The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-02-02

change. Cotton unchanged Petroleum was dull and
| nearly nominal
The Proposed Draft 70 Square mp OLD
| Accounts.
The papers, and consequently the people,
| seem to be laboring under a mistake in regard
to the draft ordered by President Lincoln in
the proclamation published yesterday. This
draft for Eve hundred thousand men is, in reali-
| ty, not new draft. 1t is rather completion
Of the drafts already ordered general squar-
ing up Of the old accounts between the people
and the government To make this matter
plain to our readers, we publish in another
column the calls for troops issued by the Presi-
don't since and including 1862.
1t will be seen that oa tho 4th Of August,
1862, President Lincoln ordered draft for
three hundred thousand nine months militia,
in addition to the three hundred thou
sand volunteers already authorized, by Con-
gress. These nine mouths men were al raised;
but that still left the people in debt 10 the gov
| eminent for the three hundred thousand voun-
teers. For one cause and another, and espe-
| cially because the government bad plenty of
| nine months men in the field, this matter WAS
u
was ordered. This, it will be remembered, cul-
minated In the New York riots. The Secretary
Of War reports that be obtained fifty thousand
men by this draft, and City thousand more by
volunteering up TO the date Of the draft
making one hundred thousand in all. Deduct
this one hundred thousand from tho three hun
dred thousand authorized by Congress, and we
AnA tI,aft ha Ia - lnf~ 49,
ernment after the draft Of 1868, just two hun
dred thousand men.
| The draft, as we have said, took place ia the
summer Of 1868. In October. 1868. the Presi.
dent issued call for three hundred thousand
volunteers. "in addition to the,mcn raised by
the present draft" Add to this three hun
dred thousand the two hundred thousand de-
fciency noted ia ths preceding paragraph, and
We have total OF five hundred thousand men,
| which is precisely The number called for by
the President in his recent order. or course.
~ the President states, "ss many a. may have
been enlisted OF drafted into the service prior
70 the LIST Of March" will be deducted from this
FIVE hundred thousand. Tho fuss raised about
the new draft by some Of our papers is, there
fore, superfuous. 1t is o mere settlement of
accounts in which the government debts the
people with oil che troops called for since the
beginning Of 1862, and credits the people with
all Toe drafted and enlisted men since the same
date. Instead Of being demand for Eve
hundred thousand new men, it is only de-
maud that the people shall pay up the balance
on their old debt. This we should at once set
to work to accomplish. The indications are
that it will not be very hard work for any
locality.
Vermont, Indiana. Connecticut and we be-
love, New Jersey, have 6led up their quotas
under oil the calls. Consequently there will
be no draft in those States Many cities, towns
add counties throughout the country have re-
ported all their quotas full These fortunate
places will escape the draft. About one hun
dred thousand men are said to have enlisted
during the month Of January This will cut
down materially the number called for. The
veteran regiments which have re-enlisted. or
shall re-enlist before the Lat OF March, will be
credited to the localities where they were
originally recruited Tbis will cut down the
number again. On the whole we are Of the
opinion that only about two hundred thousand
men will remain 10 be raised before the LIST Of
March; and this can be easily done, and the
draft avoided altogether, by proper display Of
patriotism and liberality, especially as the
present bounties ore to be continued up 10 ten
days before The draft, AS far a. New York Is
concerned, Supervisor Blunt, Chairman Of the
! Volunteering Committee, reports that he thinks
there will be no difficulty in raising our quota
before the time specified In The draft order.
Naturally enough, be expects every good citi.
cen TO cid him In the work, so a. TO save oil
trouble and sustain The reputation Of this mo
tropolis Of The Union which has already done
moro for the war than the whole State Of Mas
sachusetts, that hotbed Of fanaticsm, and author