Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-12-02
Failure Of tIie Inst Draft-The
whole Thing Practically q Fail.
LOorre.pOndon0e q The BOSTON Adyertiser.l


M WASHINGTON, Nov. 10.
Mr.. Solicitor Whiting is the authority,
believe, for the statement that up to the
first of October. the last call for troops had
realized one hundred and twenty thousand
soldiers. How many have been realized
since that date? In some respects the draft
is, practically, failure. IL does not realize
men for the army as rapidly as the army needs
men. The decision of the War Depart
ment that government has nothing to do
with drafted men till after they have been
examined and accepted, Is undoubtedly the
only one that could Justly be made, under
the law; vet 1t goes very far to make the
law, In its effect, nullity. See how 1t
works in single case. In Washington,
for instance, we have had the regular draft,
supplemental draft No. One, supplemental
draft No. Two, and before Congress meets
we shall havesupplemental draft No. Three!
After all credits were given, the city was
found deficient about 1850 men. Accord
ingly, in September the draft was made, and
about 1890 names drawn. From these were
realized but about 600 soldiers. Therefore,
In October we had the first supplemental
draft, which was for about $50 men. This
drawing Of 100 names realized only some
230 soldiers: and second supplemental
draft for 800 men was made last week. Pres
ent appearances indicate that this drawing
of 640 men will not realize over $50 soldiers
and that by the end of the month w
shall be ready for our third supplee
mental draft of not less than 100 to l75
men. Their summing up shows that 4,O4O
names drawn will furnish no more than
1000 soldiers to the credit of the city, and
that we are likely to have not one,
but two more supplemental drafts; and
that we shall aggregate at least 4,6Oo
names drawn for 1,l50 soldiersl Yet
even this apparent proportion OF one
soldier to each four names drawn Is de-
ceptive; for, since the day on which the
original draft was made, considerable
number of persons have furnished substi-
tutes or representative recruits. 1t will be
observed that the first drawing furnished
one soldier to three and five-sixths names
drawn; the second, one to four and three
fourths. The third may furnish one hum
dred and fifty men, but is more likely not
to furnish more than one hundred and
twenty, or, say, one to five and one-third.
l estimate that the conclusion of the whole
matter will show that the proportion must
stand about one soldier for each five and
one-half names drawn. This, certainly, is
an exceptional case, on at least two grounds
the proportion OF exempts for physical
ulSaDlllIy, lS LluCll idiSci III w aohnSDvh,
probably, than in any other city In the
country; and the facilities for running
away are greater here than anywhere else.
A considerable number OF the really able
bodied young men OF the city went into the
rebel army in 1861; considerable number
of men have got clerkships here simply De-
cause they are unfit for hard, >vigilant
work in the outside world-hence the
proportion of exempts for physical
causes is unusually large. So many men
belong to what is designated as "hoating
population that in many instances two
hours enables the drafted man to set his
affairs all in order and take the cars for
some point hundreds of miles away. Yet,
after all allowances are made, the tact re-
mains that the decision of the War Depart
ment, founded in the law, practically goes
far to nullify the law in so far as law is a
force to oblige bad men to respect the rights
of good men. The draft becomes binding
only upon saich men as recognize the moral obli-
cation, and such as cannot or acH not run dlcdy.
The authorities have no power to oblige
drafted men to report for examination, and
AS what is eyerybody's business Is nObo-
dy's-the city or town authorities neglect
to see that they do report; and, therefore,
every man who chooses to run away can
readily do so. Let him go ahundred miles,
and he is as free from the army as though
there had never been q draft. More-he
scarcely need remain away more than two
or three months, if he is quiet and discreet;
for when he returns, the quota OF his city
and ward has been filled, there seems no
demand for further men, and scarcely q
dozen persons ever will dream why he was
absent or think whether he ever was draft
ed. That this view of the matter has been
taken here is potent enough from the fact
that the proportion of men realized
for the army Is less under each draft. OF
about two hundred and forty men whose
names were drawn in the original and first
supplemental draft in one ward, overeighty
have never reported at the provost-mar-
shal's Office, and the proportion in some OF
the other wards is said to be still greater.
The natural presumption is, that nearly all
these eighty were aware that they had no
cause for exemption. How many men has
the draft realized since Mr.. Whiting said It'll
had given 10000. The answer lies behind
such faces as / have given. The original
call was for 100000 men, but credits Of all
kinds cut the numbers to be furnished down
to / shall not give the figure. Let
the judgment of intelligent men supply it,
remembering in how few. localities there
has been any very great deficiency to fill,
remembering that great Massachusetts, and
great New York city have scarcely felt that
there was any call. Assuredly, those who
say the draft has realized 100000 soldiers
are very wild in judgment. Do the proba-
bilities indicate that 1t has realized, or will
realize, 100000?
The hard fact remains-this cali for troops
has not furnished the men as fast as the army
needs men. What is required is constant,
daily, unending reinforcement.