Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-08-10
lu%effana Correspondence be4weeA GSv.
Seymour and President Lincoln,

IuSD11ana CssYes>sadence be4weea Gsv.
Seymour and President Lincoln,
Governor Seymour, OF New YorR, In let
ter dated the Sd instant, asks for the snspen-
sion OF the draft In New York until iss consti-
tutionality Is settled By the Supreme Court
He complains Of unfairness Of tho quotas Is
compared with those Of the rural districts, and
that the city has not been credited fer voiun-
teeIs sent to the seat Of war.
pExsIpxsT LINooLS's REfLY.
The President makes the following adn,ira-
BILE reply:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WAsHJSaToN. Aug."
1s6j-His Emcel4eacy, Horoti0 Seymour, Gocer'tof
Of Hcr Fork Your communication OF the 80
instant has been received and attenuvely con-
eidered.
ICannot consent to suspend the draft in New
York as you request because, among oher
things, ti,ae is too important.
By the figures you send, which presume
are correct the twelve districts Represented iail
into 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 ZOO
in one class and 1854 in the other. Assuming
that tho districts are equal one to another, In
entire population as required by the plan on
which they were made, this disparity is such
as TO require attention.
Much OF it, however, I suppose will be &C.
counted for By the fact that SO many more per-
sons fit for soldiers are in the city than are in
the country, who have too recently srriVed
from other parts of the United States and from
Europe, TO be included in the censes Of 1884, or
10 have voted in 1862. Still. making due allow
ance for this, am yet unwilling 10 stand upon
/. Us III entirely sufficient explanation of the
great disparity.
shall direct the draft to proceed i'll oil the
districts, drawing however, at first, fl ON each
of the four districts, to wit the Second,
Fourth. Sixth and Eighth, only 200, being the
average quota OF the other class.
After this drawing, these four Districts, and
also the Seventeenth and Twenty ninth, shall
be carefully re.enrolied, 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 4
special draft for that object allowing due
credit tor volunteers who may be obtained
from these districts. respectively, during the
interval. And at all points, SO far Is consistent
with practical convenience, due credit Will be
given for volunteers, and your excellency shall
be notified of the time fixed for commencing
the draft In each district.
I do not object TO abide the decision OF the
thereof, on the constitutionality of the draft
law. In fact, shall be willing to facilitate
the obtaining of IL, but i cannot consent to lose
the time while 1t Is being obtained. We are
contending with an enemy, who, as UNDER
stand, drives every able. bodied man he can
reach, into his ranks, very much butcher
drives bullock into a slaughter pen. No time
is wasted, no argument Is used.
This produces an army which will soon turn
upon our now victorious soldiers, already in
the field, if they shall not be sustained by re-
cruits as they should be. Ii produces an army
with a rapidity not TO be matched on our side.
it we first waste time 10 re-experiment with
the volunteer system, already deemed by Con-
sIess and paipasly in fact SO far exhausted
10 be inadequate: and then more time TO obtain
court decision az TO whether law is con.
etiiutional which requires q part OF those not
now i'll tho service to 90 10 the aid Of those who
are already in il: and still mere time TO deter
mine with absolute certainty that we get those
who are TO go in the precisely legal proportion
to those who are not 10 go.
My purpose Is, TO be in my action Just ard
Constitutional. and yet practical, in perform
ing the important duty with which l en-
charged. OF maintaining the unity and the free
principles of our common country.
Your ebedient servant, A. LIxcoiS
MoRILE.-The New Orleans correspondent OF
the New York Horid-who may not he posted,
hoUryer-writes, under date OF August l, that
plated. He says:
General Banks and the brIeadiers who
accompanied him TO EIcksburg are 4 exrectad
hhck here again next week. 1t is not limos