The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-06-11
Proposed Repeal of the
Three Hundred Dol
lar communication.
STATISTICS OF THE DRAFT.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

s~' WAsHINGToN, June 0, 1904.
The following was laid by the Speaker
before the House to day, and was referred
tn the Commtte on Military Affairs
-. LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT.
WAsHrNGroN, D. c., June 8, 1864.
NJ ryr SrN.Tr AND House OF REPRESENT
ATIvES:-
| have the honor to submit for the con-
s,deration of Congress letter and enclo-
sure from the Secretary of War, with my
concurrence in the recommendation therein
made ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
litter FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
WAR DEPARTMENT. WASHINGTON
TO THE PRESIDENT.
SRI beg leave to submit to you re
mort made to me by the Provost Marshal
General. showing the result Of the draft
nav going on to gil the deficiency in the
onotas Of certain States, and recommending
a reps,l of the clause in the Enrolment act
commonly known as the three hundred
dollar clause. The recommendation OF
the Provost Marshal General is approval
by this Department, and trust that 1t VIII
be recommended BY you to Congress,
The recent successes that have attended
our arms lead to the hope that by main
tanning our military strength, and giving it
sucb increase as the extended field OF op
perations may require, an early termination
Of the war may be attained. But to &C
complish this, it is absolutely necessary
tbateficient means be taken with vigor aud
promptness to keep the army up to its
strength, aud supply Deficiencies OCCASION
ed by the losses in the field.
To that end resort must be had to draft;
but ample experience has now shown that
the pecuniary exemption from service frus
trates the object of the Enrolment law by
furnishing money instead Of men.
An additional reason for repeating the ex
emption clause is that it is contemplated to
make the draft for comparatively a short
term. The burthen of military service will
therefore be hghtened; but its certainty Of
furnishing troops is an absolute essential to
success.
I have the honor to be your obedientser
want.
EDWIN NJ. STANTON Sec,y of War.
LETTER FROM THE PROVOST MARSHAL
al a. GENERAL.
WAR DEPARTMENT, PRovosT
MARAHAL GeNERAL's OFFICE,
AsHINeToN, d. O., June 6, ga. }
To Hon. EDWIN Nj. STANTON, Secretary
of War
S1R-In accordance with the amended En-
rollment act, approved February "a; 1864
and your orders on the subject, am now
conducting draft in various sub-districts,
for their respective Deficiencies on quotas of
troops heretofore assigned. The results of
the draft, so far as shown by the reports to
this date, are worthy of attention. They
are briefly as follows
Number ofdrafted men examined I4l
Number exempted for physical dis ability - ,Sli
Number exempted for other causes
Total number exempted ole
Number paid com mutation money 1850
Number who have furnished substitutes Ale
Number held for personal service ------i.2a'
This last includes some who may yet pay
communication money.
Total not exempted 1925
These reports come from sub>districts in
eight different States.
invite your attention to the small pro
portion Of soldiers being obtained under the
existing law. | see no reason to believe
that the army can be materially strength
ened by draft so long as the three hundred
dollar clause is in force; nor do | think it
safe to assume that the Communication paid
by drafted man will enabled the govern
ment to procure volunteer or substitute
in his place.
/ do not think that large bounties by the
United States should be again resorted to
tor raising troops.
recommend that the three hundred dol
lar clause, as it is known, be repealed.
/ am, sir, very respectfully, your obedi,
ent servant,
JAMES B. FRY,
Provost Marshal General
The recommendation of the President
that the exemption clause of the Enroll
ment act be repealed was to-day very favor.
ably received, and discussed at considerable
length by the Senate. Little doubt is en-
tertained of its adoption at an early date.
ABRAHAM's PETs.-Says the N. Y. Her,
AIDS Washington correspondent: "Over a
thousand contrabands arrived here to day