The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-07-24
The Consumption.


. Hinder our system Of government o conscrip-
ton should be the last resort Of Congress in On
extremity. Hitherto we have conducted the
Mexican and the present war relying solely up
on volunteers. But in q long war this reliance
will always fail. and when II fails one Of two
things must be done-end the war as best We
may, CT take measures to fill the ranks with
fresh men. This is precisely the strait to which
the government had come when the present con-
scription law was passed.
Amid heated and partirsn excitement there
may be those who, to advance their party pur-
poses, would say. edo anything for the sake Of
peace" but in reality that number Is insig-
nifcant. and forms the lowest stratum Of our
population. There are but few even among the
democrats. and We are proud to say none else
,chers, who would have the temerity to sign
their names to document calling upon gov
eminent to end this war upon any condition
the rebels might propose, or end the war short,
even, of ''the Constitution as IL Is and the I'm
lon rs 10 was." For the sake Of the name Of an
American citizen we are disposed to be thus
charitable. Ifthis be 50, and unless II can be
proved that no moro men were needed, or that
volunteering was adequate for the emergency,
il would be interesting to know in what way
the war could DO carried on. and the army re-
cruited to the desired number. On the CONTRA
~, tits fact disputed by no intelligent person
that. for some cause-whether real or fancied
matters not-the system Of volunteering had
exhausted itself To give up the cause Of pre-
serving our government whole and unimpair-
ed. was not to be thought Of, and hence to an
swer the demands Of the people more men must
be obtained. When some months since through
an entire and inexcusable misrepresentation,
the military committee Of the Senate with Sem
ator Wilson as Chairman, recommended the
stopping Of further enlistmcnts, every opposi-
ton press in the country oyerfowed in denun.
Citations Of the government for such lack Of
sense, showing that II the authorities did not
appreciate the necessity OF full army, the NAL
contents Of the Administration desired the rails
ing Of moro men. Government has adopted
the only course left for it to pursue, and wo
have the CONSUMPTION Act. The only position
LEFT for the opposition Is to find fault with tho
law in detail. And here. good people affect to
have serious dislike to provisions OF the Act,
which happens thus Objectionable to then, with .
view only to relieve tho poor from Me burden
that any CONSUMPTION would be sure to bring.
For our own part, VIC would have advised tho
striking out Of any money clause, leaving each
citizen drafted TO 20 himself. or find substi-
tute as best he could. We are aware that such
n course would have taken every man who
could not command large SUN Of money to
hire n substitute, and that, had such been tho
law, tho objection that the rich was favored at
the expense Of the poor, might have been urged
with some show Of propricty.
As tho law now stands the drafted man who
has $500 can DO exempt, whilc no who dOesno'
have ID. must 60. Now IL any man living will
state how there could be n Consumption law
framed TO favor the poor man and still not Il.
yor the rich. without itself being an absolute
nullity, we will give him tho use ofour columns
free to set forth his claims to the nations graf
itude. II. as We have intimated above, there
had been no exemption clause. theprice ofsub-
stitutes would have ranged so high that 1t
would have been entirely impossible for the
''poor man. to have obtained one. AS it now
is. the price can never DO higher than $500.
Suppose, ION the other hand that II costs $4,000
to obtain exemption, can any one point out in
what manner the "poor man" would DO bene-
tited, unless by IN increase Of the number con-
sidered "poor"r 1.-THE exemption cost only
$50. 1t would be just as hard for the poor man
who could raise only half that sum.
There Is certainly nothing in this Act that
the loyal man whether rich or poor can con-
denim, while to disloyal man, no law that
has for its object directly or indirectly the over
throw Of tho rebellion, could recommend itself.
and Il is matter Of no moment whether such
persons arc satisfied or dissatisfied. No honest
man need DO lcd away by this tory cant ofop-
preston on account Of poverty, which Is allied
to and alike the proclamation Of Benedict Ar
mold. lL... t... ...--