The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-08-08
Shall we Draft, or Volunteer q

Shall We Draft, or volunteer
There is, IN this State, evidently some dill
Guilty in the way of determining the best meth
cd of answering the last requisition of tho Pres
ident for 100000 militia, to serve for nint
months, growing out of our not having any or
gained, or even enrolled militia Il may bt
true that some towns, and perhaps the majority
of them, have made returns to the Adiutan
Generals Office of the number of men in theil
| towns last April liable to do military duty blu,
these returns are So imperfect that great injus-
tlcc would be done, if they were depended upon
as the basis for draft for our quota of 800 ,0OO
militia. As far as this State is concerned, il
any militia are to be called out, it seems to be
necessary that the method Of doing it must be
presented by the War Departmental at Washing
ton, which would be accompanied necessarily
with considerable delay.
Aside from this difficulty, however, there 10,
in this County at least, and, we have no doubt,
generally throughout the State, an opinion that
or / regiments OF months men can be raised
sooner by volunteering than by the machinery
Of draft There are II my men who are ready
to enlict for this comparatively short time Of
service, who have as yet hssitAted about volun-
teering for three years. If recruiting offices
were opened in this County We have confidence
that three or four companies could be filled
nearly or quite as soon as it could be done ~ a
draft We know men of energy, zeal and posi-
tion in the communities about US, who are only
waiting ior the word, to lead the way, aud hun
dreds would follow their example The blood OF
tho country Is pretty well up, and scores and
hundreds stand ready TO so, We think they
oush: to be permitted TO volunteer.
We are aware there are dffcu !ties in the way
OF TINS method of procedure, but they are not
government has the power to accept 100000 9
months Volunteers by the same act that i: ha,
the authority to call out the militia. In Penn
sylvania, at least, ii not elsewhere, + months
Volunteers are being received, and, there cant
De no doubt they would be received, instead of
militia, if offered by Vermont We know our
State law is not quite clear as to the power Of
he Governor to call out Volunteers for less
i'm, than three years, but wise construction
If that act will make the longer term include
the shorter, and interpret the power to raise reg
ments Of 3 years men, as including the power
% raise them for a s.orter time Besides, if
,hero.were the least doubt on this point, the |
State auth critics would act udiclously by Ia.
King the responsibility..of such construction.
rusting, as they might confidently, that the
legislature would, when again together, ratify
and approve of the act.
Then We urge that Vermonters still have an
opportunity to volunteer The State has now
} reputation for promptness and set-denying
patriotism, unsurpassed BY none in the Union.
She pays her soldiers better than any of Ter sis
er States ,Shs has sent to the field some of the
,est regiments in the service, and those now be-
ns recruited are composed Of as good materials
Is any of their predecessors A class of men
rs good as any that have Yet gone, and having
wen more sacrifices to make in leaving home
md business, now stand ready to maintain the |
honor of the State. Wehope some way will be
devised through which they will have the oppor-
unity to prove that Vermont can raise her full |
quota of 100000, men, and yet not draft
angle soldier.