Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-08
THE Army QUESTION.
Army OF THE PorcNAc, !
Feb'y 9Th, 1862.

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degree Of b0dp... "a N. d.,o.,. ,hch threat, n. M
in via, ~ mi. fac, Il ors ~ a.. o., lion.
Of the times I, I, time n, Edi,o, f., ssn.hls men
"a r.;.ct all ssnmsn,,I oon..ns. all ross..,s, n,nv
ssrc, upon the patrio,m Of our br.ve vo,t.er. and
address themselves to the sol.m, task Of preset,pR
Virginia from that fate which without .rouut. bold
AID fearless action In her present Legislature is as cer
tain a. the coming of tomorrows sun To the minds
Of those who have had any experience In our camps two
facts are now demonstrated First That nine enths Of
the present force will not enlist uness resort ID had
to compulsory means. Second That force composed
entirely of the material at home "a all adequate The
task of defending Virginia The first proposition COT
tans no impeachment Of the zeal or courage Of cur
volunteers They are quite as 5raye-ouite AZ patriotic
a otber men But the disbandment of volunteer forces
at the e.pra,ion of their terms of epismen, even un.
der the most critical circumstances has occurred 10 hs
csse Of from, oue AZ braysin esuses unite AZ "A.
Grad, ,yss mite AZ heroic AZ oor own. vas,oia
the Revolu,onit rss so In the war of ls,2-t was 90
in Mexico Ia il v,s in ia to Aop. at time like ths
for exemption from an evil which the universal history
of mankind establishes as one Of the necessary incidents
of volunteer SYSTEM Shall VIC scsept the orscular
statements Of Mr. Silly SAnguine Or the usasic Ct.
| sarance Of Mr.. Foolish Hopeful, that il you will but
leave the volunteers TO their own patriotism all will be
right? Sir, those who take this view Of the case bad
better at once send to Waship g,on commission to
negotiate terms Of akject Submission to The rul, Of
L ncon. r. then, 1t is sbsurd-eriruinallv absurd
to risk this grcs. cause upon 60 delusiye a hope,
eau we rely upon the material a. home 10 pro-
tsct our 6residesg | answer No q thousand times
nol Who are those thst now lditer ct home -
With few honorable exceptions they con ss. Of tie
idle INDECENT seEindulgent cowariy drones Of society
who have stomach for the fght unless they can &C.
cure some such easy place of c1nceament from militia
draft as that afforded by the superauous position Of VOL
un.eer aid to some vain brigader. Will these men
rally earnestly TO the cause of their counyY Will they
interest themselves to learn the art of military dsi
lioe? Will they fght when called to the field With
oil the newspaper gas about the patriotism Of our peo-
pie, the courage OF Southern race, have
spsct for the courage of the Yankee Of Bull Run
than for those who have only distinguished themselves
far by the arts Of contemplate evasion and extrsva
CAN'T eItortion. What, then, shall We do; ans~er,
pas at once the bill Of Mr.. Douglas, drawing sufficient
free from the whole arms.besring population of the
sate Let the bill be so amended that such portion of
the draft Is may not have served at all shall render ser.
vie for two years. That these of the pressu, volunteer
force who may be drawn to serve shall only serye
for twelve months their places to be taken a. the e1p
ration of that time BY those of their brother volunteers
Who NAV chance to draw exemptions from service for
the next year. Such bill will be 4st Il will give us
an army of at least fifty per cent. Of disciplined uooIs
In few weeks the spirit and discipline OF the trained
volunteers would be impaired to the recruits, and,
With the proportion Of troops for the In the
field At least seventy fse per cent of our force would
b, in thorough and ,fioient state OF discipline More
ovar this Will ,ati,fv the po.uts.rs They know that
Virginia cannot spare the services Of ali her sons now
in the field and they only ask that in mskipg the draft
which all recognise as necessary, the prime pie Of
equality should be observed as noxrly as possible In
the mean time nessrs Editors let publ ssntnqsnl cor
rect itself upon this subject. let our public journals and
our legislative bodies cease to indulge the idle folly TIA.
mere term Of twelve months service a suliceh. o.,
eng upon the shrine OF liberty to secure the gratuts
Of the country. Let the sentiment ring through the
land that ii volunteers into tho field deter
mined to prosecute this war to successful Issue, they
patriots worthy of all praise II they designed, by
n!ful show Of Patriotism to s"rdp their country into