Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1865-03-29

garded as belonging to class exemptions, because,
under the act of June Z, 1864, the exemption OF
these persons is subject to the control of the Sec
rotary of War. The exemption of agTiculturists
overseers between the ages of eighteen and forty
five; has been repealed at the present session.
Tanners shoemakers, mlers, blacksmiths, tele.
graph operators, and workmen in mines, enumera-
ted by the President as among the classes exemp-
ted, are not now, and have not been since the pas
sage of the act of 18th of February, 1864 exenap-
ted as class. If railroad officers and employees,
and State officers who not constitutionally sub
ject to CONSUMPTION, be excluded, the classes now
exempted east of the Mississippi river embrace
about nine thousand men-one third of whom are
physicians and nearly one third are ministers OF
the Gospel; the remaining third is principally
composed Of Teachers professors Printers and EN-"
ployees IN newspaper offices, and apOthecaries. -.
In remarkable contras. to the number of persons
relieved from military service by the exemptions
above mentioned, the report of the Conscript Blu.
exhibits the fact that east Of the Mississippi
river, twenty two thousand and thirty five men
have been detailed by Executive authority. In con-
sequence of this abuse of the power Of detail, Con-
gross, its presentsession, passed All act revokng
all details AL limiting the exercise Of that power in
the future. The third section of this act exempt.
ing skilled artisans and mechanics from all military
service, which is excepted to by the President
and which has SINCE been repealed, was originally
adopted in consequence of suggestions contained in
the report of the Secretary of.War In abiding to
the embarrassments encountered by the administra-
tive bureaus, the Secretary says:
In addition, they have been constrained, w the
stringent legislation of Congress- to relinquish their
most active and experienced agents and employees,
and substitute them from more infirm and aged
classes"
Again:
"Intererences of this kind are inevitably 50 pre-,
judicial and disturbing that it is hoped well devils
ed and permanent system of providing and retain
ing in continuous employment sufficient number
of artisans, experts and aborers, for all essential
operations, may be devised and established"
The truth is, that the bill originally introduced
into the Senate exempting skilled artisans and me-
chancs was actually prepared In one ofthe bureaus
of the War department. Congress, therefore, had
reason to suppose tina: it would meet the sanction
of the Executive
To conscribe the ministers of religion, and require
them to obtain details to preach the Gospel would
shock the religious sentiment of the country and
in1ct greater injury on our cause than can be
described. The CONSUMPTION Of editors and of prin-
tiers necessary to the publication of newspapers
would destroy the independence of the press, and
subject it TO the control Of the Executive Depart
ment of the government. The railroad officers and
employees, are as necessary to the prosecution OF
the war as soldiers in the field. Physicians and
pie, and complaint has reached Congress of abu.
ses in this class Of exemptions. If the education of
youth be regarded as CONDUCIVE to the maintenance
of society and the preservation of liberty it is not
perceived that the exemption of professors OF col
eges and teachers OF schools can be justly censureu
The Senate passed bill containing section re-
pealing the exemption allowed to mail contractors
and drivers Of post-coaches; but, at subsequent
stage of proceedings and on the recommendation OF
a-committee of conference, based on the urgent re-
monstrances of the Postmast-General, the section
alluded to was stricken out.
The subject of class exemptions was called to the
attention Of Congress by the Executive message Of
November last 1t was carefully considered, and
an act was passed expressive of the views of the
Legislative Department of the government The
message under consideration recurs to the same
subject 1t is to be regretted that the views of the
Legislative Department of the government have not
met the favor of the Executive, and that be should
deem it both necessary and proper to express dis
satisfaction with the matured opinion Of Congress.
1t is true that Congress has failed to respond to
the recommendation of the President, to enact a
general militia law. The subject was considered,
and the failure to act was the result of elaboration
The CONSUMPTION laws enacted by Congress have
placed in the military service Of the country all it's
able bodied citizens between the ages of seventeen
and fifty. The whole military material of the coun-
try, so far legislation concerned, is absorbed
by the conscription acts. There is none left on
which militia law can operate except thee1empt-
ed classes, and the boys under seventeen, and the
men over fifty years of age: 1t was deemed expe.
dent to ALLOW this material to remain subject the
control of the State authorities for the purposes Of
local police to aid IN the arrest of deserters and to
enforce the administration of State laws.
1t is also true that the President has recommend
ed the passage of law suspending the privilege Of
the writ of ha6eas corpus. This recommendation
was the subject Of special message, in secret ses-
sion. 1t occupied the attention Of Congress for
four or five weeks. After mature dsliberaton, the
measure was laid aside as unimportant and inexpe-
dent. Spies can be arrested and tried summarily
without suspending the writ of habsas corpus
Conspiracies, tending in any manner to the injury
Of our cause, were provided for by 4 special act,
passed at the present session. to define and pun.
ish conspiracy against the Confederate States"-
The States of North. Carolina Georgia and Mississ.
ippi, had expressed, through their Legislatures
great repugnance to the past legislation of Congress
suspending the writ, and large portion OF the peo-
pie throughout the country arrayed against the
policy of that legislation 1t was deemed wise and
prudent to conclliate opposition at time when dis
sensons are ruinous; and as the benefits to be de
rived from the suspension Of the writ were conjec-
tura, the deliberate judgment of Congress was ex-
pressed by its silence on-the subject 1t is to be
regretted that the Executive does not concur in
these views, and again calls on Congress to revise
its action and to suspend the writ of habsas corpus
as measure "almost indispensable to the success
full conduct of the war; If the facts stated in the
Confidential Message, alluded to by the President
be the basis of the opinion that the suspension of
writ is indispensable to the conduct Of the war,
the Congress does not concur in that opinion
The writ has not been suspended since August
last 1t is not perceived that the military
of the country since that period oceAsoned by
absence of the legislation asked for
In regard to impressnaento, Congress at the pre-.
sent session, has passed bill declaring that the
terms lust compensation" as used in the Consti.
tuition, entitle the owner whose property is i'm
pressed to tho market value thereof at the time
and place of mpressment This legislation was
considered necessary, in consequence of judicial
decisions in some Of the States and because of the
difficulty of procuring supplies on any other terms
Indeed, it was supposed that the Executive had
reached the same conclusion as the Commissary
General On the 2()th Decemher 1874 had adyer