Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-02-18
The Amsndsd c,sscsiption Bill.

The Amendod C14scr1ptl0n Bill.
The amended crollinsn bill that has
inst passed THE House4 by lie strong vote
Of yras0O, nay s63. contaizs- several fea-
lures that are decided improvements on
the present eeopscripiipp act We may
FlRsT.-The consolidation Of both
classes Of enrolled mifitia.- Drafts kereaf
ter will be made from 1.-The arp,s.bearing
population between 20 and As years Of
age. This will remove one cause of bitter
complaint agsinstrtheiay asrit stands.
SEcoND.-The objections OF the Qua
kers, Dunkards, and other small ,sects, to
bearing arms. are met in a way at once
just and equitc BILE. They certainly owe
the Government allegiance and support.
and if they, have conscientious scruplcs
against bearing arms and fighting, their
services are utilized while their anti & yht
ing seruples are respected. We republish
the language of the bill: -, 3 s..i, - ~
Members of religious denominations
who shall. by oath or affirmation. declare
that they are conscientiousiy opposed to
the bearing OF arms, and who are .prohib-
tied from doing so by the rules and arti-
Giles of faith anil practice of such religious
denominations, shall, when, drafted into
military service, be considered noa-coRs-
Jatants. and shall be assigned by the Sec
rotary of War to duty an the hospitals or
to tie care gJreeomeR. or shall pay the
sum OF $500 to such person as the Secre-
tary Of War shall designate to receive, it.
to be applied to the benefit Of sick and
wouxded soldiers. Provided: That no
person shall be entitled to the benefit of
the provisions Of this section, unless his
declaration OF conscientious, scrulles
against. bearing arms shall be supported
iby satisfactory evidence that his. .deport-
ment has been uniformly consistent with
such declaration s-sa. .-si media red
They can't object on religious grounds
to taking care ofthe sick soliiets or the
/ helpless contrabands. and .if they don t
like that kind Unemployment they are at
liberty to pay $500 Communication, which
money shall be expended for the benefit OF
sick and wounded soldiers i4di sisa9
THIRD. The bill provides for the enroll
mcnt of all men Of African descent, wheth-
er bend or free, between the ages of ~
and 45 years, and makes them liable to
be drafted exactly the same as white men,
and allows them to volunteer the same as
white men. They are made part of the
National force, and will be obliged hereaf-
ter to fight for the United States the same
as other men. The bill provides that il
the slave Of loyal man shall be drafted
and mustered in, the bounty of 500 now
payable by law to conscripts, shall be paid
to the owner on condition that he frees the
drafted slave. a fair compensation is al
so awarded to loyal owners of slaves who
may volunteer. payable out of commuta-
tion money. This feature of the bill APP
plies to Kentucky as well as to other
slave States. 1t viii be observed that no
money is to be paid to disloyal claimants.
/ which is perfectly right. Traitors and
rebels have Justly forfeited all claims for
compensation. .s.q ~
Thus Congress at last has reached the
solid ground that black men, whether
slave or free, are subjects OF the United
States Government, and owe it allegiance,
tina same as white mon. They are not al
lens. but native. born Americans, and mo
matter what may be their domestic rela-
tions. the Federal Governments has lien
on their. services paramount to that Of any
private individual. 1t has exactly the
same Constitutional right, to conscript
black men that it has white men; and black
men have the same constitutional right to
volunteer. to fight for their couatry and
Goyernment that whites have. The obli-
cation and privilege are precisely the same
towards men of African. as towards men
of European descent. The enactment of
this bill by Congress, adds one million OF
aLle-b bodied men to the militia force of the
United States. Itadds class of men,
too. who are true and loyal to the core to
the Union, and who can be depended on
hereafter to the last man in defence Of the
Government and free Institutions. against
whomsoever may assail them, whether the
enemy te domestic traitors or foreign foes.
Z