The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1863-04-10
THE CONSCRIPTION ACT.


! Etutlo4 VI NhAltIS duu puUuC W tht
serms and tendency Of a bill passed amid the
tsmultuous scenes of the closing hours of the
late Congress. commonly called the ''Conscip-
ton act" Without entering into minute de-
tails, it may be accurately, though briefly sta
ted, that this law provides-Frst, for placing
at the absolute control of the President of the
United States all the inhabitants Of the country
citizens and foreigners, white and black-ca-
pable of bearing arms Second, that it divides
the whole territory Of the United States, as in
dicated by Congre ssonal districts, into military
divisions, each commanded by provost mar
shal, and all acting under the..drection of Pro-
yost Marshal General at Washington. 1t ii
declared to be their duty to obey all orders OF
the Provost Marshal General, and to exercise
certain functions Of quasi judicial character,
in order to prevent or punish evasion or avoid
ance of any draft which may be ordered by the
President, or even, without reference to the ex-
igency of a particular case, counstling drafted
men not to appea1. ~.
This law, in effect, creates forced standing
army, composed of all the available strength of
the country, and totally destroys the militia of
the several States, by ro5bing them Of the ma
terial of which it is composed.
The militia is the ancient and safe defence of
the people themselves against all enemies, for
eign and domestic 1t existed from the COM
mencement of the colonization of the country
1T defended the early settlers from both Indi-
ans and French--at Concord and Lexington it
inaugurated the revolution---at Bunker Hill it
met, without dishonor, the flower Of the Brit
ish army--and so, throughout the revolution
and the war of 1919, it mainly maintained the
nation, down even to New Orleans, when Jack
son and his militia closed tile war in blaze of
glory. s71T ai 81 ssoi aeesi Ira
The Constitution of Pennsylvania declares,
| in regard to fhe militia, that ssthe freemen of
this Commonwealth shall be armed and disci-
plned for its defence i.! aa al r8Y87a he
| Has the Federal government the power to
annul our Constitution, by destroying the mill
tia g-has it the right to pass this conscription
aetfs Flint eovernssest 10 .sssl, an ssisiaaissv-
= li.aited political orr
ean'za''on' crea'eo " 'hc cons','u''oh, andcan
exercise 'hosc powers oniy wnicn are con,erlea
oy 'na' ihstrumen.; "nicn' i'seil' oeciarea tna'
TUG po~efs nv. ueiesa'eu M W 'ne oni'eu o'a.es
are reserved 10 the otates respectively OF 10 tue
/ people. -.
l No CLAUSE III ''e oons'i'u''on gives even seih-
Dance OF power 70 make sucn enac'meht' On
'he contrary tne olate niinia Is d's'ihctiy rec
| Usnlzea' ana Inc con,soi o' Soneress over II s
| limited 70 Gaining II iorln wnen necessary ana
iof governing IL on'y when emp'oyed IN .ne
service OF the onited states; reservins 70 the
o'a1es the appointment Q, oincers ana thc 'lain-
/ ing OF the iorce.' Inc Sons'itutloh' therelofe,
contains no authorn.y ,or .ais sDsorp'lon Oh 'ne
nlhua' out ac'uaiiy iorous IT, oy ieservihg 10
| the n1aees tne powers wnicn substantially con-
'roi IT, In 'ne iaoc OF 'nese pam provisions,
/ argument Wouia De supernuous' ANY man OF
common sense must Pe,ceive' ana any court OF
law would determlne' tnat .ne conscnptioh act
is ahoonshtuuonan ana Void
oat II IS saio Ah lnis, ~ 10 o.nef cases 'naI
necessity Jusuhes--tnat necessity KNOWS 30
law. Ii TINS argument Is good 70 ]ustiiy Con-
gress 10 disregarding the Consusut'en' IL iar
oetler 70 Jus'ily tne people IN "sregafding tne
law, But In truth IL )us,ines neither. notn
are ooand 70 every iegal ooneanon' ana neitner
Nous the power OF sen dispesanon. Inc 81
premacy OF the constitution ana the Law Is the
sole assurance OF liberty, security and order,
and tue asurpers VI washington VINO aeny
TINS Doctrine proclaim themselves tyrants Dy
the act. ~
out apart from .nis' 'na 'ns'an' response 70
the recent draft for three hundred Thousand
mii.tia' shows tnas ihe pre'ence OF necessity
Is false IN tact. IL tue government needs ad-
aiional force, why NOT resort 70 another dnit
legitimate, iegai ana sure TO be obeyedi-
"hy does the federaa government prefer the
course OF usurPation--snls insoent oenance OF
tae States-tnn tyranny over the clil.eas! Is
itso, that the blood Of our butchered orothers
causes recoll from the battle heid, to De met
only by Federal oayonets' driving new myr1ads
to slaughter No-the passage OF TINS act is
an equal insult to the courage and patriotism
OF the people. In the face OF all me disasters