New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-09-15
TIL; DRAFT.

THE DRAFT.
We heartily approve the resolution to which
! the Government has come Of Immediately en-.
forcing The Draft. We approve also the method
| by which its determination is announced TO the
people, for it adds 10 the judgment Of those in
authority at Washington, the guaranty Of Gen.
Grant and Gen. Sherman that the drait'is O
necessary measure. Independently OF that,
the present purpose il we'll taken, and the loyal
North will rejoice that no cry Of faction and no
regard to an approaching election arc permitted
to interrupt the discharge Of the most delicate
ald most necessary duty which relates to the
prosecution of the War. The Draft is to 60 on,
the armies are TO be filled up, the campaigns in
Georgia and in Virginia are TO be carried
through, and the people Of the loyal States viii
say amen.
The case is<well put by Gen. Grant. "Prompt
action in filing our armies will have more effect
upon the enemy than victory over them They
profess to believe, and make their mon believe,
there is such party North in favor Of rccog-
nizng Southern independence that the drait
cannot be enforced" In the same spirit Gen
Sherman urges the draft "becsuse the enforce
ment Of the Law viii manifest power resident
in our Government equal to the occasion. Our
Government, though n Democracy, should III
times trouble and danger be able 10 ,rii tie po,c-
Of graf nation" Government exists, indeed,
solely for the benefit Of tho nation, but in order
that II may best serve the nation, mast be in
trusted with power enough to preserve itself aud
tie people together when Tie existence Of both is
assailed, and that is what partisan clamor in
these latter months Of tho war has too generally
caused ~ be- forgotten. IL is the principle
which tic Government now asserts in executing
this draft; and ii there were no other issue in
VOWED sc should rejoice at the demonstration
Of is vgor and resolution which the act, in pres
ent circumstances, implies.
Gen Grant, il will be remembered, gave US
lately TIE assurance that with 100000 men
more he armies OF the Rebellion might be over.
thrown; and captions Copperhead critics will
point out the apparent inconsistency between
that Assurance and his present recommendation.
But the Inconsistency is only apparent II is
known there arc really not moro than 100000
men to be obtained under the drait-as Mr.
Stanton has explained--by reason of previous
credits on the quotas. No thoroughness nor
promptness can possibly obtain the whole even
Of that number, yet, were the 100000.
men actually all drafted tomorrow, III
il not probable Gen. Grant would
more than get hi' 100000 effective
men for the armies of Virginia and Georgia
together. 1t is q well known rule that 20 MAIN
tain m army Of given strength in the field, a
nominal strength thrice as great ID required.
Sickness, details, garrisons. hospital duty, the
quariermaster's department, and many Similar
deductions, make incessant inroads upon the
numerical force Of tho best organized army
which ours il not And the number which il
now TO he gathered by draft will for these req.
sons scarcely do more. even when sent directly
and as eSpeditiously as possible TO tho front,
than fiji the ranks to tho extent previously do-
mandei by Gen. Grant.
On all grounds, therefore, it Is necos ny the
draft should 60 forward. Even with reference
TO the election. we do not reckon il IN impoitic
measure-but no matter for that What We de-
sire. beyond ell things, is to putsnch power into
the hands Of tho existing Administration that
il shall be enabled to finish this war forthwith.
|, can be done, if this draft Is fully enforced.
There are fye months aud moro betHoen this
and the Attn of March. Give the Government
troops, ard who shall set limits to the disaster
that may DO brought upon the Rebellion In
those FIVE monthsl
We apprchcnd no cause Of Encouragement in
the November election. But ii there should be,
tho administration Of Mr.. Lincoln VIII still
haye four months in which TO crush the military
power that is warning upon the Union. With
this reinforcement, he may well hope todo his
work thoroughly in that time. The winter
need sec no pause, and if the worst should hap
pen in Noyembcr-if Mcclellan should be elect
ed, the Republic might still be saved before he
gained the power to destroy IT..
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