Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-12-06
MESSAGE FROM GOV. BROWN.

MESSAGE FROM GOV. BROWN.
GOV. BROWNS UNDRLvERED MESSAGE To- THE
GEORGIA LEGISLATURE.
The following message was prepared by
G w. Brown to be sent to the General AS
selnbly. but while it was being copied for
the two Houses, they adjourned on account
of the near approach of the enemy, before
the message was received by them. As
Congress probably now has the question
before them, and as it is, in the opinion Of
the Governor. important that the people
aad the presses of the country should
speak out boldly to their representatives
before the fatal step is taken by them, he
has directed the publication Of the mes
sage with view to call special attention
to the subject.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
a Milledgeville, Ga. Nov.1S, 1864.
To the General assembly:
feel it my duty to call your special at
tention to that part of the message of the
President of the Confederate States, which
relates to exemptions from CONSUMPTION.
The President declares that " no pursuit
nor position, should lelieve, any one who
is able to do active duty, from enrolment
in the army unless his functions Or services
are more useful to the defence of his cOun-
try in another sphere" But he says, sit
is manifest that this can not be the case
with entire classes" He then enumerates
several classes, such as telegraph operators,
professors, teachers, editors, mlllers, shoe
makers, tanners, blacksmiths, physicians,
&c, who should not be exempt as classes,
and adds, " and the numerous other class
es mentioned in the laws" who he says,
IS can not in the nature of things, be either
necessary in their several professions nor
distributed throughout the country in such
pro portions that only the exact numbers
REQUIRED are found in each locality" Nor
saws he, lean it be every where impOsSi-
Bile to replace those within the conscrist
age, by men older, and less capable of &C
tive field service" He then says, {" A dis
cretion should be vested in the military
authorities, (Which can only mean in him
as the head OF these authorities so that
sufficient number of those essential to the
public service might be detailed to contin-
ne the exercise of their pursuits or profes-
siOns, but the exemption from service of
the entire classes, should be wholly aban
doned."
This is very comprehensive language
If such a law were enacted by Congress,
and acquiesced in by States and people, it
would not onl y give the President absolute
contol over all persons of the classes EMU
merated by him in the message, but of
what he terms the numerous other class
es mentioned in the laws"
Who are these other classes mentioned
in the laws, of whom the President seeks
to get the absolute and unlimited control,
without startling the country by the des-
ignation of them i'll this message? One of
these classes &c mentioned in the laws" is
"the members and officers of the several
State Legislatures" Others classes men,
toned in the laws, are Judges of the State
Courts, Sheriffs, Clerks, Ordinaries, or
Judges of Probates, &c. Another class
mentioned in the laws is, ministers of re-
ligion," authorized to preach according to
the rules oftheir Clutches. The President
denies that these could be more useful as
classes " in another shere," than in the mil
itary field, and "they can not, in the ma
ture of things, be either necessary in
their several professions, nor distributed
throughout the country in such proportion
that only the exact numbers required, are
found in each locality" He therefore de-
mands, that Congress leave it to his " dis
erection to say, who of them shall be de-
tailed to continue in the exercise of their
pursuits or professions with the declaration
in advance, that their exemption as " en-
tire classes should be wholly abandon
ed''
Aside from the Constitutional objections.
what would be the effect of vesting in the
President the absolute power over all class
es ofpeople in these States which he now
demands at the hands of Congress?
No man could cultivate his fields TO pro-
duce corn, wheat or any other of the ne
cessaries of life, or run his factory TO make
clothing, or work in his blacksmith shop.
mill, tannery, carpenters shop, machine
shop, or follow other industrial pr rsuits
: y the consent of, and detail from
the President
no man can then publish newspaper
without the consent of the President, and
= detail for that purpose. This would At
n anS destroy all independence in the press
ana a'; abridge its freedom, which the C6 p
d tr,.En OF the Confederate States expressly
a. Tr Congress shall make mo law'' f.
cav" 0ui'of must have detail from :