This work can also be found in the book American Quaker War Tax Resistance.
The Westbury, New York Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends reported on what happened to one New York Quaker who refused to submit to the draft or to militia exemption fines:
The Monthly Meeting appointed a Committee to collect account of the sufferings of Friends in the maintenance of our Christian testimonies against war. They found that quite a number of Friends were drafted for the army, but more were excused, and a few paid commutation fine.
One young man bore his testimony against war by refusing to comply to any military requisitions. He resided at River Head, Long Island, and his name was Joseph G. Miller. He was drafted in and required to appear at Jamaica, Long Island, and a pass sent him to use in the Railroad, but he did not feel at liberty to use it, and paid his own fare arriving in the morning of the day appointed, and was kept all day near the door of the Court House. In the afternoon of the next day he was informed he must appear in nine days prepared to be enrolled as a soldier, or pay a fine of $300. In reply he said he could not pay the money, nor allow any one to do so for him, but would be there at the time appointed. He reported at the time and was told as some other Friends had paid the fine, he was acting willfully to refuse to do so. He showed our Book of Discipline and pointed out that portion on bearing arms and paying fines in lieu thereof. He was then conducted to a house in the village where his clothes were exchanged for a soldier’s uniform. He made no resistance, and was taken to a military board in the next room and was accosted by a man who had been active in the Court Room, and observed that he believed it to be the duty of every Christian to support the government, but a few words from Joseph, in reply to the question “What would become of the government and of us if we did not fight,” appeared to have such an effect upon him that at Joseph’s departure he took his hand and said, “If we could only feel as you do what a happy people we should be. Hold fast to your trust in God and all will be well,” and then gave him his address with a request that he should write and inform him how he fared.
Our Friend was then taken to the camps on Rikers Island without an overcoat, as he was not permitted to take his own, and did not feel at liberty to wear a military one. Having but one blanket, and being obliged to lie on the damp ground, he took severe cold from which he suffered much, as well as the severe treatment from officers because he would not observe the ordinary civility to them, which soldiers usually do. But when it became known that he was a Friend acting from conscientious scruples their manner changed. In about three weeks he was removed to Governors Island, and in time allowed to resume his own clothes and required to do nothing contrary to his feelings.
On he was liberated on parole. He said his lot had not been cast in a barren place during his confinement of two months, but that his faith had been increased in the sufficiency of that Power which would enable all who submitted to its influence to experience themselves the fulfilment of the prophetic declaration “And the Lord shall judge among many people and rebuke strong Nations, and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”
