The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1863-03-13
Pccuniary Exemption.

Pccuniary Exemption.
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The $500 exemption clsusc, at first
glance, seems TO favor an invidious dis
unStion between the rlch aud poor, o.
the advantage OF the former; but further
examination will show that il has no un-
fairness which docs not attach to the
privilege of furnishing substitutes In any
way, and that ii is far more for the benc-
fit, both Of the Government aud the pco.
pie, than any other plan.
The ordinary substitute is obtained at
u price 20 large that none but the very
rich con obtain one; aud when obtuincd,
many cases, he runs of, leaving his
principal minus his money aud still La
BILE tu serve. This influence on the ar
my has always been plrncious. The
other soldiers are either made Jealous by
his lurger bounty or are induced by him
to dcFert, for the purpose OF fillinps their
pockets at tho.e exponse of some man OF
more money than courage. Such has
been the exp .r.ence in this country, aud
such was that df Franc, until about thir.
iy yeurs since the Government udoptct
the system Of accepting n pecuniary
equivalent for service, about three e-fourths
OF which is offer d to volunteer rec uits
aud the remaining portion appropriated
by the Government FOR its own purposes.
me plan has worked satisfactorily. Ev.
cry year The proportion Of volunteers in
tfe French army has increased, until il
has now reached fly per cent. Most Of
our reUders Know that the French army
ls The best drilled, and most orderly in
the world. The price OF exemption in
France is about four hundred and fifty
dollars hity per cent. more than the max.
lmum rate designated in our conscrpton
act. Out OF the thousands Of soldiers
whose time is about expiring, our Govern
meme can obtain u sufliciency of we'll
drilled volunteers to fill the places of
conscripts, who furnish the eauiyalent,
while its bounty fund is independent of
any appropriations of Congress. Is il
more urislocratic 10 exempt n man for
the least sum which will induce a trained
soldier to re-enlist, than to release only
those who can pay 81 900 or 81 800 to
escape military service
But it may be asked: Why exemp, anvil
Why not adopt the Prussian system,
which releases nonel Are not all clti.
zens OF the same country. eauallv re.
sponsible t, the same Government The
answer is simple one. No law, how.
ever minute in It's details, eau meet ALI
cuses. The present law, the most bu
maue that has ever been passed, specifi q
all the cases of UNUSUAL hardship 10 III,
poor which conld be anticipated; but there
are others which deserve relief. tbouob
they cannot be met by direct Legislation.
There are thousands of men, rich and
poor, who though not incapacitatcd by
deformity or acute diseas. from respons.
ibllity, are still SO delcate that II is NOR.
ally certain they could not endure six
months campaigning. Yet the necessa.
rlly hasty examination of the Surgeon.
who does not know their history, viii of.
ten do them an Injustice. The man who
gives employment to scores Of operatives
Is ling oitentimes more good by
strengthening the sinews of war at homo
than by his single arm in tha field. Bot
we need not multiply examples. The
law specifies all the cases OF exemption
u can reach, and then makes provisions