The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-08-02

i
rendezvous, is known as "The Park" although
there are others in the city. We should by all
means drop the word Central and call our
beautiful land favorite resort "The Park" It
is indeed the Park of the world.
| The Enrolment for tho Draft i'm this
City.
| A great deal has been said by the press in
this city in regard to the enrolment, both as
to its fairness as well as the unjustness in the
way that 1t has been made up. The real
points, however have not been laid before the
public. In our dispatches from Washington,
published in yesterdays HSRALD " it is stated
that it was not admitted that the enrolment
appeared to be excessive in New York city, or
that any considerable portion Of the names had
been enrolled twice, but that, on the contrary,
great had been taken; also, that the Assist
ant Provost Marshals had been in constant
communication, and the lists in the several dis
tricts compared as far as practicable" This
appears very well on paper, and might answer
in explanation did not the figures tell to the
contrary. The enrolment books at Washing
ton show that there are enrolled in the first class
in this city l27 1894 men. Now, the first class,
under the Consumption law of Congress, con-
sists Of all male citizens who are between
twenty and thirty-fve, and those between those
ages who have fled their intentions to become
citizens, and also all such who are unmarried
between the ages of thirty-ive and forty-fve.
The vote of this city. including those voters
over forty-fve, never reached over ninety
thousand before the war commenced The
number of men who are twenty years old and
not twenty -one, including those who have filed
their intentions, cannot possibly make up that
difference when we take into consideration the
fact that many of our citizens are off to the
war; and that the vote for Governor last fall,
which was considered very large, was only
76,848.
The inequality and unfairness Of the enrolment
are shown very conclusively by the figures for
the Second ward of this city. The number en-
rolled in that ward, as shown by the papers in
the Provost Marshal Generals Office in Wash
ington, is one thousand seven hundred and for
ty-six. On this there will be draft of two
hundred and forty; also one hundred and twen-
ty to make up for the exemptions, which it is
considered will reach nearly fifty per cent.
Now we doubt very much if there are two
hundred and forty able-bodied men in
that district subject to draft. The ward
has polled for years but little over
four hundred votes, and the census Of
1860 gives the total population, women,
children and all, at only 2,5O6. This was the
census Of 1860. All who know anything about
New York know that the increase Of popula-
ton is in the up town wards, while the popula-
ton in the lower wards has been gradually de-
creasing, and their residences turned into places
of business. In addition to this number from
that ward are already in the armies of the
Union. Certainly no man can claim that the
population Of the ward is any greater than it
was In 1860. If not, how is il possible that there
are now one thousand seven hundred and forty
six men in the first class? At that rate, taking
all there are in the second class and over forty
five, the entire male residents of that ward
would be male citizens, or the census of 1860
is incorrect.
Now, it may be very well to say that "a per-
son drafted in district in which he does not
reside has only to show this fact to exempt him
from service under such CONSUMPTION )" but
this does not reach the evil. Suppose for in
stance, that there are but three hundred men
liable to draft residing in the Second ward. and
an erroneous enrolment is made up which re-
quires two hundred and forty of that number to
be drafted as it does, II leaves only sixty able
bodied men in the ward. Can any per-
son, even the most bloodthirsty radical,
claim that this is fair and JUST It
Is from such enrolments as these that the
quota Of our city is run up TO 30 much
larger proportions than that of other sections
Of the State. This is not the fault Of the Presi.
dent, or Of the Provost Marshal General at
Washington, but IL is clearly the fault Of
some one In this city. No drafting should
be commenced in this city as long as such pal
| pablo errors as those Of the Second ward stand
| on the enrolment books. Will the President
see that the enrolment IL corrected and the
| work done in businesslike way The draft
should not be loaded. down with any such
| blnnders.
The draft in each district Ia twenty per cent
| on the enrolment, less a slight reduction for
the excess Of volunteers on former calls. The
number TO be drafted in this city is PASTA.
Fifty per cent additional is also to be drawn to
supply exemptions which will be 1887.
making total Of names to be drawn Of 81 oil.