Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-03-04
An Extension OF The CONSUMPTION LaW-De-
bate In the Assembly, Tuesday, heb. 2lsl.

An Extension OF the touctitPhV.
bate In the Assembly, Tuesday, fee. <isl'
TheymemoriaI 80 Congress tor en- act max,
in, all able-bodied men betWeen the ages oil
rs and so liable to draft, was taken up, the
question being on concurriDg in the recon-
meudation of the Committee of the Whole,
that the bill be indefinitely postponed
Mr.JONES opposed the indefinite postpone
menr. explaining that the object Of the me-
rn0risI was to interest class of men IN NIL
ing the duots of the State who had hitherto
been Indifferent or actively. hostile in oDpos-
ing the raising of money for soldiers boun-
ties. The bare Introduction of the memorl-
II had, as he knew from personal observation,
done more than any one thing else to hasten
recruiting in this State. It was fact that
more men died some years than others and
that more men were born some years than
others. Now he did not hesitate to declare,
from what he had heard in regard to mems
ages in this State, that, during the whole
cycle Of time, there never had been period
when SO many male. children were born as
about the wear 1919. (Laughter.) lt was
perfectIy marvellous how MANY men there
we're about forty.six and forty seven years of
are The principle of this memorial ought
10 prevail both as matter. Of justice and a
matter of policy. il a man was lit for the
military service there was no reason why he
should be exempted, The policy was obvi-
Ous The testimony of the war department
was that IL took as many or more men TO
guard conscripfs than il did to guard rebel
prisoners. It was clear then thstTOlunteers
were much more useful than cOnscriptsla At
first men went 70 the war from enthusiasm
sand7excitemeIit That time had passed
Now ike the iackass in the sfn'y' sh@y S"'y
went7wren q tnrnip was Places eetSe tiehi
- of no hind
Mr-,PEASE could not pndeFstaUd the
Iogie of the gentleman. No doubt the pas
SAFE of the law asked for in the memorial
would promote the Ievying of taxes. Ii the
war continued it would be necessary. TO raise
more men. II We were 10 depend on raising
money to pay bOuRties TO I'LL our quotas,
where would we find the men! How long
could this system be maintained and our ar
mics kept filled He did not oppose this
memorial because he WAC out of the reach OF
tie CONSUMPTION, but on principle. de would
not ak coIgress-to pass a4aw, he would not
vote for himself. As a member OF congress,
h. would not vote for such an innovation up
on All past usage. Ii was as necessary that
some men should remain a home as that some
should 20 into the army. otherwise the army
could not be supplied. Men above tue age of
torty-6ye, were not well qualified for service
able soldiers, but they could do tie work at
home. In his opinion there was at pres
eut any lack of men of proper sge in WiscOn-
sIH; when there was not, it would in his Opin-
ia. be time to abandon further prosecution
81 the war. .hA ~ ~
Mr. DELANEY moved to amend By furth-
er asking congress to repeal sec. 4, of the
CONSUMPTION act, authorizing the reception
Of sub ltutes-lOst.
Mr. RYAN Thought the memorial ought ia
pass Il was a curious kind of patriotism
taat limited man down to forty five years.
Some OF the best soldiers he had ever seen
we're above forty7tiEe. In 1860 he took the
census of his county. Since then he knew
m.u had grown suddenly old. More perjury
had been committed in tits country during
tie past feur years than in all its previous
history. He wanted to get at these men who
we're misrepresenting their age. There were
more men in the northern part of this State
about 40 wears of age than all the rest of the
male population. Many of them were loyal
men IoO-very loyal. He couldn't under
stand how the gentleman from Marquette
MIR Pease) could oppose this bill. He thinks
the war viii last yet tor many years, does he
nOtS
Mr. PFASE nodded assent
Mr. RYAN Very we'll We shall then be
fore long exhaust our CONSUMPTION list. He
could not understand how loyal men could
skulk behind their age when they were able
10 10 military duty. Their loyalty was like
that of the member of the church, who boast
ed he bad been a member of the church thr-
n years and il hadn't cost him twenty-five
cents AT one time he thought large num-
Der of men had run away trdm his county 10
avoid the draft. He had become satisfied
that most who had left went 20 other counties
TO enter the service. They were mostly poor
men with little farms OF from five TO forty
acres and with eight OF ten young children,
as that class of men generally had.
Mr. REED wished 60 ask question, The
gentleman mad said there was class of mt n
who mad grown old very rapidly. He wished
to know IL the time was extended 60 nifty
years. whether these men would not become
fity as suddenly as they became fOrty-six
1t il was true that men misrepTesented their
ages, as stated, in outagsmie. it was not true
that they did IN his part of the State. But
there were higher reasons against this bill
than any cons Iteration like this. The fact
was We were raising more men iH this State
now than the authorities can take care Of
The men were coming in so rapidly q a. some
OF them had been obliged to sleep without
straw and without blankets. The means of
'tra6sp0f ratimswere noI sufficient to bring in
supplies rapidly enough. Was this a time
for US to announce TO the South that we are
reaching the point OF exhaustion, and must
resort to robbi1g the cradle aud the grave TO
carry on the war s-There might be some
Justice 10 the arguments of the gentleman
from Dodge, but they were utteIl IL OverbOrne
by the superior considerations of the moral
effect which the passage of this measure
would have upon the South. He hoped 1t
would be edniteiy postponed. 20 e
Mr.. FULTON hoped the memorial world
!. pass. and IN reply TO the inquiry whether
those men who had snddenly became forty
SIX, would 1t as suddenly become fifty, said
the aifidavits of those men, respecting their
aye, were on file in the Provost Marshal's Of
fcg. In his opinion, it would be found that
most of these men who had perpetrated per-
jury TO avoid the draft, were those who stig
matIzed the wal as an abolition war. In his
opinion, this measure would not encourage
the South, but would giye'them additional as
surance that we were determined 10 put down
the rebellion at all odds. While he hoped
this would be the last can for men, he feared
il would not, and If more calls were made,
where would We get men frOmy There would
be but about 35,Ou0 men lett, after this call,
subject 70 draft. Would il not be humiliating
TO confess that a great State like this was
drained of able-bodied men? The enroll
meuJ lists were not correct. 1t was not true
We we're so nearly drained OF men as they
represent. The lists we're reduced by perjury
and fraud. He did not believe the passage
Of the measure would cause men to vote for
bOunties. Men subject TO draft in his district
opposed bOuhties. Ii was humiliating con-
81 80