Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-02-06
fYroua the Sentinel Of yssssrday.l
ururs uyapUrHyd up lrUE COHQCRTPT LAW.

THE WORKING OF THE CokscRiPF LAW.
friend has kindly furnished rs the following, asthe
result of his own obSsrVstions:
recent vista 20 the headquarters Of the Commandsnt
of Conscr pa Camp Lee, aud some examination INTO
the rrsctcel operation OF the system have gSeu US 90
nnch s.tisfscdon and encouragement that We feel
anxious 20 give TO che pubic, IN very bref form, SONS
of he results Of our Inquiries:
Immediately after tho passage Of the act OF Congress
nauzurang the consorpt system, on the 10Th Of Nay
1852 Gan. Cooper siued the order under WHICH L'eur
Colonel John o. Shields ~ Com randant OF Oonsctip,
proceeded 20 lis execution in Virginia. Col. Shields
was formerly commandans OF one OF the Richmond
HoWi.xer companies, and served under Generals
Bonham, Longssreet and Evans he has very
extensive acquaintance In Virginia, and by DIS
essAnt manners, sfLble and concliatory disposition
and business habits pscul ary hited ior MS
With the aid of Lieut.. j. Il. Biniord he has dgssed
complete and comprehensive system under Htlch the
expanded operations Of his department are reduced 70
perfect order and accurately arranged that IN rev
minutes be oan ascertain and report the military conoi
ton OF nearly every in tho State betseen eighteen
and forty.6ve years old Competent assistant. have
from time 70 lime been placed in this department.
amor whom are COL Holiday (disabled by 6ouno)
Capt W. L. Riddok, Capt W. Ii. Fry, auditing othcer
and Lieuts Grattan, Blisoy and LanghorAe. Yeti so
heavy ia the buGne scat moro aid ID needed and notn
inc bu, exact and incessAn labor which works up every
dSy the material belong ng 10 it, could prevent CORFU
s!on and accumulated trouble.
The State Ia ARA .ged into Congressional districts fer
eash of which thirs enrolling ofcsF, aud subor-
dnate In each county aud corporation. Monthly reports
are eoued VIII oh INT from the county TO the dis
trict officer and from him to the commahdint OF tic
Sate In addition to the enrolment, all the euiy and
the dsoate questions involved IL the applications LOT
exemption and details pAs through this department. and
also the duty OF investigating and making special re-
ports as to ppcyonl looking 70 the suosssence oil tie
army and the Of the community, 80 far as exemp-
tons and details can lawfully meet them. Another
heavy sphere Of duty ID that oil receiving reports oil de-
serters and absences WhGu; leave from the army IN
the Red and senditg out written orders for redress OF
these evils. All these matters require familiar &C
ousntanca with The laws Of the Confsderacy and State
snpc1bs ,hereto and with tie general orders from the
War Depsrtment and general officers, which are num-
bered by hundreds Ystwe found every part Of these
complicated duties in Colonel Shields department so
periecy m.upad out and 30 accurately systemAtEed,
that every order every sndorsse and nearly every
name can be- referred TO- BY inder in few moments.
Isisaconmon error in the public mind, that great
confusion and gArng defects exs. in this department,
and that thousands Of iders and subject to duty
escape Nothing be farther from he truth than
such view Out of four thousand men between the
prescribed ages rtcsny brought to question, it Was as
oerained that all except nne had been accounted for
and their military posdon legally fixed. Such result
has never been reached in France where war has
been the fayorite science for centuries.
The law ia faithfully, yet kindly, executed in Virginia
is hoped that in the other States OF the East Assis-
spp region is il equally Efficient and that COL Preston,
the head OF the Bureau of Conscrpton, by his en-
largsd views and comprehensive capacity will soon aid
in making the South nvincble by any power that cur
enemies can bring against us.