The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-04-16
Senator Wilson on the Com
Z scriptfon Act.

scriptfOn Act. -o9
o, Senator Wilson, Of Massachusetts, has
addressed a letter to Fefhdando. Wood, of
] New York, in reference to the provisions
4 of the act for enrolling the national forces
from which VIC make the following cx-
| tracts - reifgzirrr-E sffs4.slsfs..fI
| Sir, this "Act for enrolling and calling
out the National Forces" was framed to, be
more efficient for war purposes than were
the existing militia laws, less burdensome
upon the Treasury and the people than
were the existing laws, and more humane
to the poor who have the aged, the infrm,
and the helpless dependent upon their
Tabor for support, than were the existing
statutes. E.Ee A bans.istg Zss
| Contrast, sir, the provisions of this de-
nounced act with The Provisions of the
existing militia laws of United States,
! and of your own State of New York. By
| the provisions of existing militia laws the
President is authorized to caiisihto the
| service o. the United Ststes the militia of
the States. BY the lawsof the United
States and by the laws Of New York,
certain classes S persons are excepted and
exempted from military duty, from being
| drafted into the service of the United
States. Are these exempts the poor who
have widowed mothers, aged and infrIn
parents, motherless infant children. or
| fatherless and motherless ysung brothers
and sisters dependent on their labor for
support2 No, not these Neither the
lawssof the nation nor the laws of New
X York exempt the poor who have aged, the
infirnn, the helpless, dependent upon them.
At the Government they mist leave wild
owed mothers, aged and infrm parents,
fatheriess and motherless sisters and broth
ers, and motherless infant childrcn, all
dependent on their daily. toll for support,
and his away to the camp and battlefield,
+ Who then are exempted by the militia
laws of the Z nited States, or of the State
of New York 2 The eyempts are not the
poor, the dependent SONS of tell, but the
most fortunate and favored ofithe people,
the members of Congress, the Custom
House officers and clerks, the postmasters
and clerks, professors and students Of
colleges and ministers OF the gospel, the
judicial officers and other officials.
This HAct for enrolling and calling out
the National forces," denounced by your
pzart Hall followers for making disiine-
lions between the rich and the poor,
exccpts and exempts not members of
Congress, not custom House officers, not
postniasters, NOT Government clerks, not
the State iudiciaries, not ministers of the
Gospel, and professors and students ia
colleges no .-nor the fortunate and favor
ed classes of men, for it enrolls them and
requires them either to fight, furnish
substitutes, or pay for substitutes.
This Law, branded by you, sir, and Jour
ciansmen, excepts and exempts, first the
Vice President OF the United States, the
judges Of the various courts of the United
States, the heads of the -Yarious executive
departments of the government, and the
Governors of the seyer3 States. Secolfd,
the only son liable to military duty Of a
widow dependent upon his. labor for sup
port Third, the only son Of aged or
infirm parent Or parents dependent upon
his labor for support. Foarth, where
there are Two or more sons of aged or
infrn, parents subject to the draft, the
father, OF. II he be dead, the mother, elect
which son, shall be exempt, Fifth, the
only brother of children not twelve years
old, having neither father nor her,
upon IdDOi lOts
Seventh; where there are a father and
sons in the same family and household,
and two of them are in the military ser
vice of the United States as -coiamis-
sioned officers, musicians or priyates, the
residue of such family and household not
exceeding two, shall be exempt. Eight.
young men between the ages eighteen and
twenty are exempt, for the reason that ex-
perience proves chat soldiers under twenty
years Of age cannot sustain the burdens OF
camp life SO well as men between the ages !
of twenty. and thirty Eve. .,-.s.-.'-.
b These, sir, arc the exemptions Of thc |
Conscrip.ion act $50 called d Jip favor OF
the poor, upon whose. daily.toil the aged, |
the infir.n and the helpless rely Is it
making 'sinfamous distinctions between |
the rich and the poor" to exempt the only !
sons of poor widows, and to compel |
members Of Congress to fight, procure |
substitutes or pay forsubstitutes? is it !
"making infamous distinctions between
the rich and the poor to exempt the only
sons Of aged or infrm parents dependent |
on them for bread, and om?ci Custom !
House officers to fight, procure substi-
tutes, or pay for substitutes? Is it 'sina-
king infamous distinctions between the !
rich aud the poor" to exempt the only |
brothers of fatherlesF and ipotherless little |
brothers and sisters dependeot upon their |
daily toll fpr support, and compel poFes