Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-04-09


The COuscriprIon Aet-Its Beniacenr Pro-
visions.
Senator Wilson, Of Massachusetts,, has
written to Fernando Wood most seath-
ing letter regarding his course against
The Government, and particularly against
the national ConscriptiOn Act. The letter
contains such an unanswerable argument
in favor of The humanity and the justice of
the law, that we quote from the latter por-
tiOn the following paragraphs, asking for
them On attentive reading;
HUMANITY OF THE ENROLMENT ACT.
SIR: This act for enrolling and call
ing out the national forces was framed to
be more efficient for war purposes than
were the existing militia laws, less burden
some upon the Treasury and the people
than were the existing laws, and more hu-
name to the poor who have the aged, the
4 infrm and the helpless dependent upon
their labor for support, than were the ex-
isting statutes. 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 permit, in this law SO
| feTeely denounced by the Mozart Hall de-
moeracy, at your bidding. Yes, sir, this
law, enthusiastically welcomed BY the
armies Of the Republic, referred to by
other nations as the highest evidence o
the determined purposes of the American
| government, dreaded by the armed trail
tors and denounced by rebel sympsthis-
ers, bears in every section and in every
line, evidence Of the patriotism, justice
and humanity of the 37th Congress. It's
just and humane provisions perpetusIly
give the lie to the accusation Of Mozart
Hall, that it mades an infamous distinc.
tion between the rich and the poor.
OBJECTS OF PREVIOUS MILITIA LAWS.
Contrast Sir, the provisions Of this de-
nounced act with the provisions of the ex
isting militia laws Of the United States,
and Of your own State Of New York. By
the provisions of existing militia laws the
President is authorized to call into service
Of the United States the militia OF the
States By the laws Of the United States
and by the laws Of New York, certain
classes of persons are excepted and ex-
empted from military duty, from being
drafted into the service Of the United
States. Are these exempts the poor, who
have widowed mothers, aged or infirm pa
rents, motherless infan. children, or father
less and mothcrltss young brothers and
sisters dependent on their labor for sup
port2 No, not these. Nei her the laws Of
the nation nor the laws Of New York ex-
empt the poor who have the aged, the in
firm, the helpless, dependent upon them
At the call Of the government they must
leave widowed mothers, aged and infrm
parents, fatherless and motberless sisters
and brothers, and motherless infant chill
dren, all dependent on their daily toll for
support, and HE away TO the camp and
battlefield.
VINO, then, are exempted by The militia
laws Of the United States, or Of the State
Of New York; The exempts are not the
poor, the dependent sons Of toll, but the
most fortunate and favored Of the people
the members of Congress, the Custom
House officers and CLERKS, the postmasters
and clerks, professors and students of col ]
leges and ministers Of the Gospel, the iu-
dieial officers and other officials
EXEMPTIONS UNDER THE NEW LAW.
aThis act fo1 enrolling and calling out
the national forces, denounced by your
Mozart Hall followers for making distinc-
tions between the rich and the poor, ex-
cents and exempts not members of Con-
gress, not government clerks, not the state
judiciaries, not ministers of the gospel and
professors and students in colleges-no;
not these fortunate and favored classes Of
men, for il enrols them and requires them
either 10 fight furnish Substitutes or pay
for substitutes. Who then does the law so
fippantly denounced by Mozart Hall de-
mOcracy, except and exempt2
"This law, branded by you, sir, and your
clansmen, excepts and exempls, first the
President and Vice President of the United
States, judges Of the various courts of the
United States, the heads of the various exec
utive departments Of the government and
the Governors Of the several States. Second,
the only son liable to military duty Of
widow dependant upon his labor for sup
port. Third, the only son Of aged or in
firm parent or parents dependent on his
labor for support. Fourth, where there
are two or more sons Of aged or infrm pa
rents 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 his labor for support.
/ Seventh, 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-eommissioned Off
GERS, musicians or privates, the residue of
such family and household, not exceeding
| two, shall be exempt. Eight young men
between the ages of eighteen or twenty are
exempt, for the reason that experience
proves that soldiers under under twenty
years of age cannot sustain the burdens Of
camp-life so well as men between the ages
Of twenty and thirty-fve.
SUBSTITUTES.
"The 18th section Of this Conscription
act provides, That any person drafted and
notified TO appear as aforesaid may, on or
before the day fixed for his appearance,
furnish an acceptable substitute to take his
place in the draft; or he may pay to such
| person as the Secretary Of the War may
authorize to receive it, such sum not ex-
eeeding three hundred dollars, as the Sec
retary may determine, for the procuration
of such substitute, which sum shall be