Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-07-31


It's only by active and rapid enlist
ments that drafting can be avoided, for the
men for the army must Be had, in one way
or another. The ranks must be filed and
that speedily It is not for the want Of
patriotism that the regiments are not inn
mediately filled up, for the people we're
never more thoroughly determined that
this Government shall not go down before
an organization Of traitors than they are
to-day. But the men who had nothing to
keep them at home have already gone to
the war, Most Of those who are left are
men Of business and responsibility Many
are farmers who are busily engaged in So
curing thoirharvests, laborors whose fam
lilies are dependent upon them for support,
and business men whose summer and fall
trade is pressing upon them. And yet
recruiting is not wholly stopped. As fast
as the imperative duties Of the time are so
disposed Of as to relieve the active men of
community, they enlist. But the reinforce
ment Of che army, under this state Of
things, although steady, is too slow. Al
ready month has passed since the call
for three hundred thousand men, and not
sixteen per cent. are ready. So slowly do
the recruits come in that the wasting away
Of the army by disease and ordinary cas-
ualties, nearly keeps pace with its increase.
Something must be done to remedy this.
In time, the three hundred thousand would
enlist, but how long a timer Three and
six months hence viii not do. There is
imminent danger in every days delay
Last winter, when the Potomac army lay
dormant we were told that every days
quiet strengthened our army and weaken
cd that Of the rebels. Now, the same state
ment win not hold good. The best wealth
or for fighting is at hand. Soon the winter
months will come and then viii come in
Vulnerable delays from mud and rains
The rebellion must receive crushing and
fatal blows this year or it will have the sup
port Of foreign nations, and then, with
England and France upon our hands, all
business would be dead and we should al
have to shoulder the musket for national
defence. Time now is everything; one
month now is better than three months
next winter.
great deal is said about the appear
anos of adraft, and the ''hOnOr ofthe nation
being involved. Nothing of the kind. We
have already astonished the world by the
legions of men that have volunteered, and
forced admiration from our most bitter en-
emies by our patriotic OutpOuring of men
and means, but every man, American and
European, knows that there must be limit
somewhere; that there is business and Ia
Dor that must Of necessity occupy large
portion of the men Of the country until
the exigencies of the occasion absolutely
require them to go into service. And for
these men who have staid at home TO attend
to this necessary business there will be no
dishonor in being drafted. There would
certainly be a grandeur and national hero
ism in an army million strong with not
a conseript in it, bur in this day Of peril
and present danger we cannot wait three
or six months for the sake of an idea. It
is a practical question of bone and muscle,
to which sentiment must for the time, be
subordinate
But there is another aspect Of the case.
Already, for causes which we have inti-
mated, volunteers are not so readily OBJ
tained as they were a year ago, and they
must now be purchased by liberal bOunties.
There is, really, no discredit in this, for
the men are needed at home and will not
leave. unless some remuneration is made to
them OF. their families for the sacrifice they
make. But to one who was disposed to
taunt our army it would be as easy to find
cause for sneers in the fact that the men
"did not volunteer for the sake of the
country, but were bought for $50 or 500
apiece" as to say they are an army Of
consCripts" To a sensible man, there is
at this time no dishonor in either, but
either affords a like opportunity for mis-
representation.
Drafted men are subjected to q rigid
medical examination. The army that is
raised by this method, is, therefore, thor
oughly qualified for the hardest and most
effective military duty, and will not fill
up the hospitals like miscellaneous army
Of volunteers.
We do not favor drafting if the men can
be had by volunteering, but if not, then let
the question be met fairly and boldly. If
drafting must come, the people will not
shrink from the necessity.
Ts,,o. f-,-, f,.,or,I si-eI.