Important case in the Confederate States District Court.
--The attention of this Court was occupied on yesterday with a long argument with reference to the right of the
Confederate States to conscribe citizens of
Maryland who have been here since the commencement of the war. The case was that of
Robert F. Hobbs, a citizen of
Maryland, who came to the
Confederate States in the month of May, 1861 , and who, from that time to the present, has been engaged in various peaceful occupations, but who has never performed military service.
The petitioner was an able-bodied man, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, but denied that he was a
resident of the
Confederacy.
It was contended by the petitioner's counsel that he was like thousands of other Marylanders, an exile, whose right of asylum in this country should not be disturbed by the enrolling officers.
The counsel for the
Government contended that he was a resident, having voluntarily cast his lot in the
Confederate States, and insisted that he should be required to perform all the military duties imposed upon other residents.
The great importance of the case induced
Judge Halyburton to postpone to a future day the rendition of his opinion, as it will affect the
status of a large number of persons in this city as well as elsewhere.
The petitioner was represented by
General H. Marshall and
Mr. Ratcliffe, the
Confederate States by
District Attorney P. H. Aylett.