The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-03-31
THE DRAFT.
Important Decisions Concerning
Exemption Associations. |.
CIRouLAR FROM COZ. AvER1LL.

The following is a copy of q letter ad.
dressed to the Provost Marshal Of each
Congressional District: t4t> 8,
ACTING ASSISTANT P. NJ. GENERALS OFFICE. ,
ST. Paul, Mimi, March 81, 1865.
Capt. O'manzo Alien, Prorost Marshal First
District Minnesota:
CAPTAIN: am in receipt of your communi-
cation of the 18th instant, informing me of the
existence of an Association in Rochester,
formed under authority of Sec. 20, late enroll
ment act, and asking instructions connected
Herewith. g-r -s'..,
In answer have to state that no definite in
structions or explanations have been received
at this office in connection with the law, and
my ideas of its purport are but natural deduc.
tons from its pages. -.' 900
understand you to state in substance as fol.
lows: "That on the 18th instant recruit not
liable to draft, and by his own consent, was
presented for muster by three gentlemen of
Rochester, as an association, and that they ask
to be made exempt from draft" ., r...
Sec. % provides that any person or persons
enrolled in any sub district may, after notice of
draft, and before the same shall have taken
place, cause to be mustered into the service of
the United States, such number of recruits not
subject to draft, as they may deem expedient,
which recruits shall stand to the credit of the
persons thus causing them to be mustered in,
and shall be taken as substitutes for such persons
or so may of them as may be drafted, to the er-
tent of such recruits, and in the order designated
by the principals. at the time such recruits are
thus as aforesaid mustered in" "
A diversity of questions connected with the
above written section, have been asked, which
when discussed involve MANY fine points. My
construction is as follows, and perhaps by an
alyzing the section the numerous interrogato-
ries made by those naturally interested may be
answered.
20 The sentence commencing in the second line
of the section After notice of the draft" &C.,
I construe to mean-after the call made By the
President, and to apply to sub-district, until a
draft shall haze been made for the deficiency of
tie same. .-''
The class of recruits necessary for such asso-
Citations has been indicated in paragraph s,
circular of the 18th inst. from this Office.
The sentence commencing in fifth line,
(which recruits shall stand to the credit of, ~
&C., means that these recruits are substitutes
virtually, for exactly the number of men fur
nished by the association and no more that if
these men cause to be mustered one recruit,
he stands to their credit, (and also credit of
sub-district), until draft may be made. This
recruit then becomes virtually substitute for
the person in said association who may be
drafted, and who will be exempt during the
period of service for which said recruit is mus
tered. If but one out of this association be
drafted, the balance will of course be exempt
under the present call. But if too or three
should be reached by the draft, either in first
or subsequent drawings, the full number will
be required either by the individuals them
selves reporting in person or by substitutes.
Should more than one be drawn in q case
as above illustrated, the question as to sohich
of the drafted men should be exempt, will be
decided by the order designated by the three
principals at the time of mastering in the re
cruit. W lf... ~.
If it should BE decided to commence at the
bottom of the list, the first drafted man reached
by counting from the bottom would be ex-
cused, and his name stricken from the roll. II
from the top of the list, as drawn, the other
man drafted would be the exempted one.
If one man only should cause recruit TO be
mustered into the service before draft for the
purpose OF obtaining exemption, my opinion is
that he should receive exemption papers whes-
euer he may be drafted, in the same manner aa
if he should furnish substitute, and said ex.
emption will be for the term of service for
which such recruit was mustered in
These recruits, like all others, will be mus
tered into such organizations as they may
choose, and be entitled to all bounties, and pri-
vileges offered by the Government.
Veterans can if they desire elect to serve in
Hancock's Corps" and receive oil extra boun-
ties that are paid to volunteers for that organi-
zati0n. The muster-in-rolls should show under
head of Remarks" that the recruit entered
service under provisions of Section %, act of
March Sd, 1866. ...... ~. 49, 80,
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
(Signed) JOHN T. AVERILL,
Col. and A. A. P. M. g.
Funeral Of Cardinal Wiseman.
Full accounts of the obsequies of Cardi-