American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-07-06
More Soldiers.

IL IL cOuceueu tHdt uOTS Iueu dLc ncSN
ed to finish the business OF putting down
the rebellion. The only question is, how
shall they be raised? The Government
adheres to the drafting system as the best,
and is asking Congress to make 1t more
effective by repeating the commutatlon
clause. Congress, representing the peo-
nle. whose war this is, and who intend to
fght it through, have thus far hesltated
10 do away with the communication, there
by indicating want of faith in the draft
"a the means for keeping the armies up.
Herein we think theimmediate represen-
tatiyes of the people are wiser than the
other branch of the Government; but un-
der the pressure it is doubtful whether this
wisdom will continue to the end.
In our judgment, the mistake which
the Government makes, is in not appreci-
ating the Willingness of the country to
furnish soldiers to the number required
The only unwillingness existing that we
know of, is to be drafted 1t is system
that effectually closes every avenue to the
popular heart, and extinguishes the feel
ing without which the Government will
be powerless. 1t is time the Government
knew this pregnant fact. Take a given
number of citizens, unanimous in their
opposition to the draft; the Government
has but to popularize its call and means,
to put two-thirds of them in the ranks
Such is the fact here, and we believe it to
be 80 elsewhere. We think we can as
sure the President, the Secretary of War,
and Congress, that if two hundred thou
sand or five hundred thousand men are
wanted to finish the business, they have
but to put that fact before the country, in
the place of the hated, chilling draft, make
an appeal straight to the popular heart,
and the men can be obtained as rapidly as
they can be armed.
1t is no argument to say that they will
be new men. They will be no newerthan
you will get under the draft-no substi-
tutes with but the single motive Of descr-
tion-but earnest men whose hearts are
in the right place. Besides, there arc no
new men now in the sense of the term two
years ago. The people have been cduca-
ted and disciplined within that time by
constant contemplation and greater or less
familiarity with actual warfare. Recent
experience has disposed Of that plea.
Whatever the Government does, if it
expects success, it must have the popular
heart in its favor. Without this you can
not get the men--even if you could, they
would not avail you. Therefore, the only
thing to be done is to get in symathy
with the people and then act together
Certain we are, the repeal of the commu-
tation clause will not be step in that di-
rection.
It'll evident that whatever the plan is,
the capital Of the country must in the end
boar a large share of the burden. In this
view Of the case, the association of gen.
tlemen of wealth-most of them exempt
from military duty-was formed in New
York, to procure men and place them in
the ranks at once To facilitate efforts of
this kind, the following circular has been
issued by the Provost Marshal General
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pho. MAR. GENERALS OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, D. c., june 26,
Persons not fit for military duty and not
liable to draft from age or other causes,
have expressed desire tc be personally
represented in the army. In addition to
the contributions they have made in the
way of bounties, they propose to raise at
their own expense and present for enlist
ment recruits to present them in the ser
vice. Such practical patriotism is wor-
thy of special commendation and encour-
agoment. Provost t-marshals aud all other
officers acting under this bureau, are Or
dered to furnish all the facilities in their
power to enlist and muster promptly ac-
ceptable representative recruits, presented
in accordance with the design herein set
forth. The name of the person whom the
recruit represents will be noted on the en-
listment and descriptive rolls of the re-
cruit, and will be carried forward from
these papers to the other official records
which form this military history. Suita.
bly, prepared certificates of this personal
representation in the service will be for.
warded to this Office to be filled out and
issued by the provost-marshals to the per.
sons who put in representative recrusts.
JAMES B. Fry.
Provost Marshal General
We understand that some of our lead.
ing citizens, manufacturers and capital.
lists, are considering the question of or.
ganizingaccording to the New York plan
now legally provided for. BY this mean;
the wants of the Government would be
provided for, and the rigors of the draft
materially mitigated-perhaps tho ex.
treme sort wholly avoided. We feel con,
6dent that the quota of Allegheny coun,
ty can be filed in this way; and that
the plan will prove to be not only cffec,
tive, but popular.-Pias. Com.
AN ExAMPLE.-In one respect the
South has set us an example. Through
ont the South North Carolina excepted