The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-07
THURSDAY, JULY 7, 1864.
SHALL WE VOLUNTEER, or BE
DRAFTED


There win undoubtedly be a new call Ucde
by the President for more soldier. The war
Is not yet ended, and Is not lil-ely to be with
the present forces in the Esd. GRANT Is still
fighting his way 10 Richmond, SHERMAN is
yet confronting TIE Rebel army in Georgia,
and formidable detachment of LEES troops
is making sort Of foraging excursion into
the Cumberland Valley. This is a state Of
affairs that demands more troops on our side
TO finish up the Rebellion within reasonable
period
Congress has recently amended the Enrol
ment law In such particulars as viii render
draft under II much more efTectual than here
tofore, and the Executive, under the pressure
Of necessity and In default of any alternative,
VIII most certainly order a conscription. But
Mr.. LINCOLN would much prefer getting
reinforcements for the army by any other than
coercive measures he knows and feels pain
fully the jealousy with which the people
everywhere regard forced military service,
and he would not, II he could possibly avoid
Il consistently with his solemn official duty,
resort TO that mode of repleting the thlnned
ranks Of the national army. But what else
can he do in his difficult and trying situation,
unless the people come to his reliefP They
would not have him now give up a contest
that has been prosecuted for three years and
hall, has cost so vast an outlay of blood and
treasure, and which seems TO be so near sue
cessful conclusion.
Is there then no alternative to draft? Can
the Government not get the troops 1t needs at
this most interesting and critical period Of the
war, without drawing lots for them and then
driving them into service by military compul-
sion? It certainly Is not creditable to our
national character to have the President con-
strained by sheer necessity to drag men from
their homes and business, to defend them
selves and their possessions against a Rebel
lion which threatens to destroy the Govern
ment, and with 1t all that every citizen enjoys
through and under its protection.
Drafts are not only obnoxious to popular
feeling or prejudice, and dshonorable to the
nation, but they have proved sadly inefficient.
They raise but few men in proportion to
those enrolled and drawn, while those who
are actually mustered into the service go
most unwiliingly into the field and lack all
the inspiration Of cause in which men freely
enlist. Hence the drafted men have never
proved Of much value in the army, and are
not desirable. But they must be taken for
what they are worth, If recruits can be OBJ
tanned In no other manner.
Philadelphia at least may relieve herself
from the next draft by timely efforts to secure
volunteers to I'LL her quota. Some wards
have already furnished troops enough to
exempt them from the next call for three hun
dred thousand men. They are credited with
surplus on previous calls SUFFICIENT to cover
their quota on that which is impending. And
what one or two wards have done by the
energetic exertions of committees of their
citizens, all may do within brief period oI
time, II the right efforts are promptly made
Let the work, then, be begun at once. Time
just now Is important, and success in so good
and necessary matter should not be leopard
lied by delay.
The advantages of volunteering over drafl
are very succinctly stated by Mr.. WILSON, in
some remarks made upon the subject in the
United States Senate. He gives the re suit o.
draft for twenty-eight thousand men, in what
State Is not mentioned, but the figures are
supposed to. indicate general averages
throughout the Union. OF the TWEEN
ty-eight thousand, fifteen thousand mer
were held to service, showing tha
thirteen thousand were exempted fol
causes specified In the law. The remaining
fifteen thousand were thus disposed of: =
eight thousand four hundred paid commu.
tation money, three thousand furnished
substitutes, and four thousand four hun
dred were held to service. But of this lat
ter number, in consequence Of the time io
presenting themselves for service not hay
ing expired, 1t was supposed that som
might present substitutes and others pa
Communication. The number of these coulC
only be estimated, and the result Of draf
for 14yO00 men was taken as guide. or tina
number but 1900 or 1900 presented them
selves, and from 1900 to 1900 of the numbe
had obtained substitutes. On this ratio Mr.
WILSON supposed that out of the 28,OO
drafted, probably not more than 26OO or 27O
would report for duty, and with the 5000 WHIT
had furnished substitutes, the whole number
Ofmen obtained out of the $4,000 called fo
would be about 6700 men.