Indiana State sentinel., 1863-02-23
EFrom the New York Tribune. ]


Mr. Wilson's bill, which passed the Senate on
Monday night provides, as regards cOnscriptiOn,
in substance rs follows:
All able bodied male citizens, and those who
have declared their intention to become such, or
have exercised the right of suffrage, between the
ages of twenty and forty FIVE years, constitute the
national forces of the United States, are liable to
perform military duty when called out by the
President The exempts are those who are
physically or mentally unfit the Vice President,
heads of Executive Departments. United States
Judges. Governors OF States, only son of an in
digent widow, or infirm parent, or one such son,
where there two or more, to be selected by
the parent also the only brother of orphan
children under twelve wears, also the father of
motherless children of the same age; and where
two of IA family are in L:litary service the re
mainder of such family, not exceeding two, shall
be exempt. No person convicted OF felony shall
he e-roled or permitted to serve. The National
force not now in service is to be divided into two
classes, the first class embracing all between 20
and 80 wears of age and all unmarried men be-
tween 80 and 40 years of age. The second class
embraces all the Others, and will not be called
into service until after the first class
Fer convenience OF enrolment, districts are
made corresponding with the Congressman Dis
tricts; in each of which the President appoints
of cavalry or he may detail an officer of similar
rank, who shall have Bureau in the War De
partment, and shall make the needful rules and
regulations for carrying out the provisions of this
act These MarshalS are 10 arrest deSerters, re-
port reasonable practices. and detect spies. &c
In each district there is to be Board of Enroll
ment, consisting of the Provost Marshall and two
other persons, appointed by the President one of
whom is to be a physician and surgeon. This
Board shall divide the districts into convenient
sub districts, and perfect an enrolment once in
each year, each class to be enrolled separately
Persons thus enrolled are subiec; 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 President
shall indicate the number for each district, taking
into consideration the number already furnished
since the beginning of the war, as to fairly
equalize the burden; the enrolling officers shall
then make the draft with fifty per cent addition.
and within ten days serve notices upon the drafted
men, Substitutes may be furnished. or commu-
tation made not to exceed three hundred dollars,
at the discretion of the Secretary of War. Any
person drafted ana failing to report, furnish a
substitute, pay his commutation, shall be
demed deserter, and subject to immediate
rest. The bill provides for the proper surgical
examination of drafted men. and the punishment
of Surgeons who receive bribes. When the draft
is finished, all those not taken allowed trav-
cling pay TO their homes Those who furnish
substitutes are exempt for the entire 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 a
bounty of $50, half paid down; those who
enlist for two years receive S25 of the regular
500 bounty. There are also provisions for the
consolidation of skeleton regiments; also that
Generals in the field NAV execute court martial
5, ntence against deserters. mutineers or murder
ers without reference to the President. Court
martas 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: persons who entice soldiers to
desert or harbor them, or buy their arms or uni
/ forms, and ship captains railroad conductors
who knowingly convey deserters may be fined
$500 and imprisoned from six months to two
years
ANY person who resists a draft, or counsels
Others tO'dO so, or dssnades them from perform
ing military duty, shall be summarily arrested,
locked up until the draft is finished then be tried
by civil court and fined $500, or imprisoned
two years, or both The President, on the pass
age of this act, shall issue proclamation recall
ing absentees from the army, who may return
without punishment within the time indicated,
except the forfeiture Cf pay for the time of alb
sence; those who do not return VIII be deserters.
Officers absent with lea We, except for sickness or
wounds, receive half pay officers absent without
leave, no pay at all. There are other provisions
but chiefly OF details not particularly important