The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-07-31
The Duty of the People in Respect to Enlist
ments.

/
once The people of the loyal States must fnr
nish these men. Ii they do nos, the responsible
ty for the failure to put down this rebellion vii
rest upon them If the Government is not ST
rapid as we wish, or if our Generals are mOr'
cautious than we would advise, there is ye; al
the more need of men. The people are the gov
ernment in this country, and failure now
their failure. The responsibility cannot he put
anywhere else.
We are 1000 900 in the loyal States; the
rebels are but 100000 without their slaves.
Our numerical superiority is thus nearly tive to
one, or, if We count their slaves, we are still
three to their one. We claim to be, and are,
their equals, man for man. Whose fault then
is it, but ours, if We ANONYMOUSLY ail in the
war? There is only. there car be bur, one way
in which failure is possible, and that way is for
the people to refuse to join our army. Without
a large army we cannot succeed with it sue
cess is certain. And what We now want, most
of ALL is that the % 900, 900 at The North
should IN this crisis of the rebellion, make their
numerical superiority tell on the battle field.
The South cannot pus more than million white
men into the field by any CONSUMPTION act -
They have not more than that number that are
able to bear arms. The North, on the other
OF nearly, if not quite, 4 900 600, aud when we
have filled this new order for troops we shall still
have sent torwa lees than One-iourth that num-
Der. Take Vermont, for instance: When the
Tenth and Eleventh regiments are full, this
State will have given to the army. in round
numbers, 10 900 men. But of this lOOO0 1t is
safe to say that at least one-fth have fer vari-
Gus reasons, returned, leaving not more than
5000 as, IN fact, furnished now by the State. Yet
the number of those in this State able 10 CO mil
itary duty, one year ago. must have exceeded
40, 900. While these facts are so,-and they
are as tue Of other States as of Vermont we
have no righl to complain that our armies are
outnumbered. They are outnumbertd for the
simple reason that the men are a, home who. if
they were in the army DIS they might be, would
at once change the whole aspect Of the cam
palgn.
What is the duty OF the people in view OF
this state of things? Plainly for every man to
do something what be best can,-to help fill
up the ranks. All cannot 60. The ordinary
hn mn # +Jo H.
ed to, and somebody must attend to them. But
some can 60. And We hold it to be the duty of
every loyal man to encourage, IN every possible
way, every man who can 90, to 90. And
those who can't go themselves should get some
one to 60 In their places. We should encour-
ags not discourage enlstments Every man
must settle the question for himself whether he
will 60 or not, but he ought not to say or do
anything to discourage his nelghbor from going
II he does SO he IS weakening the cause, and So
far helping rebellion.
And the matter Of enlisting should be debated
everywhere in good temper Ange~, and heat
and elimination, should be, as much as possible
avoided We should remember that there il
ono way, and only way, of forcing men to en-.
list, and that is by drafting and, until that j,
resorted to, the reason and the patriotism o
men should beaddress ID And let US, therefore
everywhere address the heads and hearts of tbos,
Who can 80, and urge, with them, the question
Of filling up the ranks. II they meet us cody
and show no feeling, except OF anger, at being
asked to volunteer, it is safe to let them alone
for we shall very soon find that they are no
only staying away themselves, but are usin.
their utmost influence to keep their associate
from enllsting, that they may be kept III coun
tenance in their refusal TO serve their country
and they will soon be trying to make a publ
opinion that shall justify their refusal
II we could only have Il universal public opin
ion thar each man should help, in some way, il
this grand endeavor to put down rebellion, eithe
by going himself, Or assisting and encouragn
another man to 20, We should soou have tn
quota OF Vermont full. Enlisting never wa
more rapid in this county than it has been 70
the past three weeks, and it has been the mos
successful where there has been the leas, oppo,
unity Tor appeals to any motives but patriot
ones. Where jealousies, envies, and kindre
feelings have unfortunately got into play, or
listing bias gone OH slowly enough. This count,
however, and the State, will soon, in spite ,
adverse influences, have filled its quota, boins
we hope and believe, the first State in I'll
Union 10 do 80. But, as it now appears, it wi