Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-08-12
THE oUAKERs ON THE DRAFr-AN OFF,
OIAL DECLARATION.

THE QUAKERS UN THE DnAE nN SN
OIAL DECLARATION.
In The Eriends Repiel0 Of this week we fiji
the following article. which may be taken as q
official opinion Of the Society Of Friends on Il
draft.
"THE MILITARY DaAFr.-Most of our reader
are probably aware that the President hi
ordered draft to be made for such portion
100000 men ns shall remain untitled oy Volun
teers for military service on the oth oil mint
month next. This draft 10 to take place undt
the new Enrolment act, approved on the 81
inst, and IL is a remarkable fact, calling 10
great thankfulness on the part Of Friends, thO
while this law declares that no payment o
money shall be accepted or received by tn
Government as oommuiation to release any en-
rolled or drafted man from personal obligation
to perform military ssrvice, 1t has seolol
specially providing that nothing contained il
this act shall be construed to alter or III an.
way affect the law passed on the l9th, and ap'
proved on the 24th Of second month last, b!
which members Of religious denominations con
scentiously opposed to the. bearing OF arms
are considered non.combatants, and relieved
from military service.
at is true that in thus relieving Friends from
bearing arms the Government has not rellnquish
ed its claim upon them for the performance O.
such duties as they can discharge without in-
fringing upon their principles OF peace, but I
directs that those who may be drafted shall b'
assigned by tbe Secretary Of War to duty in tht
hospitals or to the care Of freedmen, or shai
pay the sum of three hundred dollars, to be up,
applied to the benefit Of the sick nnd wounded
soldiers
at is understood that the Secretary Of War,
recognizing the scruples Of Friends against
acting as surgeons or nurses in military hospi-
tals, and knowing how earnestly they are enga-
god in promoting the welfare of the freed peo-
pie will take care to assign them to positions
which shall not interfere with their religious
principles.
Friends have officially declared in various
memorials presented to Congress by several
Meetings fer Sutferiugs that they ask for no re-
lief from their share Of its (the Goyernment's)
burdens, but are always ready to sustain 1t in
every way that does not prevent the exercise Of
the rights Of conscience that I'VE do not wish
especially in this day Of trial, TO shrink from
any Of the duties of faithful citizenship which
do not contravene the paramount law OF Christ,
and that it is our duty to sustain (oivil govern
ment) by all the influence we may be able to
exert both by word or deed, subject to the para
mount law Of Christ, aud in this day OF fearful
strife, when 50 many OF our fellow citizens are
brought into suffering, We have no desire to
shrink from the discharge Of all our duty, nor
every means in our power IL there be any
meaning these declarations, they may surely
be considered rs fully acknowledging the right
Of tue Government to call upon Friends to per-
form their share of its burdens in any way that
does rot violate their right Of conscience. We
presume a few OF our members can be found who
nre unwilling to aid in the care of the freed peo
pie, or to a certain extent, in the relief Of the
sick and wounded,
Are we, then, released from these duties by
the lact that VIZ are Xcus,d from military Eer-
vice Or does the uoytrnmeut lelnquisli its
llgh.iul claim upon us for services " lion accord
with our religious principles because it rccogni-
zes our rghts Of conscience oasses us as NON
comhatantH, aud releases ua from bearing arms.
We cannot but regard IL as Il mistaken view Of
tue subject, TO look upon the service aubstituted
Tor arIns-beariug, Us penalty or as n purchase
Of religious liberty.
"0ur early Friends, because Christ forhids
oil swearing, refused to take the oaths Of allie
glnuce and supremacy but they subsOribed the
declaration of fidelity and Christian faith, which
we're substituted for the oaihs by Parliament
They did not regard this substitution as viola.
ton Of the rights of conscience, as pure hAse
Of exemption from oeih-tAkingi but says Sewel,
'hy this we now see the religion Of the Quakers
acknowledged and tolerated by an act Of Parlia-
ment.'
"Again, when in 1896, confirmed, altered and
extended in l7l6, grant was obtained of an
affirmation instead of an oath, in courts Of JUS
ucc and other places, although some Friends
hesitated to adopt it, yet the Society, as body,
GRATEFULLY received it. aud in the London Epis-
Tie Of lIlG thus expressed their gratitude. The
Lord our God, who forthe sake of his heritage,
hulh often heretofore rebuked aud limited the
'eeing waves Of the sea, hath, blessed be his
name, mercifuly dispersed the cloud threaten
lug storm, which lately seemed to hang over
u.s. which, together with the favor of God hath
given us in tho eyes Of the King and the Gov
crnment, for the free enjoyment of our religious
sud civil liberties, call for true thankfulness TO
Him, And to humby pray to Almighty God
for the King aud those 10 authority, for his and
their safety and defense, is certainly our
Christian duty, as well as to walk inoifensively
ss grateful people,
"ls not similar expression Of gratitude now
due from the Society OF Frienda in this country
to the Great Disposer of events and of CRATE.
idl acknowledgment for the kindness and favor
sAown hy tho President, Secretary of War and
Congress, in granting them religious liberty anl
immunity from suffering in the midst Of great
Wal,'