The Smoky Hill and Republican union., 1863-03-07
The Conservation Bill.


oughly understood By the people. 1t pro-
vides, in substance, as follows.
All able-bodied citizens, and those who
have declared their intentions to become
such, or have exercised the right of suffrage,
between the ages of twenty and forty.fve
years, constitute the National forces Of the
United States, and are liable to perform
military duty when called out by the Presi.
dent. The exempts are those only who are
physically or mentally unfit, the Vice
President, heads of Executive Departments,
United States Judges, Governors of States,
only son of an INDECENT widow, or in6rm
parent, or one such son, where there are
two or more, to be selected by the parent,
also the only brother of orphan children
under twelve years, also the father Of
motherless children of the same age; and
where two of family are in military ser.
vice the remainder of such family, not
exceeding two, shall be exempt. No per.
son convicted of felony shall be enrolled or
permitted to serve.
The national force not now in service is
TO be divided into two classes, the first en-.
bracing all between twenty and thirty five
years of age, and all unmarried men between
thirty-five and forty-6ve years of age. The
second class embraces all the others, and
will not be called into the service until after
the first class. For convenience of enroll.
ment, districts are made corresponding with
the Congressional districts, in each of which
the President appoints provost marshall,
with rank and pay of captain of cavalry, OF
be may detail an officer of similar rank,
who shall have Bureau in the War De.
partment, and shall make needful rules and
regulations for carrying out the provisions
of this act. These marshalls are to arrest
deserters, report reasonable practices, and
detect spies, &c.
In each district there is to be Board Of
Enrolment, consisting of the Provost Mar
shall and two other persons, appointed by
the President, one Of whom is to be q
physician and surgeon. This board shall
divide the district into convenient sub
districts, and perfect an enrolment once in
each year, each class to be enrolled sepa-
rately. Persons thus enrolled are subject
for two years to be called into service to
serve for three years or during the war, on
the same footing with the present volunteers
advance pay, bounty money, &c, included.
When necessary to make draft, the Pres
ident shall indicate the number for each
district, taking into consideration the num-
Der already furnished since the beginning
Of the war, so as to fairly equalize the
burden; the enrolling officers shall then
make the draft with so per cent addition,
and within ten days serve notices upon the
drafted men.
Substitutes may be furnished, or COM
dollars, at the discretion Of tho Secretary
Of War. Any person drafted and failing
to report, or furnish a substitute, or pay
his communication, shall be deemed desert
er and subject to immediate arrest. The
bill provides for proper surgical examin-
alton of drafted men, and the punishment
of surgeons who receive bribes. When the
draft is finished, all those not taken are
allowed travelling pay back to their homes.
ThoSe who furnish substitutes arc exempt
for the entiee time Of the draft, and the
substitute has the same pay. &C., as though
originally drafted.
The bill also provides that volunteers now
in service who re-enlist for one year shall
have bounty of fifty dollars, one. half paid
down; these who enlist for two years re-
ceive twenty-five dollars cf the regular one
hundred dollars bounty. There are also
provisions for the consolidation Of skeleton
regiments; also that generals in the field
may execute court-matisl sentence against
spies, deserters, mutineers or murderers,
without reference to the President; courts.
martial may reduce absentee officers to the
ranks; clothing, arms, &C., shall not be
sold, pledged or given away, and may be
taken wherever found in illegal hands; per-
sons who entice soldiers to desert, or haroor
them, or buy their arms or uniforms, and
ship captains and railroad conductors who
knowingly convey deserters, may be fined
FIVE hundred dollars and imprisoned from
six months to two years.
Any person who resists draft, or coun-
sells others to do SO, or dissuades them from
performing military duty, shall be summar-
rily arrested, locked up until the draft is
finished, then tried by civil court, and
fined FIVE hundred dollars or imprisoned two
years, or both. The President on the pas.
sage of this act, shall issue procIawation
recalling absentees from the army, who may
return without punishment within the time
indicated, except the forfeiture of pay for
the term Of absence those who do not
return will be deserters. Officers absent
With leave, except for sickness Or wounds,
receive half pay; officers absent without
eave, no pay at all. There are other pro-
visions, but chiefly of details not particular.