Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-03-07

iSAS"i may consistently oppose Ine con-
script law. But all who are for the em-
ployment of all the resources of the ma
tion for the suppression of the rebellion,
all who are not in favor of surreudering at
discretion to the rebellion, must endorse
and uphold the Conscript Act, which em-
bodies the policy that should have been
adopted in the first place. The act is
framed with great care to do equal and ex-
act Justice. The declaration of the pur-
pose in view in the passage of the bill, by
which it is prefaced, is thus happily word
ed: "There now exists in the United
States saninsurrectiou aud rebellion against
the authority thereof, aud is, under the
Constitution of the United States, the
duty of the Government to suppress. in
surrectton aud rebellion, to guarantee to
each State Republican form of govern
meut, and to preserve the public tranquili-
ty." The exemption clause in full is as
follows:
SEC. 2. And be IL further enacted, That the
following persons be aud they are hereby ex-
cepted and exempt from the provisions of
this act, and shall not be liable to military
duty Snder the same-to wit: Such as are
rejected as physically or mentally unfit for
the service; also, first, the Vice President of
the United States. the judges of the various
courts of the Uuited States, the heads of
the variousiE Departments of the
Government, and the Governors of the sew
eral States; and second, the only son liable
to military duty of widow, dependent up
on his labor for support; third, the only son
ofaged or infirm parent or parents, depend
ent upon his labor for support; fourth, where
there are two or more sons of aged or in
6rm parents, subject to draft, the father, or
If he be dead, the mother may elect which
son shall be exempt; fifth, the only brother
of children not twelve years old, having
neither father nor mother, dependent upon
his labor for support; sixth, the father of
motherless children under twelve years of
age, dependent upon him for support; sew
enth, where there are father aud sons of
the same family and household, and two of
them are in the military service of the uni
ted States, as non-commissioned officers,
musicians, or privates, the residue of such
family, not exceeding two, shall be exempt;
and no persons but such as are herein ex.
empt shall be exempt; Provided, however,
that no person who has been convicted of
any felony shall be enrolled or permitted to
serve in said forces.
We submit to intelligent persons wheth-
er an exemption clause could be better
Worded to guard against cases of extreme
hardship. The classification of mea for
military service isIas follows:
Sec. 8. 4nd be It further enacted, That
the national forces of the United State,
not now in the military service, enrolled
under the act, shall be divided into two
classes, the first of which shall comprise
all persons subject to military duty, be
tween the ages of 20and 80 years, and all
unmarried persons subject to do duty above
the age of 35, and under the age of forty
iye years: the second class shall comprise
all other persons subject to do military du-
ty, aud that they shall not, in any district,
be called into the service OF the United
States until those of the first class shall
have been called.
The following is the clause regulating the
procurement of substitutes:
Sec. Is. 4nd be IL Juttder enacted, That
any person drafted and notified to appear
as aforesaid, may, on or before the day fix,
ed for his appearance, furnish an accepta-
BILE substitute to take his place in the draft,
or he may pay to such person as the Secre-
tary of War may authorize to receive it
such sum, not exceeding three hundred
dollars, as the Secretary may determine,
for the procuration of such substitute; and
thereupon such person so furnishing the
substitute or paying the money shall be
discharged from further liability under that
draft.
Objection is made to this that it is favor
itism to the rich. In point of fact, there
never was a couscriptiou law that did not
permit the procurement of substitutes
This law simply fixes the price of subati-
tute at three hundred dollars, and puts
stop to the huckstering. Then the exemp-
ton is only for one draft. The individual
who is drafted, aud pays three hundred
dollars, has to stand the next draft. The
law provides very severe penalties for all
who resist its execution, and there is no
doubt whatever it will be enforced to the
letter. Persons fed upon butteruut Iitera-
ture need not tiatter themselves that this
cuted. That is the pith of the whole
matter. Those who resist it will suf-
feri and the conscriptiou will be made
inexOrably. as it ought to be. There
will be no temporising by Governors,
aud fussing of deputations this time. We
are through the sand and gravel, and are
upon the solid rock of our real military
strength, upon which we viii buiId an
army such as has mot yet been dreamed of.
We will finish the war with the policy with
which We should have begun it.
Here is another section of the conscript
Act in which all persons should take an in
terest:
SECTION 26. AHd be 1t fIrtAsr enacted,
That, Immediately after the passage Of this