The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-08-03
The Consumption Act.
CONCISE STATEMENT OF THE LAW Ant
F, -. THE REGULATIONS UNDER IT..

| Our enrolment or conscription laws
now consist of three separate acts, dating
respectively March 3,aT863, February "a;
1854, and July 4, 1864. In order. there
fore, to get at the present state of the
laws on the subject of enrolment, draft
ing and substitutes, these acts must be
taken and read together For the advan-
tage of the public, who are all interested
in the present call for Eve hundred thou
sand volunteers, and in the draft which
will certainly follow on the 5th of Sep
tembcr next. wherever the quota Is not
filed up, we have prepared concise
statement OF the Law as 1T how stands
The natioual forces consists of all able
bodied citizens of the United States and
Of all persons of foreign birth who have
legally declared their intention to become
citizens, between the ages of twenty ard
forty-iye years of age. These terms now
include colorsd men, and aliens, who, al
though aot naturalized, may have Io.ed
or held office. as it frequently happens in
the new States of the West All of the
forces are liable to military duty upon
call of the President at any time Within
the period OF two years from the first day
of Jul y Succeeding the euroiluent BY
Instructions from the Provost Marshal
General at Washington, under the provi-
sions of the act of February, 1854, the
district provost marshais have been au-
thOrized TO add TO the rolls tie names y {
all those whs have arrived at tho ago of
twenty years between this time of. the en-
iollment and draft, and likewise to erase
the names OF those who shall have attain
ed the age Of forty five besore he wheel
is set in motion. They are likewise to
add the names os all those exempted un-
dor the act of March Sd. 1863. and all
persons who have been discharged, from
the army or navy unless they have ser, ed
ut least Two years. Il 4sr ss i9s-
The exempts are reduced to the follow
ing: Such persons as sErs physically or
mentally unfit for the service; all persons
actually in the military or naval setyice
of. the United States at the time of the
draft, and all persous who have served in
the military or naval service two years
during the present war, and heen honor
ably discharged. These are the only per-
sons excerpt by law. The phrase which
exempts "ali persons actual in the mil
itafy vr naval service of the United States
at the time of the draft, /" stands in the
sct of Fsbrsary "a, 1864, without quali-
Esation We believe however, it is held
to exclude the ''ons htndred days men, I
aud emergency men, though apou
What authority We are not able to say. In
the case OF the 'hundred days men from
Okio, the exclusion from exemption under
the law was upon direct agreement be-
tween the War Department and the exec
utive of that State. How it will operate
where there is no such OK press agreement,
is an open question, we believe. -.g
Cuuimut..tlon uuhcy, n lieu vi substi /
tries, il no longer permitted, except in
caso of members of religious denomina- |!
tions who are prohibited from hearing
arms BY tbs rules aud articles OF iuilh of
spc.l denomination These may be as
signed to hospital duty or the care OF eou-
or may pay III each case the su y,
Of three hundred dollars for the care Of
sick aud wounded soldiers.
Substitutes may be procured by per
sons enrolled, before the draft, or by
drafted men alter The drift. lu Tie ca.s
Of an enrolled man who furnishes a sub |
stifdte before the draft, the substitute |
mtsst be nne who is not liable to enroll |
ment That is, the substitute must be |
an alien. or he Ihust have served at least
two years in the army or navy during this
war, and been ,honorably discharged; OF
he must be an inhabitant of Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
4 hsma. Mississippi or Texas; or he |
must be person NOW in the military or
naval service Of the United States, who
hts served more than ore year, and whose
term of unexpired service at the time of
. substitution shall not exceed six months; |
or he must be person over forty five or
uuder twonly (if the War Department.
will accept such.) An accepted non lila
bic Substitute from any OF the foregoing
classes will exsmpt his principal for che
whole term for which his substitute is aer
cepted, La the case of substitute efTer-
ca uJier tie draft for drafted man, the
subs itute may be selected from those " 10
arr tm6te te dF1ft, as well as from those
who are NOT hssle, but when the su bsti4
tute Is liable, the nane OF The, principal
is again entered on the rolls to be subject
to f3fure calls, but not until the present
enrolment is echuustco - a3N ff7a 81
Drafting only takes place in case the
re1uisuiohsofs the President is nvt filled
within fifty days after the acalh is made,
The term, o. servieedor drafted men is one
year. q All volnnteers and substitutes
down; to the. day Of. the. draft are to, be
credited on the quota, and to, be deducted
from the number /, to, be drafted. The
number of names to. be drawn from the
wheel,isato' beiequal to the deficiency of
the particular ward or district. With one
hundfed per ceht added. Drafted men,
volunteers and sibstit,te esareto be placed
in the military osgunizationss from their
own States, and, sas far as practiea bles they
are to have, their choice. Able seamen
who. are drafted are to havs the privileges
of enlisnng for, tbs same period in the
navy And all =. epiistmetts heretofore
made iii tie army or marine corps are to
be enrolled in the wards, districts. &C.,
where they belonged at the time of the
eflistula,,t AND are HI ba era d{ted- ct,. the