Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-05-01
Sentiments of an Old Democrat.
A former resident Of this place, in renew
ing his subscription to the JOURNAL, writes

Sentiments of an Old Democrat,
A former resident of this place, in renew
ing his subscription to the JOURNAL, writes
as follows: a.e
/ am an old resident of Muscatine, and ar
old Democrat besides. l feel quite anxious
aboat the welfare of my former friends and
place. In looking over the columns of the
Courier see the Inaugural Address of H
Funk, who, it seems, has been elected Mayor
of your city. ! am truly glad to see your
''Dutch Baker, vending his way to fame, but
the election of Henry does not surprise me
more than the undue course of the Democrat.
ic party of Muscatine, if the Courier is a spec
linen. Notwithstanding the reasonable SEN
timent of the Courier, cannot help believ.
ing there are some good loyal Democrats left
yet in Muscatine; and if that friend of mine
will send me the JOURNAL instead of the
Courier, 1 will thank him. ,...sas.
saw in one article in the Courier of few
weeks past great objection to the Conscrip-
| ton act, making it out poor mans war;
fearless of contradiction, that there has never
been as fair Conscription law since the his
tory of nations. While public men and those
in the more favored walks of life are thus
brought under the operation of this much
abused law, let US see who of the poor class
are exempt: -....-. ...st
l. The only son liable to military duty Of
widow dependent upon his labor for sup
port. In. ...- ....-
2. The only son of aged or intirm parents
dependent on his labor for support.
8. Where there are two or more sons OF
aged or infirm parents subject to draft, the
father, or if he be dead, the mother, may
elect which son shall be exempt. .
4. The only brother of children not twelve
years old, having neither father or mother
dependent upon his support.
8. The father of motherless children under
twelve years old, dependent upon his labor
for support.
6. Where there are a father and sons in the
same family and household, and two Of them
are in the military service of the United
States as non-commissioned officers, musi-
clans or privates, the residue of such family
and household, not exceeding two, shall be
exempt.
z. Young men between the age of eighteen
and twenty are exempt, for the reason that
experience proves that soldiers under twenty
years Of age cannot stand camp life.
EHere we find no less than seven distinct
classes exempt, and most of them on account
of the necessities of those dependent upon
their labor for support. Thousands of men
in every State are relieved from service solely
because they are poor, who otherwise would
be liable, while not man is exempt on ac-
count of his wealth or his position in society.
Thus, instead Of the rich, it is the poor only
that are favored by the law. '.5H
So far as old Knox county Qll.) is concern
ed. all US loyal Democrats have laid aside
party issues for the present, till this rebellion
is put down. Then 1T will be time enough to
talk about party issues. So far as the Ad-
ministration is concerned, whenever Presi.
dent is elected constitutionally, as Abe Lin.
coin was, am bound to sustain him as true
loyal America citizen. T. j. GossErr.
Abingdon, Kick county, ILL.,, April II.