The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-08-24
THE CHICAGO TIMES AND THE
DRAFT.

DRAFT.
The Chicago Times, the organ of tres-
son, would incite the masses to civil war
aud resistance to the draft, By denouncing
1t as Illegal and telling them that draft
ed man has right to resist the officers
who would take him, as being guilty of
violent Infringement of his personal
rights and liberty. 1t weaves,a web of
sophistry and specious reasoning TO prove
that Abraham Lincoln has not followed
the provisions of the Conscription Act in
his last call aud order for the draft, and
that, therefore, it is informal and uhIaw-
ful. 1t would array the laboring classes
against the Government by claiming that
the draft is arrayed against the poor man
and that he alone is to suffer from it. be-
cause the Communication clause has been
repealed, and the prices of substitutes
will go up until it will be impossible for
any but the wealthy to procure one; and
yet, consistent only in its aid to rebellion.
in lis hostility to the Government, it ic-
nores the fact that while the three hun.
dred dollars exemption clause was part of
the law, the Times denounced it bitterly
and unsparingly for the same reason that
it has denounced its repeal. But the
Times cares not for truth or consistency.
JEFF. Davis is its master, and it labors in
his behalf with more than siavish seryil.
isy. 1t could not cover its disioyalty if it
would, aud doubtless would not If it
could. 1t discoursges enIistmcnts, and
then ncltes the people to resistance to the
draft which the lack of volunteering makes
necessary. Tue trouble with the Times
Is that 1t does not want the Government
to be furnished with any more men by
any method.
The atrociousness and criminality of
the course pursued by this treasonable
sheet herein, are rendered more apparent
by the fact that the editor of the Times
has procured substitute for himself as
security against the draft which he op-
poses as illegal, and to which he would
have his readers not submit. He would
incte them to actions, would have them
incur guilt, in which he will not be per-
sonally participant, and have them to
be the recipients of punishment from
which he shall be exempt And yet if
it succeeds in its damnable intent, If the
tragedy of the New York draft riots is re.
enacted this Fall in Chicago and else-
where upon the occasion of the draft; If
cities and districts are filed with disorder
and carnage; if property is destroyed, and
innocent aud inofensive men, women and
children slain if law and order are over
thrown, and anarchy reigns in their stead;
If men hold their lives at the option OF
brutal and infuriated mob il this condi-
tion of affairs transpire in our land, upon
whom will the guilt chiefly lie? Who,
bsfore God and in the sight OF candid
men, will be chiefly responsible for it !?
We answer, the Times and kindred
shees, who, with settled maliguity Of
purpose and with full knowledge of con-
sequences. play upon the angry pa assions
of an excited and excitable people. and
lead them to the commission of deeds Of
rapine and treason from which the iosti.
gators expect TO stand aloof and thus he
saved from the severe retribatiou that
will inevitably be visited upon the
actors.
That retributio6 will surely come, II
resistance to the draft be offered. The
national emergencies require additional
men. Congress, composed Of the lawful
representatives Of the people. have pro.
ided he method BY which the men shalI
- s*-tN &fE