Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-04-04

Execution Of the Conscrlprlon
Law.

mont IS about to be bjected to the sever
est trial Of its strength which it has ever
undergone. In its theory it rests, like all
free governments on the attachments and
veneration of the people who acknowledge
its beneicent sway; to whom it dspeuses
protection and blessings; and who have
always heretofore rushed 10 arms with
patriotic alacrity to UPHOLD its authority
and defend its honor. 1t has been our
pride and our boast that, unlike the mon
arches of the old world, our government
has never been compelled either to resort
to conscriplicn of its citizens or the EN-.
pioyment tf foreign rccnarics. The
nations from which we are descended,
though it has sometimes used mercenary
/ troops, has never practiccd conscription;
il is accordingly q hereditary and hereto
fore honorcd tradition Of the Anglo Saxon
race that exemption from cxtorted military
service is one Of the peculiar privileges of
recmen. The necessity which the gov
ernmeut is ow under OF procuring oldiers
by ne hod which is contrary to the Gus
toms and repugnant 10 the traditions of the
race from which we are descended, natur-
ally aWakcns in all cousiderate minds in
tense solicitude respecting the success Of
the experiment. When 1t become, thus
Necessary to run counter to the traditions
aud customs of great aud spirited people,
it is one OF the clearest dictates of wisdom
to render the execution of the unpopular
law as inotfaDsve as it can be made in
consistency with the attainment of its OBJ
ject. This obvious maxim of adminsua-
tive prudence is well stated by Mr..
Thurlow Weed in his recent letter:
Congress has armed the government
with all the powers that its exigcuccs
required. The administration i, clothed
with extraordinary financial and military
authority. The federal government is now
its own banker, and its irmies are to be
levied indepc' dent OF stale agencies. In
the first year OF the war our young men
rushed Voluntarily to the field, aud our
banks as voluntarily supplied the govern
with ways aud means Mark the change,
and read not the lesson it teaches careless
ly. Onerous laws can only be carried
into effect "wth the consent Of the COVER
ned. Since Congre was chosen ty
which the con>crption law was enacted,
, there has been political revolution in -four
OF the largest s-atcs in the Union. There
are causes for such reaction. let those
who are responsible for the country's wei
fare seek and profit by them.
The compulsory law, of the last Con.
gress, II beneiiclaliy executed, must have
the concurrence Of the popular viii, The
public seuilment must approve them
This approval cannot be obtained by
prescription and denuuciltion.
There is no thoughtful citizens who
would not regret and deplore any distur.
bance OF the public, peace in any part o
the country. growing out Of resistance &c
. the law by citizens liable to conscriplion
. The spirit of resistance once aroused wout
= be iearfully contagious, owing to the gen
f eral repugnauce OF citizen, to serve in the
e army contrary TO their choice The draf
| ordered last summer was merely a methot
4 Of giving fresh impulse to voluntary en-
$ listmentS, and the enormous bouutes ant
D unexampled exertions viii it occasione,
5 show with what intense feeling oar fre
: co1muuities recojl from This mode raj,
$ ing troops. 1t is not the feel of this part
l. or that party, but the common rcluctauc
of peaceful citizens to be torn from thei
d homes and the bosom of their families
: and forced to encounter the hardship,
y prIyations, and dangers Of military lite. -
IS The administration, under such circum
, stances, should exercise its authority
n not in the spirit of a hard hearted an
T. domiueering master of mems lives an
IS liberty, Lu: in that of a smypathzing an
le patcrnal government, anxious to call fort
le the nobier impu ses Of its citizens, recon
IF Gle them to hardy duty by the remov;
Of Of every reasonable ground Of complaint
N and the practice Of every allowable art
lo Cancellation. Ofcourse, it must not con
u promi,e its authority, nor abjure the u,
e. Of force but it is bound by every col
+ sdera'ion Of humanity, justice, and polio
If by regard for its own stability and t,
ie the tranquility OF the country to which
ly owes protection. to smooth down Oh tace
II and :oothe the public feeling by the ado
at ton Of all reasonable measures of concil
to alton, as preliminary to the execution
ne the law. The whole country, Republican
'a as we'll as Democ ats, have long since 10
p confidence in the cabinet as now orga
it ized, and in the administration Of the "
m vroso,t oonIuntnJ A. inn,