Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-03-24
TEnMs os ADvnnasssassl
steady xoyv--Kentucky.

| ne NuuHTerb VI Jus " plt9Q Sthte9 pHsSc0
passed alaw providing for the enrollment OF
all persons bstween the ages Of 20 and As;
and these, unless exempt on aceount OF
alienage, physical disability, or ether causes
specified, are liable TO military duty, and
subject to be drafted to make up tho def
cheney that may exist under any call for
troops issued blythe President. This act
was signed by the President, is now the law
Of the land; and to it every citizen owes
obedience. To resist it is to resist the law
ful authority of the Government. To set
up State law as superior to this, is nullif-
cation. -4sE,.,
The authority Of tho Government, under
the Constitution, to designate the classes OF
citizens liable to military duty. in the North
ern States, has not been questioned; neither
has the authority to designate the mode by
which this service shall bo made available
been questioned. Hence an eurollmsnt has
been made OF all porssns, between the ages
OF eighteen and forty Eve, not legally ex-
empt from service, without regard TO color.
This 10 the lay as it applies to the North
ern States It's right; tits acceptable TO
the people. We recog1c no rights iD the
! Government to strike ooleredImen from the
rolls at the expense Of white men; therefore,
! the law which recognizes no distinction on
account OF color is just. At least, IL there is
any ground for complaint it is not with tho
white man, but with the negro; for the lat
! ter might raise ths objection on account oe
denial to him of the full right of oitiEsnship.
/ But az VIC have said, the Law is sequiesesd
| in by the people ofths free States. CIV
In Kentucky, however, objsotion is made,
| the Law enrolling negroes is claimed to be
a violation ofths laws Of Kentucky; aud,
| therefore, it eaunot be, ought not and shall
not be executed in the State. Is the law Of
Kentucky higher than the lsE Of the Uli4
| ted States? Or is q laE deemed good enough
for Ohio not good enough for Kentucky
But negross in Kentucky are slarss-prop-
erty-while in OHIO they arc not property.
but persons. That's tho trouble, aud it is
the only trouble. The slaye.owners do nos
wish to lose their propertyi henoe they get
up their protecting State Law as higher than
the uniform law ct Congress. This is null
lication. 1t is also unjust. We will first
| made upon Kentucky for troops. If the
negroes arc excluded from tho rolls, their
places must bs filled by white men. There
is widow woman with two sons. She owns
no slaves. There is her neighbor with Q
large plantation and fifty slayes. Twenty
Of these are males, between the ages of
twenty and fcr:y-fye. These slaves are not
enrolled. The widows sons are enrolled.
The draft is made, and enc of the latter is
taken. The rich eishbor, with his twenty
slaves ssaapez Isthis just to the widoW2--
Would it be just to the slave owners Of
the State? Certainly.not; unless it can bs
shown that il would be just and constitutions
al for Consrass to pass q law exempting the
sons and property Of certain classes from the
burtben growing out Of the war. But, says,
the STAKEHOLDER, my slaves are worth 81 900
each. Grant it: but what is the son fthat
widow worth2- Ask that weeping woman az
her son is drawn to I'll the place of your
$1,000 slave. Who shall put a higher es-
tiinste upon the Save than upon the poor
white man! Besides, ifthe STAKEHOLDER does
not choose to part with his negro, hs can
pay the exemption money OF three hundred
dollars, and retain him. This the poor
white man, if be is drafted, cannot do. No.,
there is no justice in the position-nons
whatever. The claim of the stakeholder is
prspostcrous-iust as much so as it would
be fer the rich men Of Ohio to claim exemp-
ton for their sons on the ground of wealth.
1t is simply question Of class, that even .
despotic government, and much lessa a repsb-
lican government, could not recognize. So
much for the justice of the cass. .rt
And now, as regards the principle. Ths
proposition to resist the enrolling and draft
ing of negroes 10 Kentucky, under the laws
of Congress, is notification. Grant this
Kentucky claim, and all that the rebels are
fighting for is granted. Therefore this claim,
can no more be conceded than the right Of
secession. Ifthe authorities of Kentucky
believe the law to be unconstitutional it is
! their right to proceed to test the question:;
but until the law is set aside By the courts,
it is binding, and cannot be resisted without
| involving those who rebel against it in the
crime of treason.
! The duty of the national authorities in
the case is plain. 1t is the duty ofthe Pres
! ident to execute the law at all hazards. The
Law is plain. He cannot make exceptions in
favor of Kentucky any more than he can
make exceptions in favor of Ohio. II he
yielded to the threats of any State, in view
of the plainness Of the enactments. he would
bring the Government into contemplate
stroy its moral power, and render himself IL
able to impeachment. We need not, TO ar
rive at this conclusion. discuss the msritsof
the act. 1t ID law, and must 90 remain
until repealed or declared by compstent
tribuaal to be unconstitutional 1t cannot
bs overcome in any other way. except by
usurpation or rebelloa. .e'a. i.s,ia... y
| Wesnesrsly hope the Governor of kehr
| tueky will act prudently in the matter, sth7
erwise there must be collision between fhs
State and the National authorities This
would be deplorable; but not near so depler-
able as yielding to the heresy of State ri hts
and nulli6cation. Better fight than yield;
and it will be observed by the remarks Of
our kentucky contributor-himself slave
holder, and one of the wisest and best citi.
zeus of the State-thst the Union men arc
prepared to settle this question now. If it.
is to be settled by force, the present is re-
garded rs good a time as any TO dispose Of
the matter. But We hope irwin not come,
| to this The issue, however, is in the hands
of the Governor OF the State. 1t is for the,
President to kscp steady hand. and If
worst comes TO worst, enforce the law at all
hazards.-fCin. Gsr., 18th. '-' % ,'i''s'.'