Year: 1863

OaliS toll lOT SusttHduSe, auu u cOlnpel
State judges, justices of the peace, clcr-
gymen and college professors to fight,
procure substitutes, or pay for substi


tutes? This law which thus discrimi-
Gates in favor of the poor is denounced
and accurscd by Mozart Hall. Shame
on Mozart Hail! Shame on the men who
misrepresent the benefcent provisions of
an act passed to uphold the cause of our
imperiled country.


The 18th section Of this Conscription
act provides that any person drafted and
notified to appear as aforesaid may, on or
belnre the day fixed for his appearance,
furnish an acceptable substitute to take
his place in the draft; or he may pay to
such person as the Secretary of War may
authorize to receive it, such sum, not
exceeding three hundred dollars, as the
Secretary may determine, for the procu
ration Of such substitute, which sum
shall be fixed at a uniform rate by gen
cral order made at the time of ordering a
draft for State or Territory. Any person
may furnish au acceptable substitute to
take his place in the draft at any price
for which he can procure one. Every
drafted man is at liberty to furnish a
substitute at such rate as he may agree
to pay the substitute; or any drafted man
may pay such sum not exceeding three
hundred dollars, as the Secretary Of war
may determine, to procure substitute.


"Thc sum determined upon by the
Secretary cannot exceed three hundred
dollars; it may be ten, fifty, one hundred,
two hundred, or any sum within the lin.
its Of three hundred dollars. This pro-
vision of allowing sum not to exceed
three hundred dollars to be paid to the
Government to procure substitutes, was
put into the law far the sole and single
purpose of keeping down the price of
substitutes, so that men of very moderate
means and poor men, could more readily
obtain substitutes. This provision cna.
bles the Secretary to fix the sum which
will be the price of substitutes. With
cut this provision, it was believed that
the price of substitutes would 60 up at
once to one thousand or to two thousand
dollars, so that none but rich men could
obtain them. If any drafted man can
obtain substitute for sum less than
that determined by the Secretary, he is
al liberty to do so. This authority con-
ferred upon the Secretary to fix sum
from one dollar to three hundred dollars,
was purposely given to check specula.
tions, to keep down the price of substi-
tutes. and it must inevitably do So
Thus partisan malignity, in its blindness
and madness, perverts measure framed
solely in the interest of drafted men of
moderate means and of drafted poor men,
into distinction in favor of the rich and
against the poor. Surely, Sir, the folly,
and madness, and wickedness of even
Mozart Hall partizans cannot further 60.


"Sir, this act for enrolling and calling
out the national forces give assurance to
the world that it is the unalterable pur-
pose Of the nation to crush out this wick.
ed rebellion. Your denunciatons of its
provisions can only fire the hearts and
nerve the arms of traitors, thus putting
in peril the holy cause of our country,
and the precious blood Of its heroic de-
Tenders. Your denunciations of this be-
nevolcnt act of national defence, by re.
viving the waning hopes Of the rebellion,
may force upon the Government the nc
cessity OF putting into execution the
draft provided for by this act. That
draft cannot be avertcd, except by
promptly weaponing the willing hands of
the loyal men in the rebel States. and
by Immediately yielding a united and
enthusiastic support to the Government,
thus speedily and thoroughly crushing
the hopes and effectually battling tie eff
forts Of the rebels. HENRY WILSON,"