Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-10-25
lRrom the Dayton Empire. ]
The Draft-Gov. Tod-The EIec,lo

houk, Esq. ,Iwere requested TO 20 to Columbus
In Dehalf or these men, who had left, or we're
required to leave their families In distress, to
solicit from Governor Tod brief extension of
time to enable them to make suitable prepara-
lions for their expected absence.
II was known that large number of these
drafted men had families dependent entirely
upon their labors for the neoessaries of life
Almost all Of them under forty years of age,
their children are small, many of them indeed
infants, and oil of them Of such an age that
they would necessarily be q charge instead of an
assistance to their mothers. The majority of
the men were farmers Their corn was not
gathered, their tobacco not stripped, their pota-
toes not dug, nor their winters provisions
gashered in. The unusual drought had delayed
the seeding, and owing to the large number of
men already in the service from every neighbor-
mood, 1t was almost impossible to hire work to
DC done or to employ hands for any purpose a.
many men were called to leave their families
IN absolute distress-their wives in childbed.
or In daily expectation Of confinement. Me.
chanics were required to shut up their shops.
and to abandon o business which was the sole
means OF support to their wives and children
IL was understood that tho Commissioner had
no discretion in the matter, but that he was
required to notify all the men drafted to assem-.
bic within fue days. This was done-and
almost all Of them, to their honor let IL be re-
corded, as law-abiding citizens, responded to
the notice of that officer, although in many
instances the very laws of humanity, defiantly
oisregarded Dy tho public authorities would
have excused their non.compliapce.
II was supposed that upon proper representa.
tons being made to Governor Tod, under whose
authority the draft seemed to have been eon.
Quoted and by whom il had several times been
postponed, an extension Of time would Of sOuys,
be allowed. Scarcely eny man believed, tha,
the authorities could be utterly heartless, and
30 lost to the common feelings Of humanity, Al
10 refuse even ten days preparation and pro
Vision, to save the wives and infant children ol
perhaps at least three hundred drafted men
from winters want and pFivation, and TO allie
viate the distrcss consequent upon this sudden
separation. The necessities of the case wer,
properly and feelingly presented. His Excel
lency Governor Tod, scarcely waited the com
pletion Of the statement and the prefs,ment Of
the request. until he intsrposed blunt refusal
i He was told that Il wss understood he hst
granted similar extension to another county
This he said was positively untrue, and that 4
the Commissioners had exercised any such au
thorty he would remove him. He said the
men must go-that he had several times sost
poned the draft, as he had authority to do. bu
that the order to respond witkia foe dsys b,
had no authoTtty to change-and 1t could not b,
changed. ....
| Well, the men reported. They quietl,
obeyed this most heariless and strocious re-
quisition, thus leaving hundreds of familie
plunged into the deepest distress With no ss
susance, or any well defined hope. of a speed,
return. Some four hundred and ffty draftei
men, many Of them with their substitutes. eo
companied the Commissioners to Camp Denni
son. 1t soon became apparent after their arriya
there, that considerable time would necessaril,
transpire, perhaps several weeks, before th
drafted men would be organised into mpanIes
; and even put In the way Of preparing them
selves for the service into which they had bee
called. II was evident, besides, that subssitut
: instead of drafted men were desired. On
: men OF Montgomery county who had been le
to believe that the utmost dispatch was neces
sary, who had been refused even q few dsy
to provide winter supplies for their wives an,
} children, Thought they must secure substitute
: before going to camp, or that they would b
forth With themselves sworn into the seryice.-
, We know Of many instances In which men pai
} half Of all they were worth In the world 70
substitutes, thus depriving their families Q
their hard earnings for many years. Fiv
hundred dollars was the amount paid for sub
stitutes In the majority of instances from thi
county. But when Camp Dennison was reached
-. an abundance of substitutes could be had fo
|, 5000 eaoh-some for less; even as cheap q
$50 or SIS.
Many men of limited means, thus findin
that substitutes could be had for prices withi
their reach, at once besought brief furlough
TO enable them to return home and max
arrangements to get money to thus releas
themselves from the service. such turlough
were granted, and II may be safely said, that
Il had been known here that substitutes coul
, have been had for $3.50 to $500, or If the Gov
eminent had accepted q Communication In none
Of that amount, there would not have RENAME
/ fifty drafted men In the service from Montgon
cry county, and those would have been me
3 having no families dependent on them "a
support. In many instances the neighbors Q
poor men who had families, have raised b
! subscription sufficient sum TO purchase substi
0 tutes for them.
There was no justification whatever or excnl
!, for the refusal Of the brief extension Of tin
/, requested by these men. They were made Il
victims ct extortion, and were treated with le
: consideration than If they had been The Ser
3 OF the Emperor Of Russia instead of frS
citizens Of constitutional republic.
Under the order Of the public authoritie
either the Governor Of Ohio or the SecretaI
Of War, they were dragged from their homl
a. if they had been guilty of some heinol
d crime, less than week too before the mo
,, important election that has ever transpired
e this country; and the commandant of the can
to which they were ordered, was express
q admonished to allow no man q leave of absenl
Q to attend the election. The pFetense that Il
Q extension solicited could not be granted becsu
o the exigencies Of the country required ths
r these men should forthwith report themselve
is preposterous, false and absurd. What diffe
d enoe could Ii make to the Government wheth
d this extension was granted before or after Q
o rival at the camp Of rendexvousf The sequ
10 will show whether ten days, aye more th
10 twenty days will not elapse before the draft
p men OF Montgomery county will be fpally Q
# ganized and mustered into the service.
When the draft was first ordered II "
10 accompanied with the announcement, that
l. localities should have credit on it for volu
10 teers. IL was then postponed from time to Tin
II TO allow the increase of voluntary enlistmen
10 When finally 1t came, Governor Tod authorx
exemptions on the ground Of conscienclo
,. scruples for commutation Of $500, saying
1t would rather have the 5000 than the men.
4. force the speedy enlistment Of substitutes,
/. refused to grant an extention of time beyo
= the five days to report, and then after the m
g are assembled at Camp Dennison allows theI
ls 90 the sequel will show, all the time they Wa
e. to get substitutes in the three year regimen
But another purpose was to be eubserved.
10. These men were to be dragged away from
polls and deprived unnecessarily of the exefo
II. Of "a right, inestimable to them and formid
BILE to tyrants only" osa s-ss
The lapse of years will not efface from /