Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-02-25
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY a6, 1864.
THE DRAFT AS NEWLY EXPLAINED.


if not rev construction at least new expapa-
ton, has been given to the last call of the Presi
dent for 100000 troops. In commenting on this
call the day after it was made public we directed
the attention of our readers to the ambiguity of
its terms, and we may add we have frequently had
and de6niteness in many Of the orders direct
ng the operations of the officers charged with exc
cutting the enrolment act.
1t is very probable that this obscurity proceeds
from the informal manner in which the business
affairs Of the Government are conducted under the
present Administration. This informality has be-
come SO marked that Senator Sherman, of Ohio, in
commenting on it few days ago, ventured to ex-
press the deliberate opinion "that it is absolutely
impossible for the Government to be carried on
unless there is more information, harmony, and
acquiescence in its various Departments. 1t is
impossible for the Treasury Department to know
how much money is to be provided for certain
purpose unless the estimates are submitted to the
Treasury Department"
The practice Of the Administration in the con-
duct of affairs, under the usages established by
President Lincoln, was thus discussed by Mr.. SEN
ator johnson, Of Maryland, in the same debate.
We quote from the official report Of the proceed
ings of the Senate on the 18th instant
I understand that the practice which has been adopted
by this Administration s when the Secretary Of State
wants to effect any thing his Department he and
speaks to the President for himself and the first
any other member of the Cabinet gets of what s going
when he it in the newspapers and so in relation
TO the other members of the Cabinet.
II have no potential voice with the President IL
bad would try to keep him in path much sraiter than
the one he pursuing believe that he aud his Cabinet
are doing what they understand to be for the best If
believed what have heard coming from his friends
this hOor in relation him and his Cabinet should think
the we got rid Of the whole of them the better for
the country. But suggest the mistake arises from the
very fact Of their not getting together and deciding for
Themselves in JOINT council what is the best policy to be
Now the Secretary Of the Treasury who ought to be
advised OF what to be the demands his Department
cannot ia the nature Of things know what they to be
unless the sscretsry of War tells him. the President
tells him, 1t probable shall call for some two
three hundred thousand men,. But understsnd it,
according to their practice and according TO their practice
Il musr be so the President determines to make call for
two hundred thousand without consulting the
Secretary of the Treasury without consulting anybody
but the Secretary Of War. The call s made and the
attention of the Secretary Of the Treasury is fret called
to il by seeing the gazettes of the day proclamation
from the President calling for Eve hundred Thousand more
men He what the trouble is to be in his Depart
ruptcy. 1t is enough to run the man mad That would
be bad in itself to those who know him but it enough
10 run the country mad, as | think
We incline to the opinion that many things in
the conduct of the different operations of the
Government in the several Executive Depart
ments, may be best done in thu way adopted by
President Lincoln, but there are others which
obviously require concert of counse as the condi-
ton of unity and vigor in action.
Any reader who will recall the several orders
that were issued by the Provost Marshal General
in initiating the first draft under tins enrpment
lsw will be quite ready to infer that the diff Guilty
Of which Senator Sherman and Senator johnson
complain extends to one of the rami6cations of
the War Department. 1t was made painfully
evident to the whole country that that law at
tempted to be put into execution without the pro-
per preminarr care to methodize its operations
and commend hem to the popular confidence. 1t
was Of the ve first necessity that the equality of
its application should be placed beyond doubt or
controversy, and to this end the announcement of
its enforcement should have been preceded by
comparative tabular exhibit disclosing the quota of
each State and the grounds on which that quota
was calculated end assigned In the absence Of such
IN exposition the whole subject was left in state
Of mystery, confusion, and incertitude exceedingly
distressing to the popular mind.
To dispel the mystery still resting over the terms
Of the last call it has just been explained, under
new construction given to that call for 100000
men, that the State of New Hampshire ia entirely
exempt from tho necessity Of furnishing any addi-
tional troops. IL was 10 be presumed that rule
applied to one State would be made to hold good
in all, and accordingly We have the iptimation that
New York is not to be so much troubled to meet
her liabilities under the last call many of her
citizens had feared The Interpretation by which
this result is achieved is follows the Presidents
peremptory call for 100000 men does not mean, it
is said, that that number of additional men is
wanted; nor does it mean even that 2OO, GOO men
are wanted over and above The 300,0 900 called for
on the 18th of October last II means that unde
oil the calls only 100000 men are wanted against
which number are to be credited all that were
raised by the draft Of July last, lthe combinations
paid to be counted NJ 40 many men , also, all that
have been raised under the call Of October for
400 900 men, and in fact all the men that have