Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-02-24
THE DRAFT AND STATE QUOTAS.
Interesting Statement OF the views OF Presf
dent Lincoln.


In common with nearly all the other States, Rhode
Island has been making complaints at Washington
of the assignment of her quota to the draft. A COM
mittee from the Legislature went to the capita to
demonstrate and try have the State quota red uced
and the time for the draft extended. They m ade
their report on Tuesday week. They say that th ey
had interview with the President, who told them,
after stating their case that many complaints ha,
reached him from various quarters of the assignment
Of quotas, that he had personally taken pains to
anime the formula adopted by the Provost Marshal
General for the calculation and distribution of the
quotas for the several States aud had arrived the
conclusion that candid mind could doubt It's fair
ness and equality. The President also gave them a
copy of the following letter on the same subject
which he had written to Gov. Smith of Vermont:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, Feb. 8. 1866.
His ErcelLency Cor Smith, Termont:
Complaints is made to me by Vermont that the as
slgnment of her quota for the draft on the pending
call is ntrinsicay unjust, and also in bad faith Of
the Governments promise TO fairly allow credits for
men previously furnished To illustrate suppos-
ed case is stated as follows.
Vermont ard New Hampshire must between them,
furnish 6,000 men on the pending call, and being
equals, each must furnish as many as the other in
the long run. But the Government finds that OF.
CdlIS eFEoDb IurHlSneu surplus 9uU
New Hampshire surplus of $500. These two sur
puses making 1000; and, added to the 609o max
ing 5000 to be furnished by the two States or 900
each, less by fair credits. Then subtract Vermonts
surplus of 500 from her 200, leaves g. 500 as her
quota on the pending CALI and likewise subtract
New Hampshire surplus of 1000 from her 1000,
leaves 1000 as her quotaon the ending call These
$500 and 500 make precisely the 5000 which the
supposed case requires from the two States; and il
IS Jnst equal for Vermont TO furnish l000 more nor
than New Hampshire, bicaHSe New Hampshire has
heretofore furnished 1000 more than Vermont
which equalizes the burdens of the two in the long
run And this result, so far from being bad faith to
Vermont is indispensable to keeping good faith with
New Hampshire. BY no other result can the 5000
men be obtained from the two States and al the
same time deal justly and keep faith with both and
we do but confuse ourselves in questioning the pro
cess by which the right result is reached The SUP
posed case Is perfect illustration.
The pending call is not tor 300, 900 men subject to
far credits, but is for 300 600 after all fair
credits have been deducted aud it is impossible to
eoncede what Vermont asks, without coming out
short OF the 100000 men, or making other localities
pay for the partialty shown her.
Ihls, upon the case stated. If there be different
reasons for making an allowance to Vermont. IL,
them be presented and considered
Yours truly, A. LINCOLN.
The committee give the following interesting ac-
President:
The President further stated that althouob he
policy which has been adopted by the Provost Mar
al-General for the assignment of the respective
quotas, met his entire approval and appeared IN
him the only way by which exact justice could be Sc
cured in view of the fact that the aggregate of the
credits due 10 all the States exceeded very consider
able the number Of men called for and that men AVID
not an adjustment of balances the object of the
call-ne had, for the purpose Of satisfying the
aaaItds Qf al parties, designated board of oft
GERS to eramfRe into the system and report their con
clHSioaS
In reply TO requests fer a postponement of the
draft, the President replied that he was ready to ad
nit that Rhode Island had invariably been AMONG
the very foremost of the States in the performances
OF her duty, and that she was still actuated by the
same patriotic impulses but that the country could
better afford in consideration of her merit to re6n
quish her quota altogether than to grant postnoue
ment of the draft for single day. The moral effect
said he of furnishing the men called for promnfIy
and without hesitation viii be as great a nnwer as
the men themselves, and beliere he adeied mn
the opinion lchsch Gen. Hancock erpresse9 10 me
yesterday is entirely soeU founded that IL he arzv
could be presently Increased by four hundred fko,
sand men, not one of them .could ecer BE- yeo,,i,e h.
fire paataket at the enemy -
II should allow, he continued a nastnonam.n+
to Rhode Island, should be doing Injustice ia other
States unless the favor was shown to all. and
a. soon as 1t was reported through the newspapers
enaI M your State had the promise of an extension.
every other State, whether influenced by the same
ngh motives or not, that Rhode Island in preferrne
lnlS request claims to be, would demand the same
mmmw~