Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-08-21


to Gov. Seymour's letter to him, requesting a
suspension ofthe draft in New York. complaining
of unfarness, DC.
Executive Mansion, Washington, I
August 7.
His Erccl1cncy, Hordtio Seymour, Goveyaor o,
NeaO York, Albany " y.
Your communication of the Sd instant has
been received and attentiyely considered l
cannot suspend the draft in New York, as you
request because, among other reasons, TINE is
too important. By the figures you send which
presume are correct, the twelve districts rep
resented fall in two classes of eight and four re-
spectively.
The disparity of the quotas for the draft in
these two classes is certainly very striking be-
ing the difference between an average of 2200
in one class and 1864 in the other. Assuming
that the 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,
suppose will be accounted for by the fact that so
many more persons fit for 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 1862. Still, making
due allowance for this, | am yet unwilling to
stand upon itas an entirely sufficient eXplana-
ton of the great disparity. i shall direct the
draft to proceed in all the districts, drawing
however at first from each of the four districts
to wit, the Second, Fourth, sixth and Eighth
only 1900 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-enrolled-and if you please
agents of yours may witness every step of tn,
process. Any deficiency which may appear BY
the new enrolment will be sepied by spec
ial draft for that object allowing due credit 70
volunteers who may be obtained from thes
Districts respectively during the interval anC
at all points, so far as consistent with practical
convenience due credits shall be given for vol
unteers, and your Excellency shall be notified o
the time fixed for commencing draft in each
District.
l do not object to abide decision of the Uni
ted States Supreme Court, or of the Judges
thereof on the constitutionality Of the draft law
In fact, should be willing to facilitate the OBJ
tanning of it, But L cannot consent to lose tn
time while it is being obtained. We are con
tending with an enemy who, understand, drive
every able bodied man he can reach into hi
ranks, very much as a butcher drives bullock
into slaughter-pen. No time is wasted, n,
arguments used. This produces an army whicl
will soon turn upon our now victorious soldier
already in the field ifthey shall not be sustained
by recruits as they should be. 1t produces al
army with rapidity not to be matched on on
side, if we first waste time TO re-experimen
with the volunteer system, already deemed By
Congress, and palpably, in fact, so far exhauste,
as to be made inadequate; and then more time t.
obtain Court decision as to whethera law is con
stituional which requires part of those not nov
in the service to 90 to tho aid of those who ar
already in it; and still more time to deternn
with absolute certainty that we get those VIII
) arc to go in the precisely legal proportion t
those who are not ogo My purpose is to b
in my action just and constitutional, and ye