The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-08-15
rr..,a.n, L,ncsin On the Drass.

4
We made an allusion yesterdsytc Pres
ident Lincoln's fair and frank reply -
Governor Seymour, Of New York, a brief
abstract of which was transmitted by tel
egraph. subjoined is the letter in full
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
Washington, Aug. 7.
His Ercenency, Horatio Seymour. Cor
ernor of N. T., Albany, A. T.
Your communication Of the I'd inst. has
been received and attentiyely considered.
cannot consent to suspend the draft In
iaYew York, rs you request. because
among other reasons, TINE is too lmpor-
tant BY the figures you send, which 1
presume are correct. the twelve districts
represented fall in two classes OF eight
and four respectively.
The disparity Of the quotas for the draft
in these two classes is certainly very
striking, being the difference between an
average of 2, 900 in one class and 4,964
in the other. Assuming that the districts
are equal, one to another in entire pop
sla,iop, a. required BY the plan on which
they were made, this disparity is such as
to require attention. Much of it, how
ever, ! suppose, will be accounted Tor BY
the fact that SO many more persons ut 1or
soldiers are in the city than are IN the
country, who have too recently arrived
from other parts of the United States and
| from Europe to be either included in the
census of 1860, or to have voted IN 1863.
Still, making due allowance for this, am
yet unwilling TO stand upon IT as an en-
tirely sufficient explanation OF the great
disparity. shall direct the draft to pro-
coed in all the districts, drawing. howev-
er. at first from each of the four districts
-to-wit: the I'd. 4th, 9th, and 9Th only
g. goo, being the average quota Of the
other class. After this draw ing, these
four districts, and also the 18th and 2sth,
shall be carefully re-enrolled-a and, If you
please, agents Of yours may witness every
step of the process. Any deficiency
which may appear by the new enrolment
will be supplied by special draft for thai
object, allowing due credit for volunteer
who may he Obtained from these Districts
= Tespeesipelyy during the interv NJ IND q
all points, so far as consistent with prac
tical convenience, due credits shall b.
given for volunteers, and your Excellen
CIV shall be notified of the time fixed TO-
commencing draft in each district.
/ do not object to abide decision Q
the Judges thereof, on the con stitutionsl
ity of the draft law. Ia fact, should b
willing to facilitate the obtaining of it,
But | cannot consent to lose the tim
while it is being obtained. We are con
tending with an enemy who, as under
stand, drives every able-bodieh man h
can reach into his ranks, very much as
butcher drives bullocks into slaughter
pen. No time is wasted, no argnmeD
used. This produces An army which vii
soon turn upon our now victorious sol
diers already in the field, if they shall no
be sustained by recruits as they shout
be. = 1t produces an army with rspidit
not to be matched on our side, five frs
waste time to re-experiment With the yo
unteer system. already deemed by Con
gress, and palpably, in fact, 30 far OK
hausted as to be inadequate; and the
more time to obtain a Court decision as I
whether law is constitutional which re
qu;res part of those not now in the Sci
vice to go TO the aid Of those who are q
ready 10 ii; and still more time to deter
mine with absolute certainty that We G.
those who are to go in the precisely leg,
proportion TO those who are not 20 co.
My purpose is to be in my action just an
constitutional, and yet practical. in pc
forming the important duty with which
am charged, of maintaining the unity an
the free principles of our common countr.
Your obedient servant,
A. LINCOLN.