American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-03-06
" THE MILITIA,

JACKSON. ebfIaFE ZstB fHt5
Editor Of the Citizen Your editorial of yester-
day under the above title. concludes By asking
response from the Governor or myself The dgni-
fed and courteous tone of your article apart from
the fact. of your being an old friend and neighbor
makes a compliance with your request not an
pleasant duty
As german to this subject. and touching
some points OF complaint in the community, ! beg
TO call your attention to letter of mine published
in the Ms=issippian Of last Thursday, which here
with send you for publication in the Citiz n.
You very properly say.
:. without provision crops and immense ones
too. soldiers cannot be fed. and if not led they
Cannot iglit but will have to submit from sheer
stan vation. IL absolutely necessary. then. that
a sufficient number of white men should he exempt
ed or detailed from service tn ensure the largest
crops that be raised. Hence. the militia now
in the field a portion Of it. at least. should be
dsbandej, or furIoughed, or detailed for that pur-
pose.D
concur with you fully and entirely Every
acre of tliabe land in the state not in possession
of the enemy, ought to be in cultivation this year
in provision crops trust no one will be so fool
sh and unpatriotic to plant single acre of cot
ton. II sutFeien, number of ichae should be
exempted TO the largest crops that can be
raised Here simple question arises. Is it nee
essary to dsband the entire militia in order to
examining the statistics of our population. that it
is not necessary. On this point you form con-
cIusions approximatng correctness by referring to
the number of votes east in the several counties last
October (since the militia were called into the ed)
and comparing it with the highest number before
the have not at hand the vote Of Madison.
but neighboring county, which has furnished as
large number of Confederate and state troops as
Madison, and whose usual vote before the
about 100, gave last October over 700. Then, il
this course be not necessary. you will probably
concur with the Governor in declining to iisband
the militia, as you and every other sensible man
must admit that in this critical juncture too great
precautions cannot be taken-too great exertions
cannot be made, to prevent state being oyerrun
by the enemy.
But you have heard, you say. from intelligent
planters that the agricultural interests of the
greatly suffering and viii be almost ruined, if
the militia and impressment laws not much
modified, if they are rigidly enforced'-
Now, it is probable that much of this alarm and
apprehension may be well founded. But you will
admit that when compelled to resort to in
voluntary service for the defence of our country
men will always be found. who, looking only to
their private interests and comfort, will seek
to render such service irksome and unpopular BY
whom such service is demanded. They are FREE
qnently unscupnlous also. in their statements and
sometimes succeed in creating very erroneous i'm
pressions to the necessity for such service, and
as to the suffering occasoned by their being forced
into tie defence Of their country. Still it may be
that individual cases exist where agricultural
and other interests would suffer by calling certain
men to the field. Our law has amply provided for
such cases. The 18th section of the late militia
law provides that1 Whenever, upon sufficient
showing in writing the Governor shall believe that
the public interest safety of any part of tie PEG
pie would be promoted by relieving any drafted
men from duty he shall have power to excuse such
men from service in the army" q state the sub
stance of the law. not having the act before me.)
Now, under this law. in view of the present and
prospective scarcity of provisions believe it to be
the solemn duty of the Governor to retain suHi-
cent number of men at home to secure the largest
practicable provision crop for the present year.
And have reason to believe that the Governor
himself entertans different opinion. That he is
fully impressed with the critical condition of the
State and with the grave responsibilities of his
position. | have no doubt. would therefore,
respectfully suggest to you and other friends Of
Madison county, instead of listening to general
complaints of probable distress, arising from calling
out the militia to present TO the Governor any and
every well authenticated case, where the agricultu-
raj interests Of the country would suffer by taking
drafted man TO the field. land ask for his release
under the law. If, then. the Governor should fail
to release him. or to suggest some reasonable RENE
dy you would know where to place the responsible
iy. AS for myself. all who know me know well
that would not be willing instrument for the
oppression Of MP c0nntrymen, jeoparding their
safety by taking away their means of support or
comfort.
You very pertnently ask why the President does !
not eau for the conscripts up to the age Of forty
Eve. as the law authorizes him to do. | trust and
believe this will soon be done 1t is in my opin-
ion, the true policy. and il should be adopted at
once. When this shall be done. and when Congress
shall modify Gas understand they now doing,) T
the exemption law, there will be no good reason
for longer retaining the militia IN actirc service.
For the present. however. l feel quite confident
that could the peopieo OF Madison county realize the
really critical condition Of state and appreciate
the services already rendered by some of the state
troops, they would themselves be opposed to gen.
eral disarmament. may say without improperly.
that some of these troops considering the time they
have been in the field have injured the enemy and
served the state quite efficiently as the same
number of troops in any portion Of the Confederate
army. will instance Major Blythes battalion.
Captains Maxwell and Streets companies. and
other organizations in the northern part of the
state.
/: should be borne in mind that sacrifces--grcat /
sacrifices must be incurred. These are tile price
Of our independence. These sacrifces. in the ma
ture Of things will be borne cheerfnlly by and
invoIuntariIy by others. But truly believe that
when Our Independence shxil have been achieved
and when the blessings Of peace shall again dawn
upon us. those who have suffered most in our
eAase-those who hare best served their country
viii meet just reward at the hands Of grateful
people.
Very respectfully. &C..
T. c. UPPER.
Dispatches TO the Nashville Haon the 18Th state
that Frem,nt has been Texas, and Butler re-