Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1865-01-05
COhsCRlPTIuN FRANCE,

From an interesting article il the lem pie Bar Ma
gazne we copy the following:
In France, when a lad arrives at the age of tweut
one he is liable to be drafted into he army To the
poor, fate is nexorabie to the wealthy she affords
loop hole chance of escape in the shape of substi
tute Within four and twenty hours of it's birth, every
infant is carried by its nurse and its father TO some
other relation 20 the Marie, and there its name and
duly entered IDtO vast volume ia the Regis
try Office II it be boy it is followed about by the
police all over the country. Jeannots parents caonot
move from place to another without giving notice
to the commlssaire OF bis migration and when, alter
years OF this civic prosecution. he enters and finds him
self invited by the Ministry OF War to present himself
at military bureau.
Too well he knows the meaning OF that ominous in.
vitatiOn, and with beating heart and heavy step obcys
the summons be knows that it must come ; his
mother knows that it must come Jeannot knows that
it must come and the less sorrowul be goes and
they accomf any him to the bureau and the less
fearful they behCc him descending the steps, with the
gay coiors pinned to his cap 10 mOcery Of his misJr
For misfortune it is regarded
Few, very few Frenchmen, however vaiantly they
fight the field however loudly they afterwards taIE
OF the glory of arms, rejoice when they first draw the
evil script which tears them from their future career
run a willothe-wisp chase after the predetermined
marshas baton which every French solder is told he
carries in his knapsack.
II anything could reconcile him to this lot or soften
the horrors OF this forcibe abstraction from his family
it would be the idea of promOtiOn-of comparatively
easy promotion, which characerizas the Fren ID army
bu1 this fails to cheer, to compensate him foE
the serious check which his prospect in life has received
cloud has descended upon bis hopes upon the deli
cate little project of love ard matrmony he has formed
and at twenty he is compelled TO resign himself TO
a barleD if not vicious course Of life he Geests aban-
doning designs he had probably cherished from his
youth.
Such is the social phase of CONSUMPTION. Yet
100 600 youths ore thus annually torn from Their
homes; by an iDperial decree of 1857 the number
fixed at this figure. Previously it was left at the
discretion or caprice Of the minister, who raised
it. Substitution, however, is allowed in the French
army. Up to the year 1859 private agencies existed
whtre substitute could be procured for stipulated
sum since then, however, these agencies have been
abolished, and the government has entirely mJnop0.
Lied the business with the view of creating donation
fund, Wherewth to encourage reenlistment when the
original term of service has expired. The price Of
substitute ia fixed annually, and varies considerably
yet IL ia at any time larg. sum for youth, OF
the middle classes to pay. 10 1855 the Clip;
1857, 972 and in 1862, G92.
10 show how poorly voluntary enlistment succeeds in
France and how the true campaigning spirit is de-
Ginning we may record the tact that whereas 10 1853
5000 presented themselves the recruiting sergeant
not more than 2,l92 displayed their martial z.al in
1862; 30 little pugnacious is your real Frenchmsn L
lett to himself No army in the world offers greater
prizes and it would not be fair the military system
OF France Lot to state that rapid advancement is open
to every soldier, and that with superior educa-
tlon ever remains long 10 ranks.