Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-07-18
Aid for Drafted Men.

whence they were forwarded by the telegraph
Aid for Drafted Men.
We understand that some of our prominent
business men, aided by other influential gen.
tlemen, are taking measures to hold meeting
at Mechanics Hall, Monday evening to raise
fund with which to relieve some of the hard
ships Of the draft. They propose that the
fund shall be used to aid drafted men whose
cases demand such aid, and assist in the sup
port of the families of those who go into the
military service Judging from present indi-
cations we have no doubt that an ample fund
will be raised, so that the draft may bear as
lightly as possible on all.
We desire for this movement the most COM
plete success, and we are sure that it will be
favored and aided by our citizens generally. 1t
is our duty to aid it. We all have an interest,
not only in the success of the draft but also in
the welfare of those whom it takes into the
service; and this interest should have proper
practical expression. Those who enter the
service under the draft will have the bounty
provided by the general government and state
enough in all cases, and something like what
is contemplated by the present movement
here should be done. There are some cases
of such peculiar hardship that the drafted men
should be aided in the payment of the conf
mutation money or in providing substitutes
and Others where those who go should have
still more assistance in the support of their
families. We are sure that whatever aid is
requisite will be provided.
The draft is made necessary by the imper-
Gus wants of the nation in its struggle for life
with a malignant and powerful conspiracy of
traitors 1t is a matter in which every loyal
man has the deepest interest. 1t is plain
enough to us all that the federal government
must submit to the rebellion, or have means
aud military force to put it down. 1t is this
that has made the draft necessary; and
it is this that puts US all under obligation to
do what can to Tighten the burthens at
tending it, and make 1t successful.
And we should do everything in our power
to make the draft successful, because this is
the surest method of bringing the war to a
speedy close. Were all the men drafted
now in the field, the rebellion would be swiftly
overwhelmed. 1t could not stand before such
a force as we should then have, nor would it
long attempt to do So The leaders would
become hopeless, and their reasonable or
ganization would be broken and disorganized
by he plainly seen impossibility of success.
The period of hard fighting and great battles
would be past.
W ithin the last month we have won very
great triumphs over the rebellion, and greatly
weakened its power. 1t has suffered terrible
disasters, and lost immensely in men, arms,
and munitions OF war. Our armies have cap
tured, disabled, or destroyednearly one third of |
its effective military force, while they have cut |
off and confined to the west side of the Missis-
sippi considerable portion of the rest. We |
have completely broken the power of the reb-
els in the southwest and in Tennessee. Now
let the rebels see that our armies are to be so
strengthened as to become at once overwhelm-
ing everywhere, and the conflict will very |
soon end. The ''confederacy," with its
military force, will dissolve; the rebel |
leaders will seek safety in flight from the
country, if possible; and our armies will be
required to serve chiefly as a military police
while the disturbance of the country is set
ting into assured peace. Who does not desire
to reach this result, or will fail to do every
thing in his power to give success TO the
measures that will SO certainly and speedily
secure it?