Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-07-19
Special correspondence Of the Chicago Times.
From Washington.
The reasons uchy Enisfments progress so slotciy
w AsHINGroS, July IA.

AsHiNGTON, July H.
Great concern is felt here at the slow manner
in which the 300 900 troops coming in. At
the rate at which enstments have been made,
we will only have only 100, 900 men raised by
the end of October; 300 900 by the end of next
February; and the whole 300 900 will not be in
the field before this time next year. The follow
ing some of the reasons which deter men
from enllstng:
/. The practice of keeping military hospitals
in large cities. In all the large 4 ,stern cities,
there are hundreds of MANNED aud sick soldiers
congregated The sight of these unfortunate
men, without arms, without legs, with their eyes
put out. or their noses cut off, or hObbling about
crutches, has a very depressing effect upon the
spirits of ardent young men, who would other
wise enlist. All such sights should be kept out
of the public view.
2. Because the good old practice of sending
around the recruiting officer, with his banner, his
music and his band OF recruits, all dressed in
new and handsome uniforms. and the drums,
flies, clarions and trumpe.s making the air
nant with the notes OF glory AMI the battle field.
is no longer kept up Ii this glltterng repre-
sentation OF the pride. pOmp, and circumstance
OF glorious continually presented To the
sight and hearing OF our young men. il would
again, as it did once, draw thousands to the ma
tUnal standard.
3. Ii is generally understood that the Admin
istration has decided in favor OF emancipating
and arming the slaves, and of enlistng negroes
10 serve OH the same footing as white soldiers; TO
give them the same uniform. the same arms, the
same pay, the sane bounty, and the same pen
sohs as the white soldiers. This may be very
wise and sagacous, but the white men of the
country don't seeit and hence their unwilling
ness to be degraded by serving side by side with
negroes.
4. The people of the North have seen, at first
with amazement. then with anger. and now with
disgust, that the Administration has not taken
the necessary measures to release from captivity
the thousands of their brothers, and neigh
bors who have been for months confined in lOaIh
some dungeons ut the South. Every few months
the public is deceived 10y lying bulletin from the
War Department announcing that 'the Govern
ment has decided upon plan Tor a general
change OF prisoners; but only few days eapse
before it is found out that the agreement" was
only made 10y one party, and that its terms were
so absurd that the other party the rebels rejected
it, Whenever the Administration can compre.
bend the vast proportions of the war, and
have sense enough to see that we really are at
war and To carry ON the war according to the
rules of war. then it will be that we must
exch ,nse prisoners with the rebels on equal terms
man for man. rank tor rank. The rebels have
always been willing to do this. and will do il now
But the men who are now in power here. in order
10 crafty their IN dignity against one or two
Southern Generals whom the fortunes of war has
placed in our hands. have proclaimed that under
no circumstances will these men be exchanged,
but that they will be kept and hung, when really
these men are no more guilty than many other
prisoners.
Only few DAYS ago, in order to encourage en-
listments the Administration caused To be circu
lated the statement that 1.-THE Government had
decided on a general exchange OF prisoners 3"
There was not a word of truth ia the statement.
No arrangement Tor general exchange OF pris-
Oners has been made. nor u it likely that any Will
be made a. long as MIR Lincoln Is under the IN
fueHce OF Mr.. Seward and Mr. STATION. Seward
Viii never consent to recognize the rebels a. bel
hgefents; he cannot vet comprehend that We are
al wsr It nearly killed hun TO be obliged 70
give up the Southern prvateers, whom he had
pompously announced were 10 be regarded n pi-
rates. and hung such.
But as long as the young men of the North
see that the Government don't seem 10 care
anything about them after they have been taken
prisoners. and will take no steps TO release them
they will not feel like enlisting. They are vii
ling TO brave the dtngers OF the battlefield and
the hlrJships and priyations OF camp lie. but
they are not willing to rot for years ia Southern
dungeons
Another thing that discourages enlistment
is toe fact that although the war has lasted IT.
teen months, h Is. apparently "a far from being
ended nov il when il began.
O. Finally. enlistment llnguishes because the
Administration has defined policy either in
the conduct of the war or IN the manner in which
the States to be treated after they are re
stored TO the Union. Up TO this time no les
thtn a million Of young men Of the North have
entered the army. OF whom probably 60n. 600 are in
arms nov But the men who are now called on
enlist are rha men who for - unoufhS N
have been bordering on the question. What j.
this war 10. - For the restoration OF the Union
n il existed before the war bcganf Yet the.
that the Administration anu the dominant
party IN Congress have been steauily pursuing
course Of policy which will forever prevent III,
reconstruction OF the Union. Tie men who arr
now depended Ia enlist have seen with disma,
for months past the persistent attempts of IN,
Abolitionists in Congress and in the Cabine