The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-08-27
The Draft aud las Hardsh1ps.

The Presidents second call for 800, 900 men,
70 be raised by draft from the militia Of the di..
tsreot States, will fall with much hardship upon
numbers Of our fellow citizens A large proper
ton Of the men, anenabe to the call, are in re-
esipt Of much higher salaries than thirteen dol
lars Q month. while perhaps the majority have
wives and families TO support, Who will be thrown
into comparative penury. BY their husbands be-
ing taken from their Offices aud workshops. AL
such contingencies may be avoided, and families
placed 10 ease and comfort during the var by
the following plan.
Let ffty or hundred men. liable to the draft,
form themselves into an association, ple1gng
srch other that, in the event of any Of their
number being called upon to qii: their homes,
they wil subscribe sufficient to keep the absent
ees' families in the same amour, Of comfort and
ease IS that to which they have been accustomed
There are tens Of thousands of our fellow citizens
incapscitated, by sge and other Causes, FROM
serving their country in this hour OF need, and
yet would gladly enroll themselves As members
Of such associations Bachelors, too, in many
Instances would not refuse to participate in q
movement which would render assistance to
some OF their married acquaiutaDees; while, 1t
the came time, their own claims upon the gene
sral fund would be little Or nothing.
The expcr &c to each individual in such asso
Citations - those proposed would be comparative.
y Insignificant. A hundred members subscrib.
ing fifty cents each, weekly, would, With the
soldier's monthly pay. support comfortably three
fam les. IL not more aud three or four per Cent.
10 - much ~ would be drawn from hundred
men under the draft IL is highly improbable
that the ratio will exceed this figure il il even
equals il.
There are numerous advantages which would
certainly accrue from the adoption Of this plan
The association would see, for instance. The sol.
der for~Sded Q proper proportion Of pay for
the support Of his family, and the men would
thus be deferred IRON that terrible military wee
gambling in camp. The soldier would like w-e
Be prevented from pleading non receipt Of his
paw, aud an additional aud powerful influence
would be brought to bear upon those much
abused and much idol zed .entlemen-the United
States paymssters. We should not much longer
hear OF regiments going without their pay for
four or Eve months.
The associations would also look out for the
Whereabouts and we'll being of their absent menu
bers, and take . more than Usual interest 10 the
regiments to which they may belong. They
might even, II SO disposed, insure the lives Of
the soldiers drafted and thus pare their families
beyond the danger Of want.
Some such plan a. the above ought to be
adopted. Will not the Press throughout the
loyal States bring our proposal before the notice
Of its readers. % as TO prevent the hardships Of
the draft from pressing too heavily on aay of our
fellow citizens! The women Of the North are
mainly interested in this question, and every
mother, wife, daughter and sister should see to
IL that her male relatives j,in such an associa.
ton fOrthwith.-N y. Times.