Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-03-29
onr Ticket---The April Election.

Our municipal election is close OF hand. IL
takes place on Monday, April 8. Our candi-
dates are before the voters Of this city and town.
ship. They are all honest and capable men. The
/. candidates for Mayor and Mashal have proved,
by term of faithful service, their fitness for
these Offices. Our nominee for City Solicitor
has the ability and energy to assure us that the
interests of the city will be safe In his hands--
The same may be said Of the candidates for
School Directors, for Councilmen, for Asses
sors, and for the different township Offices
They are all gentlemen. whose integrity and
qualifications for the several offices to which
they have been nominated, are unquestioned.
Bat there is stronger reason than the mere
qualifications of our candidates, however high
these may bo, why they should receive the
vote Of every good citizen. 1t is that the peril
Of our country and its institutions demands It,
II is becoming daily more and more evident to
the most careless observer that these can only
be rescued from destruction by the Democratic
aud Conservative element. Our political oppo-
nents, in order to keep the governing power Of
the State and Nation In their hands, are re-
sorting to the most desperate and tyrsnnical
measures, under pretense of so-called "mili-
tary necessity" Among one of these meas
ures is the Conscription act. We claim the
right, though some would deny it US, to freely
discuss this, the same as any ether Legislative
sct, and, If in our opinion 1t be uncOnsti
u 81 for fta
at the ballotbox-the tribunal in a free gov
ernment Of last resort.
The Conscription act is confessedly formed
upon the model of such laws or DEGREES in Eu-
ropean monarchiss, which, every time they are
put in execution, clotbe the whole land in
mourning, ss in France in the time of the ell
der NApoLKoN. This act establishes, or aims
at establishing, sort of military despotism
over the States and the people. 1t makes an
odious distinction between the rich and the
poor better suited to an absolute monarchy
than to Democratic republic 1t exempts
rich man for his money and forces the poor man
who cannot buy an exemption into the service.
Here is the precise language Of the Gonscrip
ton act on this head
That any person drafted and notified to sp.
pear as aforesaid, may, on OF before the day
hxed for his appearance, furnish an acceptable
substitute to take bis place in the draft, or he
may pay TO such person as the Secretary OF War
may authorize to receive it, such Sum, not ex-
ceeding three hundred dollars, as the Secretary
mav determine, for'the procuraticn OF such sub
siituts.
The Secretary of War may fix lower rate
of exemption than three hundred dollars; but
.at all events q man who happens to be drafted
can 20 clear for that sum. If he has not got ii
10 spare, or cannot raise that or the required
sum, be must be torn from his family and
forced into the servics. There is no help for
him, because he happens to be poor.
II is evident, from this and their other arbi
trsry measures, that the party in power, or
their leaders, are seeking, while crying out for
the freedom of black men, to make slaves of
white men. Will you, voters of this city and
township, or of any city or township in Ohio,
assist them in this nefsrious design by voting |
on Monday, April 6, for single candidate on
their side. Let the proscribers be themselves
prescribed, by being from this time forward be-
rsft Of political power and influence Let
those who would deprive men who have COM
mitted no crime against the Constitution or the
laws, of the common rights of citizens, merely
because their political opinions differ from their
own, be taught at our Spring election lesson
that they will remember to the last day OF their
lives