Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-12-24

the lst Of March next ), that on the Ii of March We
could send into the field army three hundred thou
sand men, 1t would be the best possible which
this Government could make. Is there Senator here
who would not to-day cheerfuy pay 81 600 900 600
for army Of three hundred thousand nen to be out ia
the held on the lat OF March apprehend there 10 not
patriotic man in the country who would endorse such
an appropriation as that and yet the effect Of this bill is
to stop just that process the 9Th of January. Sir am
opposed TO the whole policy OF this measure.
Mr. FESsENDEN. Mr.. Presdens, agree measur-
ably with what was said by the Senator from OHIO 1
believe there has been rather mistake in the policy
the au hores with reference to this subject aud mis-
take too on our part believe that the continued ofe-
OF bounties and the continued increase of bountes n
stead OF having tendency to increase and promote the
patriotism OF the people has had tendency to diminish
and destroy It, The effect has been, in my Judgment
red on at such rate it has BEEN especially in my
ton OF country to turn the attention of the people from
the fact and the consideration that every owed to the
Government when necessary his personal service, which
as citizen he bound to render, to the que ion
how much make by holding off little longer be.
fore we volunteer" And the system, proclaimed,
going on as does must necessarily be that increases
and enlages from day to day In fact the question how
much bounty should be raised has been carid party
politics and politicians have We'd with each other
which should be the Oudest in calling for bounties The
result has been that have discarded the really patriotic
feeling Mt the blttom, which would have given men
enough had adhered to regular system and put the
matter upon the right ground and the correct principle
from the beginning and that is, that every man who is
able to render it his personal service to the country
in it hour of peril Now every has had his attention
called of to the question OF how much he get if he
waits little longer before he enlists There patriot
lem enough to begin with and there is patriotism enough
among our soldiers and our cizeps now but are eer
nally pratng upon this question of how shall
pish this thing say again distinctly, and call the at
tenton OF Senators TO it that have lost ground in the
country ard patriotism has been cooled by the effort
to put down the idea which lies the bottom of ALL and
that is that has right to refuse his personal
vice when il is called for by the country That is the
proper sysem aud principle. which we should always
stand by.
But sir have adopted the principle of paying boun
ties and of bidding bountes to induce men who are able
to their country to enlist The question then
with what to begin but how far 60, and
that returns upon It is not triag consideration
whether we are to pay 800 900 or less this
week and 800 900 six months hence, and another
lOOOOO0OO twelve months hence. 1t very easy to
stand here and talk about what the system should be-
that should be to offer bounes 1t is another question
to raise the money to pay hem and ask my friend from
New York, who is nancer if he is able to tell me how
long we may 60 at the of thousand millions
year and the country will be content with it He has
undoubtedly considered such question: and perhaps can
me.
believe with my friend from Ohio if understood him
rightly that the Government should adhere to the law
We provided for draft of many men, and provided
an exemption clause on the payment OF certain sum of
money, for the purpose of enabling the Government to
supply the places of those who paid that communication
SO far as money was paid in for that purpose the Govern
ment had right to apply it for bountes But they got
great many more who to be paid bountes than
they got OF who paid the exemptou and that pre-
cisey the difficulty now and precisely the why
there Is large OF money due promised and nothing
to pay 1t with hat oversight; but what did they
doi They made the offer The result has been that
have gone into the service They promised by the
executive authores-not with permission yet acting
unquetonabyn good faith and doing what they supposed
to be the best thing they could doa given of money
and they have enlisted Now what do you propose to do
You must pay that sum, if you honest you
must discharge them from their enlistmentone the
other you ought to do. We cannot with any of
Justice between and man. acceds any such doctrine
ss that we may make promise to TO enlist and then
hold them to service without performing promise. We
must therefore pay what has been promised.
The question then arises do you to keep up that
be enforced or abandoned We ought to have draft
else strike the law from statute book We adopted
the policy and, in my judgment, it should bs enforced
Spend the moneyyou get from exemptions in bcuut for
the purpose OF filling the ranks but there seeing
how long the credit of this continue what
is if to go recklessy and spend money as il we
had more than We knew what to do with do not
dertake to say that the draft far it has gone has
been success exactly do not think it has; but think
its want Of success has been owing to the bundeng
ner IN which IT was attempted to be carried out rather
than to any thing in the law itself 1t may be found more
than thing else in what alleged by the honorable
Senator from Massachusetsn the TACT that there was
such list Of causes Of exemption from service tina.
exceedingly difficult 10 find any body who did not come
within some provision of them know it in my
section Of the country and that the boards compe
ed to discharge sbe-boded men, under the rules thus
made, who fit to go into the field My opinion is
that the executive authorities should have repeal their
rules msde better set of regulations and gone with
the law. 1t IL not their business to say whether law
good bad, Indifferent; whether it works well other
wise Their business and duty is to proceed under it, and
not to adopt system which is not provided for by
law at all give all credit to the motive to the iuten
ton sustain the Government thoroughly In all its acts
although they may make Mistakes for believe they arise
from devotion to the true interests of the country and
desire to accomplish the great purpose which all have
much at heart do not undertake to quarrel with them
but say that the duty of the Government in all cases to
carry out the law it is made and if Congress says they
TO raise in given way let them take that way or
wait II it s pc sble to wait until Congress shall say in
its turn that they provided will provide better
say therefore, sir that shall vote for this provision
matter Of course. We must dscharge our obligations
10 theSs men that are already enlisted.
Mr.. LANE, of Indiana. Mr. President there are but
two modes OF raising an army-one by volunteering and
the other by draft 1t 10 that much Of the
cuiy OF our situation has been incurred by attempting
to carry on at the time two systems independent
each other and in some respects anagonstic each
other The very theory upon which the censcrption bill
oil the last session passed that by voluntary enlist
ments the army could not be filled 10 sufficient numbers
and with sufficient promptitude Upon that basis the con-
scriptlon act OF the last session passed
Much has been sad in reference the operation Of the
draft and 10 the $500 exemption clause under IT, II you
rely the sysem Of vtunteerng alone then you should
offer sufficient bouniies to induce the voluntary enlistment
Of soldiers in the army Of the United Sates bat Won
rely upon the draft then il to you should carry
it out Both systems cannot be carried on at the same
time for at point they anaPonze with each other
What has been the effect Of this $500 exemption clause
The exemption, as it seems to operates in this wise
SIMPLY to raise money to the Treasury upon the enforce
ment Of the draft and not to bring drafted men into
h. service OF the counryi for who can raise the
$500 will 90 into the service and there very few who
nr uds th.