, 1862-08-01
Gt1G GrihutfE,



Every citizen owes duty to the State,
which he cannot avoid if he would. Is it
left optional with man whether he shall
pay his ta1ess How would the balances
Of county and State treasuners turn up un~
der the volunteer system? And vet eyery
citizen owes to the government under
which he lives duty far higher than tax
paying-his service in time of war-his
life, If need be. It is not right that this
last duty should be optional, more than
the other: When the country is in danger,
and great personal sacrifices are called for
from every man, the obligation Is binding
upon every citizen, Of all degrees, high OF
low, rich or poor. One evil Of the vol
unteer system is, that distinctions
are allowed which do not exist
in fact. When volunteers are call
ed for, attention instinctively turns to
those whose relations to society are
the simplest and humblest, and yet there il
really no more cauee for the ditcher to
leave his spade, than for the merchant to
close his ledger and the manufacturer to
abandon his counting room It is every
man's duty to rally at the call Of the coun-
try. It is the failness Of the draft system
that it equalizes the call and passes none,
save by strict and narrow rules Of exemp-
ton.
Again, if it should be the case that the
government had enemies both at home and
abroad, if there we're sections where 10y
atty was barely poised against lukewarm-
ness, and treason only awaited an oppor-
1unity to break QUITO the unfairness Of
the volunteer plan would be added the OBJ
Eious and positive danger Of thus calling
away the loyal men, who are earnest and
active for the Government, and leaving
the average Of loyalty in such districts to
be reduced by the process
The government is in the midst Of q
stern and mighty contest with armed re-
bellior. It has right to demand Of all its
citizens aid against this unholy rebellion,
and no man must hang back. There will
be voting to be done when the army ara
in the field, and this voting must not be
left to men Eho are lukeHarm in their sup
port Of the government # the Vallandig-
hamefs and the followers Of the basely
illust1ious Voorh1es are striving to weak
en- the force Of the waE, there is all the
more reason why the strict lines of the
draft system should fasten the duty Of fight
ing in this war upon those doubtful patri
OTIS, each in his oWnlot as citizen, other
wise who cannot see that the army will
thus be taken from the lines of the purely
loyal men, and leave to the " fire in tht
rear" rebel sympathizers Of the North, fal
too dangerous facilities for mischief enlarg
ed in exact proportion to the number i,
the field. There are districts Of the Nortf
where this policy would be akin to th'
wisdom Of sending the guardians Of tn
fold abroad on wolf hunt, leaving the
flock at home exposed to their natural enc
mics
For all and every reason Of public policy
and national safety we urge that the draf
be made forthwith To fill up old regiment
Ito do it instantly-to give men, picket
for soundnesa,-to allow no man to shirl
ciizen's duty-to draw the line fairly anG
give home traitors no option but to serve
the government, OF to meet its penalties
for all these reasons let us have draft al
once, and when three hundred Thousand
hare taken the field, let half million
more be forthwith drawn as reserve
Let tile war henceforth be fought with ful
ranks, outnunbering the enemy at ever.
point. It is no time to lose weeks {
precious opportunity On the mere "o1de
Of going"