The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-08-12
-lAROUT DRAFTINGg 3


in it. There are, several reasons .Amonl
them these: Volunteering was going on too
slowly TO meet the emergency; il did no,
reach all classes CT the community, taking fol
the most part those who have the least inter
est, so to speak, in the preservation Of the gov
ernmcnt Whole towns have contributed but
titha OF their quota to the war, while Others
have contributed their quota several times
over. These inequalities have from day to
day attracted more attention, and turned
mems minds more to the fairness Of the draft.
as tho n cans Of raising an army. Drafting
is no new thing for this country having been
resorted TO both during the war Of the revou
tion and Of 1919, b~e t,QBA COY lad, nr
I Tie power of drafting, and provisions for
its use, arc duly provided for in the legisla
ton Of the United States. An old law. pass
ed 1902, entitled San act for the National
defence, by establishing uniform militia
throughout the United States" and after
wards amended aud applied to all arms. bear
ing citizens Of tho country. gives the Prcsi
dent authority to order a draft. Tho enact
ment Immediately bearing on the subject,
however, is that mlle by the las, Congress,
and passed July l6, 1862. The first section
Of that bill provides as follows: u" '''''' ~
"TLat whenever the President Of Tho Uni
ted States shall call forth the militia of the
States, to DO employed, in the service of the
Tinted States, he may specify in his call the
period for which such service will be required,
not erceeding nine months, and tho rniIitaso
called shall b., mustered in and continue 10
serve for and during the time SO spscife'l, un.
less sooner discharged by command Of the
President. by reason Of defects in existing
laws, or in the execution Of them in the scve
raj States, or any Of them, il shall be found
necessary TO provide for enrolling the militi
and otherwise putting this act into execution,
the President is authorized in such cases to
make all necessary rules and regulations; and
the enrolment Of the militia shall in all cases
include all able-bodied male citizans 'eiwcen
the ages of eighteen and forty five, and shall
be apportioned among the States according
TO representative population.
Ii will be seen from the above that the
President has no power to draft, except for
nine months. We cannot but regard this as
an unfortunate limitation, as il is doubtful
whether the volunteer regiments could bc
filed up by men drafted under this aci. olsal
An interesting question arises whether the
men recruited for the old regiments will be
considered part of the quota Of the State TO
supply the call of the United States for 300,-
900 men? The New York State Recruiting
Committee, who have informed themselves on
these matters, understand they will, be SO con
sidered."
AS VIC understand it, men who are drafted
get no bounty or advance pay, as these are in.
tended to be inducements for volunteering. -,
We also see it stated that the men drafted un
der the last call, will be placed in the old reg
imons which probably would give greater
satifaction to most men, If they are at once to
be put into active service, for they would have
the advantage of experienced officers, and tie
advice and support of men who have seen ser.
vice. Another theory is that the men raised
by the Graft will be principally put upon gar
rison duty, and the men now occupying such
posts, who have had fair drill, will be put
into the field.
On the general subject OF the draft, the
World, few days since, contained the fol
lowing pertinent observations: ia ,rsvrq $50
"You people who have caught the notion
that there is something oppressive and shame
ful in substituting compulsory for volunteer
service-why do you not honestly ask your.
self what distinction there can be between
copscription and compulsory tax,
alton? How is government more discrcdi
ted in obiging you in shoulderiug your mas
ket in defence, than in obligng you to sur.
render your dollars for the same end2 WAY
not apply the volunteer principle to the rails; !
ing Of money as well as to the raising of sol |
diersi Unquestionably great deal Of good
cash might be so raised. There are mutt
tudes of noble hearted patriots who would con-
tribute all in their power TO carry on this war.
Millions might be so realized. But shall Gov.
ernment therefore burn up the tax bill and
trust to the subscription paperi OF course
you say "No?' The Government which would
thus forego its authority to tax, and trust its
existence to the disposition OF this that and
tho other man to volunteer as money furnish |
ers, you would despise, and yet you think IL !
and discreditable, that tho same
in the same strait, should not
forego its authority to draft, and trust its ex-
istencc TO the disposition OF Tom, Dick and |
Harry TO volunteer as amusket bearers.s Do }
they say that the latter compulsion is not nee
essary? What prophet informed youl Where
DO you get your assurance that the three hun.
dred thousand men called for will be seasona.
bly, forthcoming, onthc voluntary principle? ?
We say seasonabiy sfofthconiug.i Not six
months hence, nor three months hcnce, but in
lime to confront the armed hosts v hich con-
federate CONSUMPTION has raised, anil, for aught
yet known, is about to hurl against us. The
nan outside Of Richmond docs not live who
IAN guarantee that hostile army may not be
tbrown upon Washington within lour weeks;
md an army not to be resisted by any force
We shall then have at command. Who be
ieved that three TO one wo,i'd lie pr c;pitatcd
ipon Mcclellan month agoi JIl'dhd hap
pen, aud Richmond was not taken, Who can
ay that three to one may mot be prccipilated
ipon Pope a month hence? II may happen,
ind Washington be lost. Oor only security
les in greatly reinforcing our armies at once.
Every day delay Increases the danger. There
g no assura' CO that volunteers enough will be,
'eady in time. Government is left To its
chance :; aud all because Il holds back from
exercising a power gisenstof Il by tho express
eiter Of the Conslitution, ,as well as by 'natu.
Ial right. and with no Government on the
face Of tie earth ever before shrupk, from, Oh
any, OCCASION, even though it were d teoth