The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-03-25
rom the Richmond E1amin

FROM the hlchmOnu ItxaInluer.s-r3 t-fs
: :, We publish full synopsis of what is Justly
regarded as the most important document that
| has been published by the United States du-
ring the war-the Federal Conscript bill. =
1t will be perceived that this act is a very
/. d ffereut instrument from the conscripticn Law
now in force here. It is not framed upon our
! plan, butts a strict copy of French, Sardinia
| and other European conscriptions., The draft
on the population is much less general th1n
that by our law, and will produce fewer re.
cruits to the army in proportion to the numi
Der of the inhabitants, The principle of the
southern law is that every: man shall be pla.
l.ced in position where he can most effectively
serve the country and aid the. war;: Her ee i
exempts only those engaged in some industrial
pursuits, the continuation of which is indis-
pensable to the subsistence of the army, the
support of the government in its legitsmate
functions, and those fundamental operations of
social existence on which both depend These
classes fare limited. But the northern law
of exemption is founded on various social
distinctions, including great numbers, even 1T
strictly interpreted, and which admit OF all
most unlimited stretching. s5sts. sll.
The true meaning of this law is to be found
in those clauses which relate to the return Of
menIand officers now absent from that vast
army, existing on the pay rolls of more than
a million of men. The law does not seem iE-
landed to increase the numerical force of the
United Satisfactorily larger than that coun-
try or any other can long maintain-nor viii
it SO. It's object seems to be frst-to prevent
the men whose term of enlistment has expired,
from leaving their ranks in May. Second-to
enable Lincoln to make such future drafts on
the people as the waste of war may render ne
cessary. and to carry on the war without the
assistance of the new Congress now about to
enter on its term, and and in defiance of the
majority of the people who desire cessation
of hostilities. These objects the law will cefe
tainly accomplish. - s. %
Ia is calculated to provoke great resistance
from the people and the States We cannot
now estimate the power, extent or results of
the discontent and opposition. But we fear
those who suppose that this opposition will
render the law imperative, and end in a revo-
Iution. mistake the present condition. of the
North. It has been justly remarked that
they assume the people Of that country to lie
fn3w what they formerly were, and guage their
ssniirit and determination by the sentiment
which still prevails among ourselves. They
do not realize the fact that the government of
the United States has CONCEALED into q despo-
tisn,. and that its inhabitants have actually
snnk down into the characteristics Of abject,.
trembling antSundenying slaves. 1t is the
mart of reason to anticipate the ztffunlph OF
Lircoln and the entire execution Of the !aw,
Nor need VIC stand appalled, at its probable
consequences The southern government need
only endorse in all the States the conscriptIon7
law now existing, to procure such addition to-
its present army, that it will not only be as
great as the country can maintain, OF as any
generals are capable of man@uvering but
abundantiy sufficient to meet at all points ev.
ery face that the northern conscriptlon will.
send to the field.