The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1863-03-12

liable to the direct and arbitrary call of the
President for m litary service. If this
were the simple provision, the fairness
and equality oft. as between citizens,
could not be denied. Bnt this is not the |
simple provision. We subJoin the pro-
vision in the exact words Of the bill:
SEC. 13. And be 1t further euacted, That
any person drafted and notified to appear
as aforesaid, may on or before the day fix
ed for his appearance furnish an accepta-
bic substitute to take his place in the draft,
or may pay to such persons as the Secreta
ry of war may authorize to receive it, in
such sums as the Secretary of war may
determine, not to exceed three hundred
dollars, for the procurement: of such sub
stitute. and there upon the said person
furnishing substitute or paying the mon
ey shall be discharged from any further
liability under that draft: but any person
falling to report after due service or notice
as herein described without furnishing a
substitute or paying the required sum
therefor, shall be deemed deserter. and
shall be arrested by tie Provost Marshal
and sent 10 the nearest military post for
trial by court martial; unless. upon prop
er showing that he is not liable to do mil
itary duty, the Board of Enrolmen, shall
relieve him from the draft"
The simplest mind will comprehend the
wrong and oppression of this provision.
Exemption may be purchased by every
person who can and will! pay to the gov
ernment the sum of three hundred dollars,
but there is no exemption for the person
who cannot pay three hundred dollars.
Tho man Of millions, with immense inter
ssts in the event Of the war, may purchase
exemption as cheaply as The moderate in
means. while the man of poverty. with
family dependent on his daley labor. and
with no percep,ible interest in the event ol
the war, must respond TO the cOnsctiption
b. his person. because it is morally i'm
possible that nc should respond to it bJ
the payment Of three hudnred dollars =
The provision will, whether it was so de
signed or not. relieve New England and al
tie old settled districts of the country o
tie hardships of the war. and cast those
hardships u;on the West. Ia New Eng
land, where every man, woman and child
has be n making money by the war. ther,
are few men who cannot purchase eXemp
ton from The draft. 1t is in the West
where the agricultural class, especially, hat
been suffering terribly in its pccuniarv re
sources because of the war where the
pioneers in The setllemen! Of the country
have all ,b' can do, by labor the hardest
and economy the most rigid, to make
their lends meet" at the close Of the year
where the farmers are burning their corr
for fuel, since 1t is cheaper than wood o.
coal and have Tor months b en- compelled
to deny themselves many of tho nccesSarle
of life. and are to dly in fearful want o
clothing which they lave not wherewi'h t'
buy it is in the West, we say, that th'
conscription will carry dismay ard leav,
desolaton in its track. = Chicago Timse.
A Few Questions About tho Con
scriptiOn.
JOLIET, Ill. March 4.
To the Editor of The Chicago Times
. As the cooScript act has now become
law. many of your readers have some lis
tie anxiety to know relative to the follow
ing questions:
1. Will all the States be assigned ney
quotas under the proposed call Of 600 OO
men without those States having Just ful
nished their quotas under the last call -
: some l2O, 900 men being still deficient?
, 2. Will the concript act be enforced i
he West, rs has been the draft and Mas
sachuse,ts be allowed to postpone the en-
iorcement of this act. as she has been al
lored to postpone the draft?
5, Will those States which enlisted thei
soldiers for twelve months, some 100000
Of whose time of enlistment will expire i
May and June. be compelled to furnish il
i proportion of them!
4. Would not the compelling Of thos
6 States whose soldiers will soon retur
home to fill their paces with new men, OF
vate the necessity of calling 100000 ne,
soldiers into the field!
5. What has become of that immens
t host which was promised by Governor
! Andrew and Yates on the issuing Of tn
{ emancipation proclamation?
II 6. What has become of the 3OO,C coo n,
{ gro soldiers whom the republicans talke