is abso
lutely indispensable that we should omit
nothing which promises protection to ou'
people and success to our cause. Ar
unscrupuous enemy is pursuing us Will
a spirit OF malignity and yindictivenes,
that respects neither the rights of per
scns non of property. We must be &C
tive and untiring in our efforts to repe
him and to accomplish this We must
call forth all our able bodied men, ant
prepare them for the most efficient ser
vice.
No army can expect r continued cur
rent OF success. We may--nay, W.
must expect to meet with reverses, and
we must be prepared for them Instead
of Iiscouraging, they should only stimu
late us to increased efforts should call
forth redoublcd energy gy-should. bind US
more closely together, and inspire us with
Il more determined spirit and courage.
If our ioretathcrs had permitted reyerscs
to crush their spirit or paralyze their cn
ergies and efforts, the Aperican Revolu
ton never would have proved success,
and tho independence OF our country
would never have been achieved. They
passed through storms and trials TAI
greater than any that have fallen to us in
this contest. The men, old and youug,
sustained and supported the cause with
hearty good will; and as the clouds
gathered and the prospect of success
seemed to grow more desperate and hope
less, they became more and more re
solved and determined The noble wo-
men of that day, while their fathers,
husbands, and sons were engaged in
the battles and driving back the
invader, planted and gathered the crops
by which the army was sustained. We
have not been reduced to such straits
vet, nor is it probable we shall be.
But the women of the present day have
shown self-saclificing spirit, inducing
them inccssantly to work, and showing
that they are ready to emulate such an
example. They have displayed gener-
GUS devotion, which should awake the
sluggards and animate and cheer the
gloomy and desponding.
There are in all communities some
people whose eyes always fall on the
dark side Of every picture, and who are
disposed to succumb at even the indica,
tions of disaster. 1t would be remarka-
Die if we had not some such amongst us;
but it is gratifying. to know that the
number is very small, even in those
portions of our State which have been
overrun by the enemy. The spirit and
courage Of the large mass Of tho.people
has never tagged. Each new wrong has