Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-01-26
Non Enforcement of the Conscript Law.

uon-En10rcemenC OF the ConScrlpt Law.
We have been astounded to learn, from
President Davis himself, from Mississippi
papers, and from a member of Congress from
that State, th.t no steps have been taken to
enforce the Conscript law therei
President Davis while in Mississippi, said
eff the yonng men of hat State would turn
out, the inv aders would he driven across the
Ohio"-clearly indicating that they had not
been compelled to turn ont" as they have
been in North Carolina.
The MissiSsippian has the following para
graph -~s..
"WHY IS NOT THE CoNscR1PT LAW En-
FORCED p This question is on the lips of
every one. Through a sea of difficulties, a
majority of the Congress responded to the
recommendation of tile President, that the
public exigencies imperiously required that
the law should be amended so as to embrace
persons between the ages Of thirty-five and
forty-five years and though three long
months Of painful and intense anxiety have
passed, yet in Mississippi, at least, thas not
been put into execution. = x Strange to
say, the measure above all others ~reconnen
ded by the President-urged by the Presi-
dent-demanded by the country-fought
through by a majority of Congress-the mea-
sure required to meet this appalling exigen-
cy, stands q dead letter 50 far as Mississippi
is concerned. While the savage foe with ad-
vancing columns have overrun a large por-
ton of the State and are pressing it to its
very centre, the question recurs, why has it
not been executed2 The country requires
an answer, and if it be not satisfactorily Civ
en-, the demand should be repeated through
Congress upon the assembling of that body"
And the Hon. Mr.. Barkadsle, member of
Congress from Mississippi, writes to the
! Meridian Journal as follows: .au. ug.
at is proper to remark that no steps nav
! ing been taken to enforce, the late conscript
act in this State, the exemption law of Con-
gress has not been put into practical opera
ton. If persons have been exempted from
military service, it was done by reason of
the State law"
Now, we are not going to complain of the
Conscript law. It's adoption has been con
coded on all hands to have been the saliva
i ton of the country. But we do protest
against this partial and unjust administra-
ton of the law. It has been faithfully exc
cuted in North Carolina, and under its pro
visions thousands upon thousands of stalw
men have been added to our army. 1t mus
be execued with like fidelity elsewhere, il
every State in the Confederacy, or the law b
abandoned altogether-for the people of on,
State will not submit to the execution of s.
onerous and burdensome a law, while other
are allowed to disregard and exempt them.
selves from its provisions.
But is Mississippi the only State in whic
the law has not been enforced? We fa
not. Our exchanges do not give us the in
formation on which to make a positive STATE
ment on that point but because they d
not tell whether the law has or has not bee
!. enforced, are We inclined to suspect that it h;
! not been. We call upon the Press of Rich
, mond to state the facts as to all the State
and if the Press should be unable or unwilir
to answer, Yet some member of Congress c.
for official statements. Let us see VIII
. States have done their duty, and what ha
= shirked their duty. 1896.