The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-03-14
The CONSUMPTION Act.

The CONSUMPTION Act.
| Whereas, There now exists in the Unitet
States an insurrection and rebellion agains
the authority thereof, and it is, under th'
constitution of the United States, the duty
of the government to suppress insurrectior
and rebellion, to guarantees to each Stat.
a republican form of government, and Il
preserve the public tranquility; and where
as, for these high purposes q military
force is indispensable, to raise and suppor
which all persons ought willingly to con-
tribute; and whereas, no service can be
more praiseworthy and honorable thar
that which il rendered for the inainte
nance of the constitution and Union, anG
the consequent preservation of free 60
vernment; therefore,
| Be it enacted by tho Senate and House
Of Representatives Of the United States oi
| America in Congress assembled, That all
able-bodied male citizens of the United
States, and persons of foreign birth who
shall have declared on oath their inten
! ton to become citizens under and in pur
suance to the laws thereof, between the
ages of twenty and forty-five years, ex
cept as hereinafter excepted, are hereby
declared to constitute the national forces
and skall be liable to perform military
duty in the service Of the United States
when called out by the President for that
purpose.
SEC 2. And be it further enacted, That
the following persons be, and they are
hereby, excepted and exempt from the
provisions Of this act, and shall not be
liable to military duty under the same, to
wit: Such as are rejected as physically or
mentally uhfit for the service also, first,
the Vice Pres dent of the United States,
the Judges Of the various courts of the
United States, the heads oil the various
| executive departments of the government,
and the Governors Of the several States
and, second, the only son liable TO mill
tary duy OF a widow dependent upon him
for support; third, the only son OF an
aged or infirIn parent or parents, depend
sut upon upon his labor for support
fourth, where there are two or more SONS
of aged or infrin parents subject to draft,
the father, or, if he be dead, the mother,
may elect which son shall be exempt
fifth, the cnly brother of children hot
twelve years cid, having neither father or
mother, dependent upon his labor for
support; sixth, the father On motherless
children under twelve years OF age, de-
pendent upon his labor for support; sew
enth, where there are a father aud sons In
the same family and household, and two
OF them are in the military service Of the
United States rs neu-commissioned Off
GERS, musicians, or privates, the residue Of
such family, not exceeding two, shall be
exempt; and no persons but such as are
herein exempt shall be exempt: Proctded,
ho,cever, That no person who has been con-
vic;sd of any felony shall be enrolled or
permitted TO serve IN said forces.
SEC. ). And be 1t further enacted, That
the national forces of The United States,
not now in the military service, enrolled
under the act, shall be divided into two
classes, the first of which shall comprise
all persons subject 10 do military duty he
tween the ages OF twenty and thirty five
years, anG all unmarried persons subject
to do military duty between the ages of
twenty and thIrty-iive years, and all un-
der the age of forty. .fiye the second class
shall coApi Use ali other persons subject 70
do military duty, and that they shall not,
in any district, be called into the service
Of the United States until those Of the
first class shall have been called.
SIC. l. And be 1t further enacted, That
for greater convenience in enrolling, call
ing out and organizing the national forces,
and for the arrest OF deserters and spies
Of the enemy, the United States shall be
divided lato districts, Of which the District
of Columbia shall constitute one, each
Territory of the United States shall CON
stitute one or more, as the President shall
direct, and each Congressional district of
the respective States, as fixed by law of
the State next preceding the enrolment,
shall constitute one; Procided, That in the
States which have not by their laws been
divided into two or more Congressional
districts, the President of the United
States shall divide the same into SO many
enroll.4cut districts as he may deem fit
md convenient.
SEC s. And be it further enacted, That
for each of said districts there shall be
appointed by the President Provost Mar
shall, with the rank, pay, and emoluments
of a Captain Of Cavalry, or an officer of
said rank shall be detailed by the Presi,
dent, who shall be under the direction
and subject to the orders O: Provost
Martial General, appointed or detailed by
the President of the United States, whose
office shall be at the seat of government
forming a separate bureau of the War De-
partment, and whose rank. pay, aud emol.
ments shall be those of Colonel of Cav
airy.
StC u AHA Ut IL iuTtu@T SN3CIeu, nat
1t shall be the duty of the Provost Mar
shall General. with the approval OF the
Secretary of War to make rules ami regu-
lations for the government of his subordi-
mates; to furnish them the names and
residences OF all deserters from the army,
or any of the land forces in the service of
the United States, including the militia,
when reported to him by the commanding
of to to IN a
ders of the President in reference to call
ing out the national forces; to furnish
proper blanks and instructions for enroll.
ing and drafting; to file and preserve CO.
pies of all enrolment lists; to require
stated reports of proceedings on the part
Of his subordinates; to audit all accounts
connected with the service under bis di-
rection. and 10 perform such other duties
As the President may prescribe IN carrying
out the provisions of this act.
SEC Z And be it further enacted, That
it shall be the duty of the Provost Mar
shais to arrest all deserters whether regu-
lars, volunteers, militiamen, or persons
called into the service under this or any
other act Of Congress. wherever they may
be found, and to send them to the nearest
military commander or military post; to
detect, sieze, and confine spies OF the enc
my; to obey all lawful orders and regula.
tions of the Provost Marshal General, and
such as may be prescribed by law. con.
corning the enrolment and calling into
service of the national forces.
SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That
in each of said districts there shall be q
Board of Enrolment, to be composed Of
the Provost Marshal as President, and two
other persons, to be appointed by the
President of the United States, one Of
whom shall be licensed and practicing
physician and surgeon. f,
Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That
it shall be the duty of the said Beard to
diYida the districts into sub districtl Of