Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-08-19
Reply of Gov Seymour to Mr.. Lincoln.

Reply OF Gov. Seymour to Mr.. Lincoln
On the Sd instant Gov. Seymour address
ed long letter to President Lincoln, pro.
testing against the enforcement of the
Conscrption law in that State until the
constitutionality of the law shall have
been fully tested in the Supreme Court
and alleging the grossest wIons in max
ing the enrolment, and demanding an
investigation Of said enrolmens, ana the
correction of such errors as may he found.
To this letter the President replied, nns
der date of the 9TH instant, refusing any
delay for the want Of time, promising to
have the districts re,enrollcd attsrVardS,
and says "he does not object remarkable
concession to abide the decision of the
U. S. Supreme Court on the Constitutions
ality Of the law" &c.
To this reply, Governor Seymour rejoins
as follows
ALBANY, Aug s, 1868
"7b The President Of the United States
~ received your communication of the
7th instant TO day.
While recognize the concessions you
make, | regret your refusal 10 comply with
my request to have the draft in this State
suspended until II can be ascortained if
the enrollmeuts are made in accordance
with the laws of Congress or with the prin-
ciples Of Justice. know our armies
need recruits and for this and other rea-
sons | regret decision which stands in
the way Of u prompt aud cheerful move,
ment to fill up the ranks of our thiun ed
regiments
New York never paused in her efforts
10 sen d volunteers to the assistance of our
gal liant soldiers in the field She has not
only met every call heretofore made,
while every other Atlantic aud New
England State, except Rhode Island, have
been dellnquent,) but has continued Ibis
eral bcuntles to volunteers when all efforts
were suspended in many other quarters
Active eXenions are now being made to-
organize new and fill up the old regiments
these eSertions will be more Successful if
the draft is suspended, and much better
men than reluctant conscripts will join the
armies.
"On the 7th | advised you By letter
that would furnish the strongest proof
OF the in justice, if not fraud, in the enroll
ment in certain quarters. now send the
full report made to me by Judge Advocate
Waterbury.
al am confident when you have read it
you will agree with Inc that the honor of
your Administrations demand that the a.
buses which il points Mt be corrected and
punished, You say we are Contending
with an enemy, who, as you understand.
drives every able. bodied man he can reach
into the ranks, very much as the butcher
drives bullocks to the slaughter pen You
will agree with me, that even this, if i'm
Partially done 10 all .classes. is more toler>
abe than any scheme which shall fraudu>
ientiy force portion of the community
into the military service 10y dishonest
pei version of the law.
You will see by the report Of Mr.. Water
bury, that there isno theory which can ex.
plain or justify the enrolment in this
State. wish 10 call your attention 10
the tables, pages five, six, seven, and eight.
which show that in niue Congr ressouai
Districts in Manhattan, Long and Staten
Islands, the number OF conscripts called
for Is 33 80, while in nlneteon other dis.
trlcts the nu mber OF COnsCripts called for
is 39,62G. This draft Is to be made from
the III st class those between the ages of
twenty aud thirty five, It appears by the
census Of 1860 that in the first nine Cons
gressonal Districts there were l64797
between twenty and thirty,five and they
are called upon TO supply 1929 conscript
In the other nineteen districts, with a
population of males between twenty and
thirty five, of 270,7S6, only 80, 626 are de,
Again, to show the partisan character
OF the enrolment, you will frd on the
2lst page of the military report, in the
nine Congressional Districts, the total vote
in 1860 was l5l,243 The number of corr
scripts now in demand is 33,729. In the
nineteen other districts the total vote was
457, ,257. Yet those districts have MAORI.
ties in favor Of one political party, and each
Of the nine districts gave majorities ia far
vor ofthe other party.
"You cannot and will not fail TO correct
these grosswrongs, Trnly, yours,
"HORATlO SEYMOUR"