North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-02-03
The Draft--an Inside View of its Operation
In NichOlson

In Nicholson.
1t will be remembered by most, if NOT all u
our readers, that in pursuance Of order n"
l0l issued by the Provost Marshal general
printed lists of all persons enrolled and LA
BILE to military duly, between the as(s "i
twenty and thirty five years were put up
in the most Conspicuous places in the
several sub. districts in this county One Of
the Objects, doubtless, Of this proceeding was
TO aIIay any suspicion in the public mind that
any frauds or partiality had been pracIiced
by the enrolling officers in the discharge of
their duties. Another object, and probably
the pr lnclEai ore was 10 perfect the enroll
uent in cases Of unavoidable mistakes or
oversight by tue ff1cers. In order To at ain
this perfection; all p'rsuns within the age
named knowing themselves or Others to have
been omitted were requested to report the
fact to the proper aut hurI!ies. It was sup
posed the instinct Of self preservation, If not
patriotism, would prompt men in that class
to report any omissions; as by so dol'g the
number 10 he drawn from would be Increased
and the chances Of escape for the Individual
would be greater. These lists purporred To
contain the names, all persons then enrolled,
and we're signed 10y the ruvost Marshal, HE
Commissioner aud the Examining Sarseon
Gf the Dl,tllct. Those for thus county were
distribute ed and posed by Lew ii STEPHENS
Dept Provost Maj hall # the Co. from Sat
urday the l2h ln about "Wednesday the lGE
OF December last. Those for their b Tough
We're Put up rr lo''ed on the day ii ST nam
ed. On the Monday following Mr. d. Z
Kitchen, VINO lhcn resided III Nicholson,
took list fr that Township which was
lef; by him at PlerccvilIe. On e4amltarin
Of tins list by lie anxious aud inter
ested Itadeis, il was i,Iin that il did
not contain tie lame of NJ. Silk the En-
was equally strange, the name ,i A. King
The Post Master Of that place. " hn.e Office
is next door to Slsh', Grrrry, did not ap
ear, nor did that of Z, f: S.I"w NJ
bro her in-law, n"T thai # l. rrn c. Sc
phens,- brulh.rh L,v II. Stcrle.s the
Dept. Pr, vust Mar.l al for rhIs Co.. nor HAT
of James E. II I'VE another political friend
and intimate associate uf the Enrolling II
Ger, Sisk. The genuine, though stan. ely
detective lists suddenly and mysterI"usIy
disappeared. The next morning, Tuesday.
the 18Th Mr.. Slsk and ii w, took especial
pains 10 inn ress II upon the minds Of III"
people of that place that they w, r. going to
New York, on important business" They
took the Gals for that place o" the morniug
Of that day. Ii is presumed that they did
not go farther towards New York, than the
next station; for slrane'l l., en, ugh they ap-
peartd to the very Loyal" Abolition Printer
VIM Burgess, Of this place about noon Of
that day We do not Presume to state The
effect ol this unexpected meeting. but We
will state that on the next day, there ap
peared in all the public places IN Nicholson,
lists containing The names Of the five persons
above named as omitted on the genuine ones,
bearing the finger and type marks of one
Billy Button, editor of the Republcan-who
dare not now deny that he printed them.
These bogus Isis we are informed were dis
trbuted and posted by Levi II. Stephens, the
Dept. Provost Marshal of this cpun'y. In
view of the fact that cne Of the five persons
to be benefited by this arrangement, was
his brother and cft fact that the genuine
ONES were in his hands for distribution,
the presumption is fair one that he did not
distribute them in ignorance Of their true
(false) character.
1t Is not difficult to see how all thuse five
abed-bodiCd proper aged lhen escaped the
sweeping conscripton uI last fall, when thir-
" three of their townsmen were Of that un-
fortHna'c class ;-7heir names reie not in
the rheet lit was determined that they
should not be in for future draft son the bone
and s,new and blood of the people Hence
this second ruse we call it by soft name
(another and better one, will suggest itself
to the mind Of every reader) was resorted IL,
to continue the benefits of, AMI cover up the
first one.
The proofs Of what we have stated are so
indisputable and convincing, that no attempt
20 deny or refufe them will probably he
made bat the parties implicated. will doubt
less seek refuge from public infamy, and the
conttmpt Of all honest men. by some such
silly explanation as was gwen by ore Of their
number, in his sneaklng evasion Of the draft
ofls62.
The beard at Troy, we understand have
seen this second list, and pronounced 1t a
forgery" Sone Of these parties have been
before it, and nprcd an apoiogy or cxpla
nation. We cannot believe that human ere
dulity,r or huEan SuLibiiiy, will allow it TO
wAlf1 $@s k2.ow excuses and hold
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