Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1862-03-13
Drafted Men.

There are men VINO Will De QraIteu 10
whom no odium should attach. The cir
cumstances under which man is drafted
should determine what is to be thought of
him. If there has been nothing to prevent
his going into the army but the fear of his
being killed, or selfish desire of remain
| ing at home in ease and idleness, while
others are fighting and bleeding and dying
to keep the Yankees of of his worthless
carcass, and away from his mean; picayune
soul, and under these circumstances he is
drafted, then he ought to feel very mean,
and others ought to think very mennly of
him, and rejoice that he has got bis de-
serts- - s-...
But if another man does not volunteer
because he is the only one left of a family
to take care of the women and children,
and make bread, or because be has large
family on his. hands dependent upon
his labor for living, and under these cir
cumstances he is drafted, such man should
not be jerred or sneered at; and the Com
mander.in- Chief, if practicable, should re-
lieve such a, man, either BY discharging
him, if be can legally do So or by giving
him all the rights Of volunteer, if CON-
patible with his authority to grant these
privileges.
There will be men drafted who are just
as patriotic and just as eager to serve their
country as those who volunteer, but whom
circumstances have compelled to remain at
home. If full justice cannot be done them
| by relieving them of q draft, they ought at
least, tohave partial justice rendered them,
|iu a viudication Of the course which they
have been compelled to pursue.
Some men there are almost absolutely
compelled to stay at home, but yet who
have 60 much pride about them that rather
than submit to the possibility Of a draft,
they feel almost irresistibly impelled to vol
unteer. Others, again, have neither pride
nor patriotism, and hang back to the very
last, never serving in the army until forced
to do 80, and feeling no compuuctions what
ever at not doing so. Now, it is plain that
if the former class of men, in order to re-
lieve themselves of the odium of being draft
ed, volunteer, and thus prevent drsft in
their respective counties, sacrificing every
thing to pride and patriotism, they will
thus relieve not only themselves, but the
meau.spirited people of the latter class. -
Thus the latter class will never be reached,
and so they csn eat the fruit Of their mean
ness.
We believe that every able.bodied man
who can possibly do so should volunteer
to defend his country. But if there should
be, as there are, many who cannot volun-
teer, owing to the peculiar circumstances
BY which they are surrounded, and yet who
feel impelled to do so rather than run the
risk of being drafted, aud mourning the
odium of draft, while many others who
could volunteer will not do so, having nc
sense of shame about them, no pride and
DO patriotism, and caring nothing for the
odium of being drafted, then we would say
to those who desire 10 serve their country
if possible to do so, hold back ; and then il
you 90, some of the triHing fellows who
hang back will be drafted too, and be com
PEELED to fight contrary to the inpusIe Of
their cowardly Tory hearts. But if you
volunteer, you leave these craven hearted
creaturs at home, and go aud do their fight
ting for them. If inforciug their duties
upon them, aud compelling draft, you
too, should be drafted, all we'll and good
No man should think the less of you for it
-r ..-. The Countryn,an.