The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-09-20
The Abuse Of the Detail System.
LY:;cHBURG, Va, September IL,


To The Editor " The Richmond Dispatch
am very glad to see III y0u issues OF the 9th and
10Th insants that pubic attention Is called to the
amentabe fact that there such vast numbers VI
detailed men i'll our midst l fully agree with You,
Mr.. Editor, in your welwIltten article that II Is
burning shame to country that there
many strong, able-bodied men skulking at home
under the various and petty pretexts by which they
have obtained exemption from military duty by the
enrolling officers b. tar the larger proportion of
these men are styled Detailed Farmers" " most
praiscWorthy and patriotic set II men. But, Mr..
Editor III many eases their farms 80 unproduc-
tive, and their labor inadequate, that teir ex-
eMpti0n tax has often 10 be purchased for the 30
yernmtnt. III other cases. exemptions are sXtend-
ed to men calling thenlselves Government employ
ees i'll departments where, ostensiblv, Government
work done but often, -r the sign VI GoveIn;lent
fOundries and shops VI similar character, are made
the profitable and renIuneTatIve sorghum ma
chimes, sorghum boilers, and other articles, no less
usetu! and needed in our country, but entirely cut
Of the line ot Government WORK. tor which these men
were detailed There are other exenpts, and large
number too, who ale TO be found i'll the mail eon-
tract department, where the real contractor eE
joys the luxury OF exemption, but employ men,
VITO actually pay Tor the privilege 70 carry
out their contracts, whilst the contractors
themselves roam the country III their speculative
schemes. There are other men, too, detailed, ,.'-
Tabie d4t, for the gigantic and scientific purpose
OF cutting hoop-poles for Government use! Surely
negroes ire becoming useless appendaSes our
farms when need white labor for siich purposes.
L agree with you, Mr. Editor, that our Bureau Of
CONSUMPTION is perfectly efficient and prompt But
that the blame of alf this exemption rests some
where, there can be no doubt We need, Mr.. Edi-
tor,-greatly need-men who are above being intu-
saced in the resoute discharge Of their duties to the
Government Let US have impartial III the
execution CT the laws, aud not men cringing 10 the
rich and influential. Ny sphere Of observation is
limited, being I'D and intirmi but IN little tour
of observation from Richmond, along TIE ike Of the
caral, to LynchbuIe, recently made, Wcnder-
fully struck with the numbers OF strcpg, healthy
looking men at every depot along the line and
more than surprised 10 find they wele ali de-
tailed men carrying on the tobacco bus-
hess Oh d large scale, could from the estab
Ishmonts looming Up the banks OF the canal II
these men, aud suppose they form but sample OF
the status of things other SctiOps ot state,
and of other States, too could be at anl made
available i'll the service, they might, il not able to
plant our Southern the spiee uf Philadol-
phia before the ides Of November" surely they
might do much, very much, 10 cripple the enemy
now around our beloved city before the period an
rives when hated toe, largely reinforced, Will
make u desperate effort 10 accomplish something
that may tell i'll the approaching presidential elee-
tion. am i'll hopes this important subject may be
kept very prominent before the people by abler pens
than mine, Mr. Editor, till the meeting Of cur Le-
gslature, when hope 1t may receive the attention
its importance to our country demands. SENEs.