The Military Drafting Law

The following is a synopsis of the biU passed by Congress, autborizing Ü President to enrotl ar.djca'l into miliUry service all the men of the loyal Statal capablo of bearing arms : The first sectwn provides that wbenerer the President shall cali forth th railitia of the States, Le may speoify ia bis cali the period for which sucb semc will be required, not ezceeding oin i months ; aud the militia so mustered ia shall serve for the time specified, uiiIom sooner disehurged. If, by reason of dfects in existing laws, or in the execution of them in the States, or any of them, it shall be found necessary to provide for enrnlling ïnilitia, tLa Pres'dent ia authorized to raake all necessary regulatiom, and the enrollment shall in all cases in' elude all able bodied tuon between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, and sbali be apportioned among tlio States according to the population, and when so cnrolled shall be organizcd after the mod prescribed fur volunteers. Tho second eection authorizea th President to cali one hundred thousand volunteers as iiifantry ïnto the field, in addition to the nuinber alrcady authorized by luw, for a period of nina montlis, unles3 sooner disoliarged, aud every soldier who shall uiilnt under it símil raceive his first nionth's pay in advance and also 25 dollara as abounty, upou tbe mustering of his coinpany or regiment into service. And all provisons of the law relating to vo'uuteers cnlisted in the servico of the United State lor three years or duiing the war, except in rehitioa to bounty, shall be extended to embrace the volunteers raised under tbe provisions of this section. Tbe third section authorizes the President to accept such a uuniber of volunteers as may b; required for filling up the regimtnts of infantry now in the service for twelve months, unless sooner ilischarged. All volanteers when raustered into s:rviee sh;ill ba en a footing with similar troops, except as to servico boupty, which shall uo iifty doll-irs, onehalf of which s to be paid upon joining their regiments, and the other half at the expiratiou of tbe term of cnlistment. Section fourth authorizea the appointment of a Judge Advocate General, with, the pay of Cnlonel of cavalry, to vvhoea office all proceedings in court mtrtial shall be returned, and no sentence of deatli or iuiprisoiuuent in the Penitentiary s!iall ba carried oul without the approval of tuc President. Öectious lifih and sixth authorize a Judge Advocate for eaob army, and sec tion seven requires the battulion officers. Qurttrinasters and Adjutants of cavalry amhorized by law, and now iu ssrvice, to be mastered out uf service. Section eiglit autliorizea the President to establibh and organize the aimy at lus d.scretion, aud se.ction nine regulates tho staffs of oonaianden of ariny corps, as i'ullovvs: One Assistant Adjutant General, onc Quartermaster, ono eommissary, aud oue Assistant Inspector Gtneral, with the rank of Lieutenant Uolunels ; oue Assistant Iuppector General with tho rank of Lieuteuaut Colouel, and thrco Aids-de Camp. Section ten regulares the aumber of oiSoers of cavalry regiineuts. Section eleven authorizes the President to receive into the si.rvice, for tho pupusa of coiis.'ruoting inirenehmenU and [jüiforiuiug ounip service or any othe." laJbor, or auy mihtarv naval serviue for which they may be found cuinpotent, persona of Afrioaa dewcent ; and sucli penotii shall bu enrollüd aud orgimUsd under sueh rogulation3, not inoonsistent with the coi;stitutiou nnd th kws, as the President :uay prescribe. Section twelve eimets that whenerer any man or boy of Af'rican descont, 4m, by the laws of any State, sliail owo sor. ice or labcr to any person, who. during th presünt rebellion has levied war or borr.e arms against te governmeut, or adhered to its enem'es, and shall reuder any suoh service as enumerated in tho s-ction, he, his wtfe aud clii'd en, hall b'j forever free, any law or custom to the cötttritry uotwiihstandiug. And whero .such persons owe servico to loyal raastera, roviiiou is made for thcir compcosatiuu, ■ I - II -