Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-12-26
tesg From the New York Times
THE NEW DRAFT, AND THE REASON FOR 1T
: - - ENFORC EMENT., =

The ,urnals tina! ara dsposed TO question the judg
ment VI the Governmept in OF defiDg q nes drafi,
present various feasoDs Cf some weight 10 support
their afsument. Tley show how unproductiys pre-
yious drafts have bsen. they mako strong poni
of IT, that volun teering alter all, must be the prime
resource OF the War DIpsrtneni and that populou,
disric,s lac NsW York, have done their dI.y Withoui
agy slimuoua beJond that which the liberaty Of the
co ration and ef private oltz ns has Supplied.
TLere ID DE- al OF truth la all ,nis, and If We take
eIcepon 70 the argnm mt. Nc d. 60 without ealing in
qat sIien the ma iaois nhieh IL ID lased. For
"a, arly three moaths The gu Ocm nittee oil the
o,iy aad equity oil Nes York have had thoir hands
uil dal y in exam ng aud pa log V2iule recruits
The nunlbsr OF tuosdln o, p.Oyidsd BY p.rJ,ns not
liable 10 tue draft as sell a. by those who Wished to
4topaie Il, COMBINED with tho genera readiness OF
volunteers TO Chsr hem 'eHes for military service M
der the exciting bei al bountJ Bys m has PLACED Nov
York 80 Tar 10 the fore ront a. steady auj itlabls
support OF the mil aiy administration, that orau tor
thres hundred thl psaud i've hundred theusaId-ii
fairly dis!rbuted-eould not seriously afsct her pso-
pie.
But what le the conclusion to be drawn from this
quasi friendly commentator 10 the evening j'rrnal
cells us the natural conclusion To- that there ought 10
be no draft, siace voluntary effort has done aoh
All that would be reasonable enougs, II New York
we're not Ia q meaeure au eIcep ion 10 almost every
other district. We have Guppiied from the o uDtJ
treatury bopDtlss OF an tIaVaganlly liberia ohkfae-
acteT, We have on RED the ampest aid 10 recruits III
sscurug their full dues Our oz better able,
probably then those Of smaller communities, all things
considered to bear special burdens-bsve come fcr-
ward with msgusnmity altogether upp irallelsd and
IN thousands OF bsye purchased sabsi utes with
no fJar whatever of the dat as IN operating otive
bus simply from conscientious desire to sse the
quiaition of the Govern meut met aud met fairly and
SOU rely.
No merely losal relish feeling could have prompt!
cd our cit zsps 10 have done tthe Of what has been
done TO send iorHari able, sound aud hearty yoluu
teers 10 ths Governments. Halt Of those who have
worked with the nosl thororg good will 10 this bus
ness have been Of the Clues thas had nothing, indi
vidually TO fear from tho draft, when il might
New York, tbeu We take It, may fairly take the credit
which lie voluntary show, but /. may In add
ton, with justice, ak Of the War plrtmsnt that
By mem of the common ripon.j f not by vol
untserng-other districts shall do their Tart propor
donaly as wSlI.
The theory Ia simp'e. The Government deem Il e.
eutia for the speedy compilation of theistk they have
"a hand to Rave mere msu--not for immeda'e active
service but 20 proSide agsirs every ooluDgenry in
al ira II will not diable f any seciion o tie
country Is behind New York IN rsspnnd oheeriuiiy
to thia O. H. Il events prove they very likely
may prove, t the prime ro-t for wbidh tie preser
call is made, has been fnifhsd bsfore the services 6.
the neS recruits arS7t quired.