American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-09-21
Ehn EeYn0.

The draft is now being made all over
the country, to fill up the balance of the
five hundred thousand men called for
about two months ago We would have
much preferred that a draft had been ayoi-
dod il possible. And why was it not
avoided? simply because all were not in fa-
yor Of seeing our armies filed up at this
time. The Democracy seemed, as if by
instinct, to understand that the defeat Of
the Union armies in the present campaign,
was necessary, in order to secure Heir tri-
umph at the approaching election; but
if the armies should be filed by fresh re-
cruits, there was no power in rebeldom to
resist their onward march. This must be
prevented, if possible, and hence, as it
would seem, by a concerted arrangement.
As soon as Mr. Lincoln's proclamation was
issued, Copperhead politicians and papers
throughout the land. declared that to car
ry on the war longcrwas O. butchery;" )" be-
cause we were undertaking to do an i'm
possibility, and that, therefore, no man
who cared for his honor would have any,
thing to do with the war. They further
more, declared that the draft could not he
cnforccd-that no Democrat would 90 in
to the army-thoy would die at home first
&c, and in this way they cultivated great
distaste for the service, on the part of
many Democrats who might have gone
into the service. Republicans had on ev-
cry previous occasion, filed four-fllhs of
the respective calls. fhs weakened their
party at home, as they were deprived Of
their right of suffrage while in theseryice.
They, therefore determined that they
would not further pursue this course of
action, for the Democrats instead Of sus-
tanning the army like loyal citizens, sym
pathise strongly with "NIr. Jefferson Da-
Wis, as We see him styled in the last
Herald of this place. The Republicans
realizing the necessity of filing up our
armies, said to their Democratic neigh
bors, come and let us make an effort to
avoid the draft, by at once making a uni
ted effort to arouse the young men of the
countrx-let us give them a moderate
bounty, and in every way possible cncour-
age the filing up Of our armies No said
they, we will not give another man, nor
another dollar to this war. But, said the
Republicans, you know that the Govern
ment will have the men some how. The
only thing that we have tod decide is, wheth-
er we will furnish our quotas voluntarily,
or be drafted-a draft too will often work
great, ,hardships. To this Mr.. Copper
head replies, we are not afraid of the
hardships of the draft-we defy Lincoln
and all his minions-they can't enforce
the draft We were informed by
one at least, of their leading men, that
they would be organized in every loyal
district in the Union, to resist the draft
and every other Federal mandate. 1t is
this we say, that has conduced so power
fully y the present state of things.
In some districts Republicans volunteer
ed and obtained good local bounties and
left their deluded Democratic neighbors
to take care of themselves, as best they
could. In other districts they determin-
ed to await the draft in patience and share
TIE fate of their neighbors. In the mean
time, the idea Of resistance became rath-