New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-06-22
THE EXEMPTION CLAUSE.

clause of the Enrolment act IL Is tne thiru vi
fourth time the question hos been debated
once when the act of March 3, 1863, was passed;
apain when the amended net Of this ses.
son went through the House; and now,
finally, during the past week. No Ole can
have forgotten how vehemently the Demo-
cratic Congressman and newspapers opposed
the clause; it will therefore be remarked with
surprise that the Democrats yesterday
voted solid in favor Of retaining it. a year
ago the exemption was the popular argument
against the Enrolment law; was denounced as
aristocratic; held up TO the angry view ct tho
mob a. rich mans measure, and AZ both IN
tended and calculated TO lift from the shoulders
Of the wealthy the heavy burden OF military
service which was laid on the poor. The riots
IN this city-so far az the draft was the occasion
of them-were stimulated by the incendlary ap-
peals Of Copperhead newspapers, and their out
cries were almost wholly against this feature OF
the law. Will, then, anybody explain why the
party has changed 'front.' War Democrats,
Peace Democrats, and the mongrcl brood who
are neither till after the Chicago Convention,
vote together to keep in the exemption. Is it
because the Administration thought a repeal
necessary to increase the strength Of the armies
and subdue the Rebeloni
But, in our judgment, the clause need have
no such effect as is supposed. We
may well enough admit that, IA here
tofore acted on, 1t has diminished the num-
Der of men produced by the draft. But that
is not the fault Of the law; il is the fault of those
who have executed il. There is no sufficient
reason why the Government should not get
men for the money paid as Communication. Pri-
vate enterprise secures them; public necessity
ought to be equally effective. The Supervisors
Of New-York have filled the successive quotas
of the county by Il system of bounties and Of or
ganized recruiting. If they were aided 10 some e1-
tent by the large bountes " hich the Government
offered, it ia true on the other hand, that the
excess seldom went into the pockets Of the re-
cruits. Now the Government has an extensive
Bureau in operation. an enrolment system, a
complicated machinery, force of paid Of cials,
who ought 10 BIO competent 10 secure substitutes
as we'll a. our County Committee. IL cannot be
said that the authorities have encreotically en-
deavored to turn their msney into men. when
they have done so and failed. they will b. en-
titled TO say that the exemption clause is NJ oh
struction to filling tho armies At present IL Is
all untried experiment
This question has another side. II the money
received for exemptions would not secure sub
sttutes in tho loyal States. it would in the re-
belious, provided Congress and the War De-
partment would agree in passing and enforcing
a law to that end. A bill long since passed the
House enabling the loyal States 10 recruit or
Southern territory-a field waiting TO be reaped.
The measure was understood 20 havc been
swamped in the Senate, on the urgent interpo-
sition Of the Secretary Of War. the quality Of
whose objections We never could discover.
Had it been passed early in the SEES.
sion, our armies would have been stronger
to-day by at least 100000 men, who.
having been enlisted, drilled. and disciplined,
would have been worth three months hence
twice as much ~ the same number Of recruits
which the expected July DRAFT may give us.
The law opened market to the States only,
but it would have enured to the benefit Of the
Government more speedily than if tho military
authorities alone had undertaken the work.
If it is judged best that both should try, then
the Government. will find ample employment
ii all AZ
But not until this measure il enacted and tried
can it be asserted with truth that the Enrolment
act is ineffective by reason Of the exemption
clause.
The debate In the Senate, We remember, took
O sectional turn, Western members urging
against the bill that by surely securing men
from the Southern States at q moderate ex-
pense, il offered IN advantage to the weather.
Eastern States. Possibly it does, but if the
whole country is to be made stronger by the
increase of its armies. the objection Is not patri
otic. 1t Is also short sighted in that it takers
but one draft into view. superintendent re-
,ruiting by the Eastern States would at least
lend TO postpone or dispense with subsequent
calls. At all events, since the exemption clause
s to be retained, and since here il q means of
oil its hindranoe to the supply of
men, the War Department may now See the
wisdom Of withdrawing its objections and al-
owing the bill to go through tho Senate. We
presume it can receive u majority there if it has
he support Of the Military Committee.
d.. o .<~ x.t,,, 49, hn
,mption clause. We find In The Worcester Spy