The Burlington weekly hawk-eye., 1863-02-14

When The in5urfections set up itsI terror over
whole population, and established its CON
ption to force every man into the ranks, it
was plain that it was expanded to the dimen.
sions ofs great nstiona awar, and atlinstsed
Of . posss eomitatus TO enforce the serving Of
legal process, We must organize means TO car.
~ on var until the rebel districts should be
exhausted. The spirit Of the people sssuffi.
cieat to furnish AL the men required in the
early stages ofths wsr, and itresponded most
nobly. In our history the proudest monument
Of our greatpsss - people, and the highest
evidence to foreign nations Of oar formidable
power, will b the net that the patriotism Of
the people Of the Northern, and middle section
Of the Republic sent voluatsrily and spontane-
ousiy nearly million Of soldiers into the field
to fight fox the integrity Of the nation. It the
English aristocrscy admire the devotion and
determination Of the lesderS Of the rebelhon in
forcing their entire able Bodied population in-
to their ranks, the mass Of the English people
and . candid world will admire the people
who Voluntarily turned out million Of sole
diers to fight for their Government. And his
tory when it records this, will conclude that .,
Government which had such . hold on the If
fections Of the people, was not one to be des-
troyed by rebellion which could never a.
lege . cause. go 60. ,.i@ 3. @'l-,s 5,-. I
II is probable that il the patriotic army had
been directed BY spirit - patriotic and de-
termined ~ that which brought the people into
the ranks, volunteering would have continued
to recruit our armies. But We have now to
deliberate upon the means necessary to fur>
nish regular re-enforcements and organize re-
serves, until the rebellion which is now chiefly
sustained BY the hope that We cannot recruit
our army, nyr replace the soldiers when their
term Of enlistment expires, shall be convinced
that the war will be supported by sufficient
means until they submit. Volunteering, is
more in accordance with the spirit Of our reo-
pie; but there is no system Of raising troops
fof war Of National defense 30 fair as . con-
scription, for it distributes equally upon the
people the service which is for the common
safety. s as5s.s - - 4! = 81 -s. 8 ESD ss
Asst is arranged, in those countries where
this. mode Of supporting armies has long been
established, it has features that greatly ALE
viste the burden, which, in the haste with
which our recent draft was prepared, were not
made available. In countries where every
citizen is held TO owe several years military
service, upon coming Of sge,,it Of course
comes upon the young snd unmarried men,
Men will not incuRber themselves with fami-
lies until they are secure against the military
duty. Therefore there is none of the hsrdships
ofdepriving families Of their support. In in-
augurating new system the same object
should be kept in view. 1t cannot be entirely
secured in this country where marriages have
hitherto been without any impediment what
ever; but it can, to . great degree, by . class
i6eation Of those subject to military service,
according 70 age, drawing from the youngest
class first 'a'k1es@ es nee e1T 2 adl s@lsF
The loyal States have population Of twen.
tystWosnd . half million, Suppose the men
Liable 10 military service were divided into
classes, one including those from twenty to
twenty-five years Of age, the second those be.
tween twenty-five and thirty, and the third
those under forty. The preliminary report of
the census Of 1860 does not give the returns
of the population classified according to age
and sex, but these can be had from the cen
sus bureau and upon them an estimate can be
made Of the number each class would furnish
for DRAFT. Probably the .6rst class would not
BE- exhausted by the whole war, and II might
be calculated with confidence thatth idrst and
second clssees would furnish al required for
tie field and for orgauixed reserves. On these
classes the service would be lightest, and .
draft Of the 6rst would touch the support of
comparatively few families. . - - @ 8 e. ..s
We have mentioned twenty years q the
Youngest age for conscription, because as
general thing the body is not mature enough
to endure hard service under that age. There
are many exceptions, 1t 10 true, but these
would furnish large class for substitutes II,
however, the age Of eighteen should be the
starting point, as in our militia laws, the Grst
class would be % much the greater. A draft,
we'll delibersted, upon such classification,
and fairly and thoroughly sdninistsred, with
reasonable time for pfspartion, and with pro.
vision for procuring substitutes, would make
the service Is easy on the people - it is under
the voluntary system, and would be much fair
a. The time Of service toswhich the draft Of
last summer Was limited, defeated its purpose
It was one Of those Temporary shifts with
which We began the war, and which We have
clung to with singular tenaeity. Three years
is short enough. We want not only present
overwhelming force, but We must have the
moral effect Of preparation for war Of any
length and magnitude. The rebellion must no
longer be encouraged by the hope that ct .
certain period our armies will be dissolved.
A conscription Of the youngest class would
make but small proportionste demand for
substitutes; and the utmost limit to which it
would have to be extended, would leave large
class to furnish them. There 10 no question of
VIC pOWST VI tuC 0VvCIuuSuS " C8rry OVS SuCu
soonscription. License of speech to excite
reasonable resistance is tolerated, because
the Government is confident Of its power to
suppress the overt act, but actual resistance to
the war measures Of the Government will not
be tolerated. A Government fighting for na.
tional existence, and with three, ,9uarters of q
million OF soldiers On foot, need entertain no
question Of its ability to execute any neces.
sary war measures. Any such question could
only arise from doubt Of the determination
ofthe head Of the Government.
To make this conscription effective it must
be organized and carried out by the National
Government, and the new leyies of6cered bv Il
and assigned where they can render the most
effective service. The business Of forming new
regiments for the benefit of raw Commissioned
officers, while veteran regiments are reduced
to eAs-hsf their force, should be discontinued