Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-04-04
effect would be 10 lay them prostrate at

wonld become vast coheolidatcd military
desrotism, ready TO be seized by any
Caesar Napoleon, successful soldier, and
to be welded amidst bloody contentious
between anarchy AID tyranny. Is this
to be the heritage Of our children 1t
was not that which from ,ur fathers came
to us, and which we possessed in peace un.
til the present administration assumed
the power Of the governmet.
If there be any doubt that such would
be the Legitimate effect of the execution of
this law, 'ook at its grand feature. Every
State is 10 be cut up into military dis
tricts, rule each by Deputy Provost
Martial each subject TO the Provost Mar
iial General at Washington, and all ap-
pointed by, aud responsible to the Presi-
dent. That in certain cases there may
be an appeal to the civil tribunal, does
not in the least impair that military power
which, by its very nata!e, must be SUI
preme wherever it exists. All this is utter
ly without warrant and is wholly incom-
palibc with The ex.tance of free govern
ment. 1t is an exaggerated copy Of The
military organization under which despot-
ism reign, in Russia and Francc--nay, it
infinitely trauscsuds the latter. Iu this
country. under this act, the extent Of the
conscIiptiou is limited ou.y by the will of
til President, whereas, in France the
conscripts are divided into classes, and
ony Il certain number can be taken in
each year. Even the first Napoleon, on
his return from Waterloo, found his de-
| mand on the Senate refused for antcip E.
tion Of conscription. The President of the
United States has legislative body more
! false aud foolish than that of France in
1918, and welds a power unknown even
to Napoleon the Great.
1t appears then lhat the invltable COT
sequences of the execution of this con-
,ciptiou law must be:
/. The destruction Of State rights
followed by that Of the State themselves,
by deprivng them Of the militia, their
sole defense
2. The destruction of popular liberty,
by the erection of a military despotism.
What shall be done! Three courses
! are open:
/. n submit This is wholly out OF
the question, unless ind ced we have al
ready sunk so low that we are fit only to
be slaves.
2. TO resist Jgfo'ce. 1t is only in the
extremity of iutol,rable aud irremidable
tpranDy that resistance by force, to organ
lzed government, is allowable, and to that
extremity We have not yet arrived. Ii we
even do, an appeal to, arms in self defense
would be justiiable before Gol and man,
or without the reserved right OF revou-
tion tyranny would be eternal. ~-
3. m appeal To tie couvtS Of tItc
This is our true defense. In the sanctu
aries of Justice we shall find the vindica
ton of our rights, The Supreme Court 0
PeInsylvania Will not hesitate to declar
the law, BY the Judgment of the iudicia
tribunals, we are bouud-to it we shou't
all submit They are the sole expositor
of the law. We should not hesitate t.
WELD instant and hearty obedience to thi
authority, which, without passion or pref
udice, judges alike legislatures, President
and people, and yindicltes the Gon,ti'u
ton OF the c untry for the good OF al.
Receiving from our fathers Union an
Cousli uton which formed, with the CO ol
diuac State governments, IL political sys
tenn ;he most pgrlect which the whole ha
) ever seen, and under the harn.ouitu us az
ton OF which the nation has prog -cssed
( property unparalIed, we will never ccr
t sent to Surrender these great guarantee
" of freedom and happiness. THIS was ii
u peoples war, to asset the integrity Of IL
y Union and to vlndc,te the >uprom. cy
= the Constitution. For the attainmenr
e thrse Object. blood and rrca,ure have bee
y poured out with lavish pro'usiou, II
+ people are ready ,ti,l, without stint {
N limit, lc procc,d in this course OF sac lie
But they have a right to insist upon enc