The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-04-08
CONSUMPTION ACT EXPLAINED
ny IIS AUTHOR

the land-that the bill makes unjust distinc-
tions in favor of the rich, aud places the
great burden of war upon the poor. The
we have noticed, is letter from Senator
Wilson--the author Of the bill-to Fer
nnndo Wood, the great New York Copper
head. We make the following extract from
the letter:
Contrast, sir, the provisions Of this de-
nounced act with the provisions Of the cx-
listing militia laws of tho United States,
and Of your own State Of New York. BY
the provisions Of existing militia laws the
President is authorized to call into the ser
vice 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 cX-
cmptcd from military duty, from being
drafted into the service of the United
States. Are these oxempts the poor, who
have widowed mothers, aged and iniirm
parents, mothcrless infant children or faith.
crless and mothcrloss young brothers and
sisters dependent on their labor for sup.
port? No rot these. Neither the laws of
the nation nor the laws of New York ox-
empt the poor who have the aged, the in
firm, tho helpless, dependent upon them.
At the call of the Government they must
leave widowed mother, aged and intirm pa
rents, fatherless and motherless sisters and
brothers, and motherless infant children,
all dependent on their daily toll for support,
and hic away to the camp and battlefield.
Who then are exempted by the militia
laws of the United States, or of the State Of
New York? The eXcmpts are not the poor,
the dependent SONS of toll, but the most
fortunate and favored of the people tho
members Of Congress, the Custom House
officers and clerks, the postmasters and
clerks, professors and students of colleges
and ministers of the Gospel, the judicial
oiliccrs and other officials.
This act for enrolling and calling ont
the national forces" denounced by your
Mozart Hall followers for making distnc.
tons between the rich and the poor, excerpts
and eXcmpts not members of Congress, not
Custom House officers, not postmastcrs, not
Government clerks, not the State juliciarics,
not ministers of the Gospel, and professors
aud students in colleges--no not these
fortunate and favored classes of men. for it
cnrolls them and requires them either to
fight, furnish substitutes, or pay for subst-
PANTY denounced by Mozart Hall Dcmoc-
racy, except and exempt?
This law, branded by yOu, sir, and your
clanslnan, excerpts and cXempts, first, the
Nico President of the United States, the
Judges of the various executive DEPART
ncnts OF the Government. and the Cover
mors OF tho several States. Second the
only son liable to military duty Of widow
dependent upon his labor for support. The
only son of aged or in.irm parent or parents
dependent on his labor for support. Fourth
where there are two ur more Sons o! a.,ch
or ulirm parents subject to draft the tuhcr.
or il he be dead. the mother may elect
which son shall be exempt. Fittl, the only
brother ot children not twelve years aid
having neither father uog mother, depend
ent upon his labor for support. Sixth. the
father of mothcrless children uulcr twelve
years of age, dependent upon his labor !or
support. Seventh, where there are father
and sons in the same family and household
and two of them are ia the military service
OF the United States as uou-cOmmiSsioncd
officers, musicians or privatrs, the residue
OF such family and household, not exceed
ing two, shall be exempt. Eighth. Young
men between the ages ot eighteen and
twenty are exempt, for the reason that cX-
pcrioncc proves that soldiers under twenty
years of age cannot sustain the burdens of
camp life so well as men botwccn the ages
of twenty aud thirty-tivc.
These, sir, are the exemptions OF the con.
scriptiou act (so-callcd(, in favor of the
poor. upon whose daily toll the aged. the
iniirm and the helpless rely. Is it making
Infamous distinctions between the rich
aud the poor to exempt the only sous OF
poor widows, and to compel members OF
Congress to fight procure substitutes or
pay for substitutes? Is t"nnkiHg Infamous
| distinctions between the rich and the poor
to exempt the only sons of aged or iniirm
parents dependent on them tor bread. and
compel Custom house officials to ti"ht. pro.
cure substitutes, OF pay for substitutes
Is il making "iutamuus distinctions be-
tween the rich and tho poor to exempt the
! only brothers OF tathoresS and mOtherless
| little brothers and sisters dependent upon
! their daily toll for support, ana compel
| postnaSters and Government clerks 10 fight
! procure substitutes or pay for substitutes
! IL il making infamous distinctions between
/ the rich and the poor To exempt the faith
crs of motherlcSS infant children. depend
ent npou their daily toll for Sustc,muce. and
and tn compel State iudgcs, Justices of the
peace, clergymen and college professors I,
| fight, procure substitutes az pay for sub
stitutesl This law which thus discrim
mates in favor OF the poor. is denounced
and accnrscd by Mozart Hall. Shame on
Mozart Hall. Shame on the men who mis-
represent the henciic2nt provisions of an
act passed TO uphold the cause OF uur i'm
! perilcd country
The 18th Section of this Conscription act
/ provides, That any person drafted and no
titled to appear rs aforesaid may, on or be
tore the day fixed for appearance, furnish
an acceptable substitute tn take his place
| IN the draft; or he may pay tu such rersul
as the Secretary Ot War may authorize To re-
ceiNo it, such sum, not exceeding three hun
| dred dollars us the Secretary may deter,
miue for the procuration ot such SuhSti-
, tutc, which sum shall ne fixed at a uniform
rate 10y general order made at the time OF
ordering n draft for any State or Territory
! Any person may furnish an acceptable suu
sttute 10 take his place in the draft at an,
price for which he caup procure one Every
drafted man is at liberty to furnish a sub
Sttute NJ such rate rs he may agree to pay
the substitute; or any drafted man may pay
such sum, not exceeding three hundre,
dollars as the Secretary of War may deter
mine, to procure 4 substitute.
The sum determined upon by the Secrc.
tSry cannot exceed three hundred dollars
it may hc ten, fifty, one hundred, two hun
dred dollars, or any sum within the limit,
of three hundred dollars. This provision
of allowing u sum not to exceed three hun
drod dollars, Ia be paid to tho Government
10 procure substitutes, Was put into the Law
p for the sole and single purpose ot kcepiu.
, down the nricN of sMhSt tltnIoS sn Tint I'M