M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1863-03-19
The Draft or CONSUMPTION Act.

The Draft or COnscriptiOD Act.
{, We lay before Our readers this law,
as passed by the late a A5olition Con-
gress. Just take a squint at the
Whereas, before you read further, and
zee what cursed hypocrits these Con.
gressInen were. 1t is sickenlng to
hear such men talk of acting under
the Constitution, and Tor the purpose
OF maintaining the Constitution and
Union. Ii YOU are not sick OF such
stuff, just get down your Constitution
OF the United States, and Of Ohio,
while we compare notes, The Con-
stitution of the United States says
Congress shall have power, in
"Art. / Sec. S To raise and sup
port armies, but no appropriation Of
money to that use shall be for lon
ger term than two years.
l"To provide for calling forth the
militia to execute the laws Of the
Union, suppress irsurrectioa and
repel invasion.
ITO provide for organizing, arming,
and discipling the militia, and for
governing such part OF them as may
be employed in the service ofthe US.
ressrUing 10 the States respectively,
the appointment Of officers, and The
authority Of raining tie militia ac.
cording to the discipline prescribed by
Congress-"
"Art. 2. Sec. 2. The President
shall be COMMANDMENT Chief of the
Army and Navy Of the U. S., and of
the militia ofthe several States, when
called into the actual service Of the
United States"
There, reader, you have all the au-
thority that Congress has under the
Constitution, in regard to the militia
Of the States. Uunder the first clause
to "raise aud support armies" Con-
gress can, and has provided by law
for the regular army--that is, Con.
gross has power to hire men. But
we look in vain here for power to
force citizens to 60 into the Army
There is 10 such power in this clause,
hence our fathers secondly, delegated
to Congress further power, to-wit:
To call forth the militia. And thirdly
as itslicsed. the right Of the State to
appoint the officers, and train the
militia. Has this Conscript law SO
authorized 7 Can you find in the
law, provision by which Ohio can
officer her drafted men, or direct their
trainingl The law refuses this, but
in lien thereof, the President can fill
mp the old regiments with our drafted
men. Again, the trainers OF the Con
stitution of Ohio, taking the same
view OF the Constitution Of the U. S.
as we do, provided in our State Con.
stitution for the election Of all the
officers of our militia. Hence this
Conscript law violates our State Con.
stitution. Sec Art. 8, Sec. 2. We
have not space now to point out more
violations OF the organic laws. by this
act, but will do so hereafter. Behold,
however, one of the beauties of this
law, by Sec. 12-lt you can raise
three hundred dollars YOU ARE A FREE
MANI The rich, by this lew, are not
required to face danger but the poor
man must. II this Government is
worth preserving, why not every man
be compelled to do his duty2 Why
should this Congress make fish Of one
set Of men, and flesh of another be.
cause they happen to be the owner Of
a few dollars ? This shows beauti.
fnl adherence to equal laws, as estab-
lished by our fathers. Gen. jackson
said, aTho laws Of this conutry, like
tiie dews of Heaven, should fall alike
npon the Rich and Poor"