Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-07-24

tnaJ uiS act Tor the preservation oil our perlled
country makes an infamous distinction between
the rich and the poorl' Sir, this accusation is
false, wckedlyi wantonly and UNANIMOUSLY false
"a foul, shamelessand damnable libel upon the
law and its trainers. The oft-repcated avowals
of red handed traitors, whose souls are stained
with the blood of our murdered countrymenI
that this accursed rebellion now upon us was
forced upon them by the aggressons Of the lib
erty-loving, law-abiding, God fearing people of
the loyal states are not more shamelessly, want
only and wicked false than is this declaration
Of Mozart Hall that the Conscription act makes
distinctions in favor of the rich and against the
poor.
pray, sir, do not misunderstood me. OF
course cannot mean to accuse Mozart Hall of
intentional falsehood. Oh, no. Surely no one
would suspect Mozart Hall of intentional false
hood misrepresentation Its considerate
moderation; its lively sense of Justice, its admit
ted patriotism its stainless purity of character
will rescue Mozart Hall from the suspicion ofin-
territorial misrepresentation of falsehood
wooD's IGNORANCE ONLY EouALLED by HIS rREA-
son.
"Of conrsc, sir, this shameless accusation
against the provisions of the Conscrption act
was inspired by ignorance, not by falsehood-
This exhibition of sheer ignorance concerning the
provisions of this prescribed law of the nation
will, perhaps, be excused and pardOned in view
of the manifestation of that intense, passionate,
outspoken loyalty Mozart Hall is won't to put
forth in behalf of the government It is never
theless not an agreeable spectacle to see you,
sir. and your Mozart Hall patriots, whose ex-
quisite regard for human rights is only equalled
by that deep concern for the country which inn
pels you to delve into the mysteries Of negotia-
tons with the Richmond traitors, cropping along
in utter ignorance of the provisions of law
framed expressly to more effectually defend the
endangered nation, Tighten the burden of the
nd tho r,onY,1o aouali1a tlo I,,t;a
relieve as far as possible the toiling, dependant
poor from the hard, if not harsh provisions of
existing militia laws.
wooD's MALICE.
"But, sir, it matters not whether this accusa-
ton of Mozart Hall against the Conscription act
was born of Ignorance or of falsehood. 1t is
equally malicious, deceptive, mischievous. tits
an accusation flung before the people by the
reckless hand of malignant demagogueism, TO
poison the heart and mislead the reason. Sure
ly the heart, conscience and reason of a loyal
people will mark and brand the brain that con-
ceived, the hand that pcnned and the tongue
that proclaimed this foul, wicked and shameless
calumny against an act which bears the amplest
evidence in every line that its trainers intended
IFS burdens should fall as lightly as possible on
the toiling masses.
HUMANITY OF THE ENROLMENT ACT.
"Sir; This act for enrolling and calling out
the ndblOndl FORCES was framed 10 be more effl-
cient for war purposes than were the existing
militia laws, less burdensome upon the Treasury
and the people than were the existing laws, and
more humane TO the poor who have the aged the
infirm and the helpless dependent upon their
labor for support, than were the existing stat
utes These objects, sanctioned by patriotism
economy. justice and humanity, were ever kept
steadily in view, and they have been attained as
nearly as the unequal lot of humanity will per-
nit, in this law, so ficrcely denounced by the
Mozart Hall democracy, at your bidding. Yes,
sir, this law, enthusiastically welcomed by the
armies of the Republic, referred to by other ma
tions as the highest evidence of the determined
purposes ofthe American government, dreaded
by the armed traitors and denounced by rebel
sympathizers, bears in every section and in ev-
cry line, evidence of the patrotism justice and
humanity, of the 37th Congress. Its just and
humane provisions perpetualiy give the lie to the
accusation of Mozart Hall, that it makes an in
famous distinction between the rich and the
poor.
DEFEATS OF PREVIOUS MILITIA LAWS.
Contrast sir, the provisions of this denounced
act with the provisions of the existing militia
laws of the United States, and of your own state
of New York. By the provisions of existing mi
litla laws the Presidents authorized to call into
the service of the United States the militia OF
the states. By the laws of the United States
! by and the laws of New York, certain classes OF
persons are excepted and exempted from mill
tary duty, from being drafted into the service OF
the United States. Are these exempts the poor,
who have widowed mothers, aged and infirm
parents, motherless infant children or fatherless
| and motherless young brothers and sisters de-
pendent on their labor for support No, not
| these. Neither the laws of the nation nor the
| laws of New York exempt the poor who have
the aged, the infrm, the helpless, dependent up
on them. At the call of the government they
| m lpaVp Nyiinwad mo nj ,rGr
| parents, fatherless and motherless sisters and
brothers, and motherless infant children, all de-
pendent on their daily toll for support, and HE
away to the camp and battlefield.
"Who, then, are exempted by the militia laws
ofthe United States or of the state of New York
The exempts are not the poor, the dependen
sons of toll, but the most fortunate and favored
of the peOple-the members of Congress the
Custom House officers and clerks the postmas.
ters and clerks, professors and students of col
leges and ministers of the Gospel, the judicial Of
fcers and other officials.
EXEMPTIONS UNDER THE NEW LAW.
"This 'act for enrolling and calling out the
national forces denounced by your Mozart Hal
followers for making distinctions between the
rich and the poor, excepts and exempts not mem.
| bers of Congress, not Custom House officers mo-
postmasters, notgovernment clerks not the stat,
ljudciaries, not ministers Of the gospel and pro
fessors and students in coleges-no; not thes
fortunate and favored classes of men, for il enroll
them and requires them either to fight furnisl
substitutes or pay for substitutes Who thel
} does this law, 50 ilippantly denounced by Mozar
Hall democracy, except and exempt?
"Ths law, branded by you, sir and your clans
men, excerpts and exempts, first, the Vice Pres
! dent of the United States, the judges of the va
rious courts of the United States, the heads O
the various executive departments of the gov
ernment and the Governors of the several states
Second, the only son liable to military duty of
widow dependant upon his labor for support
Third, the only son of aged or infirm parent o
parents dependent on his labor for support
Fourth where there are two or more sons o
aged or infirm parents subject to draft, the faith
er, or if he be dead, the mother, may elect whcl
T son shall be exempt. Fifth, the only brother O
children not twelve years old, having neithe
father or mother dependent upon his labor 70
support Sixth, the father of motherless child
; rem under twelve years of age, dependent upo
his labor for support. Seventh, where there ar
a father and sons in the same family and house
hold, and two OF them are in the military servic
of the United States as commissioned off
GERS, musicians or priyates, the residue of sucl
family and household, not exceeding two, sbal
be exempt, Eighth, young men between tn
ages OF eighteen or twenty are exempt for til
reason that experience proves that soldiers un
der twenty years of age cannot sustain the bur
dens OF camp life so well as men between th'
ages oftwenty and thirty five.
wooD's FALsEHoops.
SThese, sir, are the exemptions Of the Con
scripton act $50 called) in favor Of the poor, up
on whose daily toll the aged, the in6rm and thu