Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-06-11
AN IMPARTIAL DRAFT.

The New York Evening Post complains that the
War Department in making its preliminary ar.
rangements for the enrolment of all persons who
are liable to be drafted into the military service,
has not acted with the mpartiality which the case
demands. 1t says:
"The conscrption falls upon all alike; the principle
which underles it is that all citizens have interest in
the welfare of the State, and ell alike it service
arms against the enemy If all needed, all must go;
when only part required the selection of those who
shall first take their turn under made by drawing
lots; but all are liable to draft.
"Now, it to the Administration has forgotten
to apply this principle with that mpartay which the
case demands We hear of provost marshais and enroll
ment lists 10 the Northern and Border States but do
not hear OF preparations made to enforce the draft
the Cotton States Why provost mashas appointed
for themf Wbyf Is not understood that their nhab
tants subject to the laws those of other Satesf
How is it that in Western Virginia draft is likely to
be ordered for the Union army, but in Eastern Virginia
monet
"The theory of the Administration is That no State
secede from the Unon and that State sacrifices its
rights by rebellion among its inhabitants but it claims
its rights it must also be held to its proper duties For
that we expect the enrolment and the draft be
applied alike to all the States
eff be said that part of the people of the rebel States
is already in arms but against the Union reply that
snother part of them not 1t may be that the white
have been forced into Davss armies but the black
Davis keeps at home to cultivate the land and to raise
food for his troops In such matter the Government
take no account of color social position All that it can
ask whether be able bodied and fitted for the duties
required of the soldiers Ii he s be proper person to
be called into service The law does not impose greater
burden upon State than upon another, upon
class than upon another The draft therefore, must be
applied to all, but must take those it fnds-and it
happens fortunately in the Southern States that those
who remain at home belong to class which is loyal to the
Union and opposed TO the rebellion. Besides the slave
class 10 which s to be peculiarly benefited by the
suits Of the and ought that account be required
to contribute to IFS prosecution and success"
1t is quite true, we believe that no provost mar
Shals have been appointed throughout the Cotton
States, or even throughout Virginia, North Caro-
lima, or Tennessee And if surprised at this fact,
the Post, we are sure, will be more surprised when
it learns that there no applicants for these i'm
portant and lucrative Offices in the gift of the Govern
ment. We ought to have provost marshal residing
at the capitals of South Carolina, Georgia. Alabama,
and other Southern States, with their appropriate
subordnates, whose duty it should be to enroll all
the loyal blacks preparatory to the enforcement Of
the draft at the South as well as at the North As
our contemporary says, the Government in such a
matter can take no account of color social posi-
! tion. The draft should be equal and impartial.
| But whether it be that the views of the Post on
this point are singular, or that there is sudden
and alarming dearth Of patriots at the North who
are willing to hold Office under the Administration
where there is the promise Of doing, our contem-
pory thinks, SO much good, certain it is that Mr.
Stanton should not be very severely criticised be-
cause he has not yet appointed provost marshal,
for all the Cotton States II the Post has any can
didates whom it can recommend for these Offices
we venture to express the opinion that their claimt
will be treated with due consideration by the Ad
ministration, which, we take it, is as anxious as
our contemporary can be to make the draft fall on
all alike As that ardent friend of the Govern
ment, Mr.. Wendell Phillips, has recently said that
he will never rest satisfied until he sees five hun
dred thousand negro soldiers enlisted in the ser
vice Of the Union, perhaps he could be induced tt
accept an appointment for South Carolina or Ala
bama.