Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-03-23
0blo Statesman.

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The Chicago Committee ON the
Draff-Their Hnterview with MIR.
LincoIn-MOre Of the Presidents
Little Stories. t +.
The people of Chicago recently sent q
deputation to Washington, to induce the
President to reduce the quota of Cook conn
ty, which is claimed to be excessive. The
President, however, insisted that the draft
should proceed on the basis of the present
enrolment and ordered that new enroll
ment shall subsequently be made by others
than the present enrolling officers, and that,
If the present enrolment shall be found to be
excessive, the county shall have credit for
all men furnished since March Sd, 1868, up
on the basis of the new enrolment. The
Chicago Times gives the following humorous
report of the interview between the Presi-
dent and the Chicago deputation:
'No," said the President, ''notwithstand-
ing you offer to furnish 1000 more men than
have the right to demand or expect of you,
you cannot be permitted to regard yourself
free of the draft. 1 have demanded 500
men instead of 600, and you must comply
with my demand"
But" said the Chicago committee, ''that
Is 1900 more men than you have the right to
81 know it." said the President, "but
will give you credit upon the next draft"
"Why, Mr.. Lincoln" said one of the COM
mittee, II thought we are not going to have
another draft; somebody certainly told me
so."
"Very true" replied the President. shut
did you not hear the same assertion before
election, and yet you are now having an
other draft; and notwithstanding you hear
the same thing now, you may have still an
other, and perhaps dozen OF them." r.
Another member of the committee sug-
gested-"Before the election, there were
promises that proper credits should all be
made upon the next call, which is the pres
ent one, and now the people have a right
to expect their credits"
swell, l know" replied Mr.. Lincoln,
shat promised to allow you all credits
upon this call; you would not have been
willing to have filled the call of 1864, if
had not made such promise. have got
the men under the call of 1864; they are
about used up, and want more men, and
am willing to make another promise-you
shall have your credit upon the next call"
"But promises don't do us any good, Mr..
Lincoln" was the reply.
"Well, they keep in good humor, guess,
and at any rate promises are all have to
give. The New England States are lend
ing a moral support to the war, and it is
nothing more than justice that that moral
support should be credited upon her quotas,
and, furnishing. the moral support, New
England has right to expect that the West
shall furnish the physical support. If
Boston does the praying, why should Chi
cago demur at being compelled to do the
fighting. And that reminds me of joke :
Somebody returned to me one of my fast
ing proclamations, with tho words "a day nf
drafting and prayer written over 1t. Fry
thought it suggestive of what people would
say when the quotas were announced
praying in Boston and drafting in
Chicago. And that reminded me
very forcibly of man in Sangamon
county, Illinois, who was arrested upon the
charge of murder. The States attorney
was sick, and was appointed to prosecute.
There was great excitement and the court
room was thronged with spectators. Itwas
one of my maiden cases, and as my reputa-
tion depended upon success, was deter
mined to achieve it. The counsel for the
defense were very ingenious in their theo-
ries as to how the murder, which was very
mysterious, might have been committed,
and discoursed eloquently upon the injus-
tice which would be done to the poor man
il, in reality innocent, he were found guilty
and hung. l told the jury that the best
thing they could do was to hang him, and,
if in the course OF time, it would be shown
that he was innocent, the court could cause
such fact to be placed on his tombstone. l
did not win the case, but could never un-
derstand why. Fry couldn't see the point,
but l enlightened him by telling him that
was just lohere the joke lcGs. Now l don't
want any of the committee to mention this
story, for some evil-disposed persons might
torture it into wrong meaning, by declar-
ing that compelling Chicago to furnish 1900
men more than can justly be required Of
her, and giving her credit upon the
next call. is somewhat like hanging an in
nocent man for murder, and stating the fact
of his Innocence upon his tombstone.N